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MedanNorth Sumatra, Sumatra, Indonesia, Asia

About

UnderstandMedan is the third largest city in Indonesia afterJakarta and Surabaya. With a population of about 2million people it is the largest city outside of Java.There is no single ethnic group forming a majority;the largest ethnic groups are the Chinese, Javanese,Toba-Batak, Minangkabau, Mandailing Batak, KaroBatak, Southern Indians, and Northern Indians, andthere are many more ethnic minorities.

Each ethnic group contributes to thousands of tasty,mouth-watering dishes found in every corner ofMedan. They offer to locals and tourists alike dozensof food streets and hawker centres to suit theirappetite at any time of the day. From the sweetJavanese cuisine, to delicious Batak grilled pork, tohot Padang dishes, from savoury Chinese noodles, tospicy Indian curry, this varied cuisine is available 24hours a day, 7 days a week. It is obvious why thelocals are so into food. The city itself is quite wellknown for "food-tourism", especially amongst other

Indonesians.

It's interesting to contrast the old, Dutch style greenareas, with parks, lawns, and huge old Dutch houses(now turned into government offices or commercialbusiness) and the hundreds and hundreds of newer,shoddy shophouses sprawled together by thehundreds in the commercial areas along with a fewmodern style malls.

Look out for the motor becaks! A sort of motorizedrickshaw, they are a common sight throughoutMedan, spewing black smoke everywhere.

Overall, Medan isn't really a tourist destination, butit's a convenient stepping stone to other places likethe 'weekend getaway' Berastagi, the island ofPenang, Malaysia and, of course the ever popular,beautiful crater lake Lake Toba.

SeeMany tourists choose to use Medan as a quickthru-point to travel elsewhere in Sumatra, but the cityoffers a glimpse of a large Indonesian city stillunfrequented by western tourists, and shouldn't bequickly dismissed. However, Medan is more chaoticand has a bit more litter than Jakarta or Denpasarand open sewers abound. Furthermore, not as manypeople speak English in Medan as in other largeIndonesian cities, but even a short list of usefulexpressions goes a long way, and Sumaterans arestill unjaded by westerners.

Medan hosts a great lot of very nice Art Décobuildings from the Dutch colonial era, like the Old CityHall, the Post office, the Great Mosque and manybusiness buildings in and around Jl. Ahmad Yani.Some of them are in horrible shape, but most of themmaintain their old splendour.

• Maimoon Palace -

• Vihara Borobudur (Buddhist Temple) -

• Vihara Gunung Timur (Chinese Temple) -

• Mesjid Raya Mosque -

• Merdeka Walk (5 mins from Kesawan Square) -

• Tondi Gallery (Contemporary Arts Exhibitionsby local artists) -

• Annai Velangkanni (Catholic Shrine with TamilHindu-style architecture) -

• Shri Mariamman (Tamil Hindu Temple) -

Do

Entrance Pub, Karaoke and Bistro. These all inone entertainment venue host a great deal ofparty inviting celebrity and International DJ. Apopular place for expatriate and elite locals,located at the first floor of Grand Aston City HallHotel

Stroom Bistro , located at Jalan Listrik

Jet Plane KTV , Plaza Medan Fair

Equator KTV Pub , Hongkong Plaza

F1 Discotheque , located at Jalan Wazir / JalanKolonel Sugiono

Kristal Discotheque , located in Perisai Plaza

Iguana Discotheque , Medan Baru Plaza

K2 - Karaoke Keluarga (Family Karaoke), locatedat Multatuli

Tropicana KTV

Retro pub, Capital Building

M City , located at Jalan Gatot SubrotoThere are several Club, pubs and Karaoke to visit atnight in Medan. There is an entertainment complexlocated in the heart of the city in Medan, call Capitalbuilding located close to the Post office at Jalan PutriHijau. Capital Building's activity

Taipan- Silver service chinese restaurant, withexcellent interior decor

Snook Pool Bar

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Office

Classical - exclusive KTV Karaoke room

These are the well known clubs in Medan, such as :

Millennium Three ( M3 ) Discotheque, located atThamrin Plaza 8th floor

spa

Although Sumatera does not have the sameinternational reputation as Bali or Thailand formassage, it still forms a significant part of localculture. In rural areas, there will usually be amassuese available for low cost, if you ask around,while Medan itself offers true 'spa' facilities, which arehighly recommended for anyone seeking a spaexperience away from the hustle and bustle of thecity at a fraction of the cost elsewhere in the world.

