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Lake Toba to host Lake Toba Charm Carnival 2017
The event will feature a cultural carnival in Balige, people’s party, boats parade in Lake Toba, music performance, dance performance, Batak opera, food trucks and food festival.
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The picturesque Lake Toba, as seen from Samosir Island in North Sumatra. (Shutterstock)
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obasa regency administration, together with the support from the tourism ministry and North Sumatra tourism department is set to hold a huge event called Lake Toba Charm Carnival 2017 in Balige, Toba Samosir regency on August 26.
“This annual event is back after the instruction from President Jokowi who wanted this to be made into an annual agenda, the celebration will be like last year. The event aims to unify the nation because culture is a very strategic tool in strengthening the nation’s unity while also introducing the wonder of Lake Toba to the world,” said Toba Samosir tourism and culture department head, Ultri Sonlahir Simangunsong.
The event will feature a cultural carnival in Balige, people’s party, boats parade in Lake Toba, music performance, dance performance, Batak opera, food trucks and food festival.
“To make it even more exciting, there will be an acoustic festival, martumba performance and uning-uningan performance,
“There are about 2,000 participants in total, 500 of them are stationed for manghunti tandok, which is a woven sack filled with rice that is put on the top of a woman’s head. There are other members who will play the trumpet and other musical instruments,” Ultri added.
Among the participants are members of the Regional Device Organization (OPD) in Tobasa regency, seven regency representatives from the Lake Toba area and 16 representatives from districts and BUMN/BUMD who will showcase their decorated cars during the parade.
This carnival will go through a 3.5-kilometer route from Soposurung to Simpang Sibulele, passing the Balerong traditional market that consists of six buildings with Batak Gorda design and was built in 1930.
Lake Toba is one of the biggest lakes in Indonesia, it was formed 57,000 years ago and has earned the reputation as the deepest lake in the world, the biggest volcanic lake in the world and second biggest lake in the world after Victoria lake in Africa.
The most interesting part about Lake Toba is the 64,000-hectare Samosir Island, located in the middle of the lake.
Lake Toba is included in the tourism ministry’s 10 priority destinations and currently, several infrastructure developments are being planned there such the development of a toll road from Pematangsiantar to Lake Toba area in Parapat that will start next year and improvements for Silangit Airport. The current direct flights available are from Jakarta, Kualanamu and Batam.
By 2019, Lake Toba is targeted to generate Rp 16 trillion of gross domestic product (PDRB), attract one million tourists and create 300 jobs. (asw)
