6 hours driving with average speed was 80 km/hours. That is maximum recommended speed on the road. Actually in defensive driving method, that speed is recommended because you will be able to control the steering wheel easily and efficient fuel consume. It is the driving culture In Indonesia generally that the distance between other vehicles only 2 miters even in high way like Banda Aceh-Medan road. I knew this efficiency calculation from International Red Cross Fleet delegate. It was forbidden for any Red Cross vehicle to be driven above 80 km/hr, and maintain 5 miters space to other vehicle in high way. We arrived in Medan early morning about 3 am and took some rest in fuel station waiting for the sunrise.
Heading to Berastagi.
Most of you have heard the eruption of Sinabung, Sinabung is an active vulcano, generally when people mention about Sinabung they are thinking about Berastagi. Berastagi is only a small town which has much colder/lower temperature than Medan city, the temperature by midday is only 25 Celsius degree and 18 at night in the city. I know for some of you who live in sub tropic are that is still hot. Daily temperature in Medan can be reached at 30-32 Celsius degree by midday and 28-29 at night. We live in tropical country so that temperature is cool enough for us.
Penatapan Panorama
I recommended them to go directly to Berastagi and find hotel in there, and we would have enough time for relax and leisure. As agreed, at 5.30 in the morning we were heading directly to Berastagi, it was not really crowded traffic on the road for morning drive. I stopped the car to buy a breakfast for them, and find nice place to sit and enjoy their breakfast. I knew this place very well because this area was my climbing training ground, but they rest on the café a side of the main road to Berastagi, this place is “Penatapan Panorama”, this place is about 60 km from Medan city and can be reached in one hour. There are many things sold in this place for local and international tourist and it is not expensive.
Penatapan Panorama view is close to Aqua Mineral Water factory, so it is quite easy to find if you are on the road to Berestagi. This place is highly recommended to rest for few minutes and take some coffee or tea while you can enjoy the view of Bandar Baru and Sibolangit from the highest peak. You can see the picture below.
Garden of Flowers
Heading to Berastagi is also a leisure time, drive slowly to enjoy the beauty of the road side scenery. When you drive slowly, your eyes will be served by several flower gardens along the road side at the gate of Berastagi central town. The flower in the garden are for sale, you can pick which one you like and pay it, but do not forget to bargain the price before you pay it, normally you can get almost half price if you can win the bargaining price. The range of the flower prices is from 10,000 IDR up to 250,000 IDR. Depend on the variety of the flower. Each of the gardens have at least 100 kinds of flower for sale, they farm it until it has buds and blossoms before they sell it to their costumer, my guesses bought 10 pots of several kinds of flower on the way back to Medan.
Strawberry Garden
While you are in Berastagi, you better check the beautiful strawberry garden, the special thing from these gardens are self-harvest fresh fruits from the trees, the owner only gave you a bucket to collect strawberry, while you pick it from the garden, you are allowed to eat it if you like, since the price they are offering you have already anticipated for such things. Beside strawberry, they also plant raspberry and passion fruit (markisa) and Tamarillo (Terong Belanda), all of that fruit has different prices. Raspberry and strawberry is 8,000 IDR/100 gram, and for markisa (Passion Fruit) and Tamarillo (Terong Belanda) it will be charged about 25,000 IDR/kg. The best location is about 2 km South West of the Berastagi City toward to Sibayak Mountain. There are some gardens and you can choose which one you like. The price offering are at the same rate, but some of them may have better quality of the strawberry and other kinds of fruit.
Accommodation/Hotel
In Berastagi you can find place to stay easily, there many options you can get on your choice. Homestay, Hotels, rent rooms, bungalows from rate of 200 thousand IDR up to 1 million IDR. I chose a standard room for a night, it was 250 thousand IDR with breakfast and hot water. The place is about 300 miters from Berastagi Tourist Market, and it is accessible by car. Some hotels that quite far from the town would have cheaper price than the one in town. No worry at all for internet connection, because most of them provide free wi-fi and hotspot connection. I stayed in SOPO BONA Hotel which is located 150 miters from public play yard (I forgot the road name).
Food and Restaurant
There are many foodcourt and restaurants as your choice in Berastagi, normally they will serve you with asian food, the most recommended one is Minang Restaurant at Jalan veteran, it names is “IYO 24”. I was the best I could find in town for halal food. It location is near to return point or entry point of Berastagi city. They serve curry, soup, chicken, Rendang, and fishes. One you need to give a try and highly recommended is “Arsik”, looks like curry fish, but with special Bataknese recipe (I am learning to make it). The price for one pack of food is much cheaper than what you could find in Banda Aceh with similar menu, it was only 13,000 IDR or about $1 USD.
Generally, the people in Indonesia especially in Berastagi are very welcome, it is normal when you can see foreigner walk freely in town and go shopping. They will always be offered friendship from the local people. You can ask direction without fear from the wrong guys, and they would help you any time you have a problem to find something or need to go somewhere.
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Thank you very much for reading this travelers