TOURISM IN NORTH SUMATRA
KNOWING ABOUT NORTH SUMATRA

Indonesia is one of interesting places people around the world want to visit. Indonesia has many cultures and has many attractive places for tourism. Position of Indonesian archipelago is in the imaginary line around the earth mid-way between the north and south poles, in which this equator’s position puts Indonesia as a comfort country to visit every time. Overall, Indonesia is one of tourism places people around the world want to visit.
What is the meaning of tourism? If we are curious about the meaning of tourism; therefore we must bravely analyze the meaning of it by analyzing the meaning of its root. Word “tour” lexically means “a journey in which you visit several different places in a country, area, etc. or a short trip through a place in order to see the things in it”. Therefore the meaning of tourism is not far away from the root of its word. Tourism itself means: “When people travel to a place for pleasure on their holidays, or the business of providing them with places to stay, things to do etc.” Longman Dictionary (1998: 709). So I could say that tourism is well related with visiting places, spending time for holidays, and maybe satisfaction or pleasure.
Province of North Sumatra becomes one of interesting places in Indonesia, which is well known by its Toba Lake. “Province of North Sumatra stretches across the island of Sumatra between the Indian Ocean and the Strait Malacca. Its borders are Aceh province on the northwest, Riau and West Sumatra provinces on the southeast there are. North Sumatra has area as large as about 70787 km². The province contains a broad, low plain along the Strait of Malacca coast; the provincial capital is Medan. In the south and west, the land rises to the mountain range that runs the length of Sumatra; the mountains here are dominated by Lake Toba, formed from the caldera of an ancient volcano”.


North Sumatra is also becomes Indonesia's most populous province outside of Java. As one of tourism place, according to article I read, “North Sumatra is still thick with virgin rainforest, jungle-covered hills, terraced rice fields, Mountain Rivers, beautiful waterfalls, volcanic lakes and peaceful white beaches.” This could be the interest to attract people to come for holiday.
North Sumatra becomes one of International gateways for Indonesia; therefore people who are going to access North Sumatra will find it easily especially those who are going to make a travel by flight. This city serves several flights and the flights available from Jakarta, Palembang, Padang and Aceh. There is also direct flight from Singapore. Instead choosing flights, ships or buses can be the optional way for traveling to North Sumatra. When you reach the interesting place you visit in North Sumatra, you can spend your holiday’s travel especially around that place by walking or by bike. Unfortunately, bikes now on mostly available only in or around Samosir Island.
There are many kinds of restaurant you will find if you visit North Sumatra. And you can choose depends on you and your needs. Or even the hotels, you can choose from the lower price up to the expensive ones. If you find it difficult for finding a right hotels or restaurants to chose, you can ask locals guide and they will friendly accompany you to find your place.
Government of North Sumatra is supposed to have a more attractive promotion about tourism in this province. Why? It is because the wealth of the nature in this province which actually has potency to be interested places is disappearing. Besides promoting the place, I think the information visitors needed must be well provided by the government. The fund allocation must be increased for maintenance of province’s tourism places.
North Sumatra is well known with its Batak people. There are five kinds of batak: Batak Karo with Karo dialect, Batak Pakpak with Pakpak dialect, Batak Simalungun with Simalungun dialect,Batak Toba with Toba dialect, Batak Angkola and Mandailing with Angkola and Mandailing dialect. Each of them has their own culture. Therefore in cultural events like marriage tradition, for example, these five kinds of batak have their own ways of celebrating the marriage traditions. There are many clans in Batak People. Batak marriages traditions are celebrated differently depend on which Batak’s clan they belong to. Although it is celebrated in a different ways, there is still a similarity among them. Mostly Batak People profess monogamy. Religion of people in North Sumatra mostly is Christians.
Ideas or belief in several places in North Sumatra are still strong. Besides visiting North Sumatra as tourism place, you can also learn about cultural sides especially Batak People’s ideas or beliefs. You do not need to be afraid, because this is just a matter of conservation of Batak heritage form their ancestors.
Tourism place in north Sumatra offer some uniqueness. Functionally the local people will offer you such kind of attractions. But if you not interesting to enjoy that attraction, you can go shopping. North Sumatra offers several places for shopping. Either you want to buy traditional clothes like ulos, handicrafts, or the modern ones here mostly recreation places offer the needs of visitors. Offering some attractions, providing some places for shopping or even providing recreation place.
In North Sumatra, you can find the interesting place for you to visit. If you like the natural ones, you can visit Toba Lake, doing hiking on Sibayak And Sinabung Mountains, etc. But if you like to visit some places you can visit places like Maimoon Palace, The Great Mosque, Rahmat Museum, Thing a Fie Legacy Building, The crocodiles Breeding, Medan Zoo, Nias Island, South Tapanuli, pematang siantar, Jangga, Parapat Town, The Three Batak Megalitic, Great Bukit Barisan Park, Brastagi, Sibaya, lau Debuk-debuk, Gundaling hill, Tongging, Pandan beach, Lau Kawa Lake, etc.
There are many things not yet discovered in North Sumatra, will it be you the next who will discover it? Come and visit North Sumatra





Reference
Longman dictionary. active study. China: 1998.
Internet resources
http://www.advebture-travel-tales-and-tips.com/adventure-travel.xml
http://www.asia-palet.net/indonesia/sumatra.htm
http://www.batak-culture-family-name-tradition-north-sumatra-indonesia.html
http://www.indonesia-tourism.comL/index.html
http://www.indonesiahai.com/2008/08/north-sumatra-informations.html
http://www.wikipedia.com/and-indonesia.go.id




SONNY FARLIN
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