White sand
On a freshwater lake.
IHLubis — CC BY-SA 4.0 · IHLubis — CC BY-SA 4.0 · IHLubis — CC BY-SA 4.0 · IHLubis — CC BY-SA 4.0
A white-sand beach on the shore of Lake Toba in north-west Samosir island, one of the lake's best-known beaches and a family favourite. The fresh water is clear and calm, and the sandy bottom shelves gently, so it suits swimming and children's play, unlike most of Toba's rocky, deep shores. The beach has umbrellas and timber huts for hire, banana boats, pedal boats and canoes, and small restaurants serving grilled lake fish. It looks out over the hills around the lake with Mount Pusuk Buhit on the horizon. Entry is a small fee of about five thousand rupiah, with water activities priced separately. It is busy on holidays and weekends and quiet on weekdays. The water is fairly cool given the lake's altitude, and the climate mild. The beach is about an hour's drive from Tuk Tuk and Tomok, so combine it with the nearby Pangururan hot springs and the Tele tower.
On a freshwater lake.
Good for swimming and children.
Grilled at beach restaurants.
Parbaba, near Pangururan, north-west Samosir
No, Toba is a freshwater lake, so the water is fresh and fairly cool, and the beach stays calm without waves on most days.