We stayed in Silintong Hotel for 3 nights and paid 600,000.00 IDR altogether. It looks like we were the only guests in this hotel that time. This “two star” rated hotel has a good location (Tuk-Tuk Siadong) and easily accessible from Parapat with boat: upon request the boat fetch you or pick up from private hotel’s pier (the boat trip from Parapat to Samosir Island is 7,000 IDR one way and you will be asked for the name of your hotel). The hotel has a beautiful setting on Lake Toba with a lovingly tended garden between the hotel and the lake. Garden is kept with lots of flowering plants, especially orchids of various types. In front of Hotel is a lily pond. The hotel offers «standard», «moderate» and «superior» rooms. Our twin «moderate» room was not fancy but large and comfortable with a small patio opening out to the garden with set of megalith Idols. In-room coffee/tea makers are provided but other facilities like television, fridge and safe are forgotten as “useless frills of civilization”. Hot water was only available during specified hours in the morning and evening. Our room has been kept clean and staff has all been very friendly and considerate towards clients. For payment they accept only cash.

The water in the lake is refreshingly cool. If it is enough clear you can even enjoy watching colourful freshwater fish like Gourami and Guppy, the most popular freshwater aquarium fish species in the world. We enjoyed swimming off the stone wall as the sandy beach was choked with lake plants and not really suitable for swimming. Drawback of this place was mosquitoes. There were so many that I was covered in bites after staying there and finally got Dengue fever coming back to Malaysia (that coincided with the incubation period 4–7 days, time between exposure and onset of symptoms). Definitely I cannot say that got Dengue fever in hotel area as actually mosquitoes were everywhere around Tuk-Tuk (including in hotel area).

We arranged minivan for one day trip around Tuk-Tuk (40 USD) but as alternative option you could find almost everywhere offer for rental motorbikes and bicycles. One of the most interesting place is Hutasiallagan museum notable with its 300-year-old stone chairs of King Hutasiallagan-Ambarita (ancient court); the museum's guides in detail (!) tell you how in the past offenders were bound, blindfolded, sliced and rubbed with garlic and chilli before being beheaded and eaten. Huta Bolon Simanindo is another museum of traditional Batak houses, former home of Batak king Rajah Simalungun, where cultural performances of the Naposo dance (a marriage dance) and Sigalegale dance can be seen. Especially Sigalegale dance is very nice to watch. A wooden puppet representing a deceased son is moving by strings. Another main attraction of the island is the tomb of their King Sidabatur in Tomok. The road from Tomok to Pangururan is scenic itself, and on the way to the western part of Samosir you will enjoy greens of rice field, multi-storey graves decorated with Batak-style house and numerous Batak villages with traditional wooden houses. There are also many fine Batak woodcarvers. Nearby Pangururan (on the western part of Samosir, where a bridge connects Samosir island to mainland) you will find «Mata Air Panas» or hot springs that the locals are proud of. You can walk up to visit the springs and find some beautiful sulfuric crystals here. The water is very hot. There are swimming pools, so you can take a dip. My advice to book private family pool that is reasonably clean.

For breakfast I would recommend Franky Restaurant with banana or mix-fruit pancake with chocolate sauce. We checked few other restaurants nearby with same menu but this one serves one of the best breakfasts. For dinner and lunch I recommend Jenny's Restaurant, which definitely one of the best around Tuk-Tuk. Try fresh lake fish Tilapia, grilled or steamed, with sweet and sour sauce, western-style food such as schnitzel (breaded pork).