A 120-metre drop
One of Indonesia's highest falls.
Nugraha — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hanny Naibaho hannynaibaho — CC0 · Hendypernando — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nabilah harahap — CC BY-SA 4.0
One of the highest waterfalls in Indonesia: a small river drops some hundred and twenty metres off the plateau in a single leap into a deep green gorge, at the northern end of Lake Toba. Its name in the Batak language means little knife, likening the thin, sharp thread of water to a blade. The finest thing here is the view from above: the waterfall in front of you, and the wide blue lake stretching behind it between the mountains, one of the loveliest views in Sumatra. From the viewing platform a long staircase leads down to the foot of the falls, about half an hour going down and longer coming back. Entry is a token fee of roughly ten to fifteen thousand rupiah, plus a small parking charge. It is open in daytime, and the air on the plateau is fairly cool and changeable. It lies on the road from Medan or Berastagi to Lake Toba, so many make it a stop on the journey. Come in the morning before the clouds gather, and only take the stairs down if you are fit; they are slippery after rain.
One of Indonesia's highest falls.
A view over Lake Toba.
About half an hour down.
Tongging, the northern end of Lake Toba
No: the view from the top is the finest and enough for most visitors. The descent is for the fit; the climb back is tiring and needs water and time.