Tomok is the village on Samosir’s east coast where the car ferry from Ajibata docks, about five kilometres south of Tuk Tuk. A lane of souvenir stalls leads up from the harbour to the island’s best-known monument: the tombs of the Sidabutar kings, the clan whose ancestor is said to have been the first to settle here.
The centrepiece is a great stone sarcophagus carved from a single block, with a mask-like face at the front and a small figure crouching behind. It is generally described as being more than two hundred years old and belongs to a ruler who died before Christianity reached the lake; a later tomb beside it carries a cross, which neatly tells the story of how quickly the Toba Batak converted in the nineteenth century.
Top things to do at Tomok
Visit the Sidabutar tombs
At the entrance you are lent an ulos, a woven Batak cloth, to drape over one shoulder as a mark of respect. A local guide usually gathers visitors on the benches and explains the three main sarcophagi, the stone figures in front of them and the stories attached to each king. A small donation is expected.
Watch the Sigale-gale dance
Sigale-gale is a life-sized wooden puppet that “dances” to gondang music, worked by strings from behind. Legend says it was carved to console a king who had lost his only son. Performances are put on in front of a row of traditional houses when enough visitors gather or on request, for a fee, and you will be invited to join the tor-tor dance.
Step into the Batak Museum
A traditional house near the tombs holds a small collection of weapons, kitchen tools, carvings and textiles. It takes fifteen minutes and gives useful context for the houses you will see all over the island.
Shop for ulos and carvings
The market lane is the largest souvenir market on Samosir: ulos cloth, carved calendars and staffs, T-shirts and musical instruments. Bargaining is normal and good-humoured. Handwoven ulos costs far more than printed fabric, and the difference is visible when you look at the back.
How to get to Tomok
- From Tuk Tuk: ten to fifteen minutes by scooter or car, or a pleasant hour on foot along the lake road.
- From the mainland: the vehicle ferry from Ajibata lands in Tomok after roughly 45 minutes to an hour. Foot passengers can use it too.
- On a tour: Tomok is on almost every Samosir itinerary, including the day trips from Medan that cross to the island.
Insider tips
- Go before ten in the morning or after three in the afternoon. In between, tour groups arriving from Parapat fill the small tomb enclosure.
- Keep small notes handy for the donation at the tombs, the puppet show and parking.
- The tombs are a burial ground still honoured by the family: dress modestly and do not sit on the stones.
- Combine Tomok with Ambarita on the same morning; they are twenty minutes apart.
Best tours & tickets for Tomok
These experiences are the easiest way to see Tomok:
Multi-day tour from €449 Medan: 4-Day Lake Toba, Samosir Island and Berastagi Tour
Four days through Medan, Lake Toba, Samosir Island and Berastagi, with the ancient tomb of King Sidabutar, Sipiso-piso waterfall and the fruit market in Berastagi among the stops. One review so far.
- The tomb of King Sidabutar in Tomok
- Sipiso-piso waterfall
- Berastagi’s fruit market
Multi-day tour from €487 From Medan: Lake Toba & Samosir Island 2-Day Tour with Cruise
A two-day trip from Medan that pairs Samosir Island and Tomok village with a sunset cruise on Lake Toba aboard a yacht. It is the most expensive short package we list and has no reviews yet.
- Samosir Island and Tomok village
- Sunset cruise on a yacht
- Two days, one night
Day trip from €118 Medan: Lake Toba Day Trip with Ferry and Lunch
A full day from Medan that actually sets foot on Samosir: you drive to the lake, take a ferry across to the island, visit historic villages and learn about Batak culture, with lunch included, before returning to Medan the same night.
- Ferry across the lake to Samosir Island
- Historic Batak villages with a guide
- Lunch included