Quan Spa[★link], located on the 17th floor of the jw marriott hasfull 5 star hotel spa facilities, with a one hourmassage from rp 250,000++ for 1 hour massage,more for more elaborate rituals. this is of course avery expensive fee in indonesia.

De'SpaDe'Spa located in Jl. Malaka no.136, Phone+6214148416, is a perfect haven for enjoying atraditional indonesian spa, The price will vary,depending on the type of treatment, The prices rangefrom Rp 100.000,- to Rp 350.000,-.

Zengarden[★link], located in the heart of medan (jalan s parmanno 22 / 272). the prices range from rp 129.000 nett -rp 149.000 nett for 90 / 120 minutes treatments.skillful, clean and very affordable by local standard,zengarden is one of the most valued premium familyspa in town. reservation is recommended. emailhello@zengarden.co.id or call +62614519306.

Eucalypt's SpaThere are two branches of eucalyptus spa in the city,one at the travellers suite hotel, prices here arelower, at rp 120,000++ for 1 hour. [★link]

theme parks

HillPark GreenHill City [★link] - the latest theme park 1hour from Medan on the way to Berastagi.

Pantai Cermin Themepark - the first and only watertheme park in North Sumatra, which located inCermin Beach, Serdang Bedagai. The theme park isorganized by Malaysia Investor and LocalGovernment. Open on Mon, Wed, Thur and Fri(11.00 - 18.00) Sat, Sun and public holiday (09.00 -18.00). Closed on Tuesday, except public holiday.With admission fee: Mon, Wed, Thur and Fri ->adultRp 40,000,-child Rp 20.000,- (below 1,1 metre) andSat, Sun and public holiday-adult Rp 60,000-child Rp40,000,- (below 1,1 metre). Swimming, sun bathingand kayaking. To go there; rental car, private car ortake mini bus (sudako) at Jalan. MT. Haryono (infront of Medan Mall) and stop at Perbaungan city.Then take a machine trishaw to the beach.

Eat

Spoutnik Cafe Jalan Tengah No. 33 Medan

Gado-gado special, a traditional mixed vegetablesalad).

Mansyur AvenueUsed to be a hang-out place for usu students, theavenue has developed in recent years into one of thehottest hangout place in town, lining with new cafeand restaurants which serves great food with studentprice.

Selat Panjang , Sumatera Streets and SemarangStreetsIs where some of the oldest chinese eateries inmedan serves their reknown cuisines, such as miepangsit tiong-sim (noodle served with stuffeddumplings), kwetiau goreng (wok-fried chineserice-fetucinne), pokpiah (singapore-stylevegetable-stuffed dumpling) and many more. if youwant to eat halal, of course you should beware of thepork content in the dishes, but you could always askfor a no-pork version of the dish and a different wok

to cook your food in.

Ondo Batak GrillIs a unique batak restaurant where you can find thegems of batak dishes, without all the germs! set incafe-like ambience and accompanied by non-stopjazz music, the new batak restaurant in town serves areasonably-tasting saksang (a pork dish cooked inpork blood), panggang (batak/karo-style choppedroast-pork) and arsik (batak-style fish dish). don'tforget to taste the hot pora-pora (a dish of sauteedpapaya and cassava leaves cooked in coconut gravyand rawit chili)!

Cahaya Baru Indian RestaurantThe north-indian restaurant is one of medan's bestkept secrets, which recently has been featured inkompas as the only restaurant in medan whichserves a wide range of authentic north-indian cuisine.visit the restaurant in cik di tiro street for its endlesschoices of delicious vegetarian and curry dish!

Durian is one of the most famous fruit in Medan andNorth Sumatra. Get the best price and taste when theseason comes, which on July and December. NorthSumatra has a lot of durian fields like; Sibolangit,Brastagi, Langkat, Sidikalang, Siborong-borong,Tarutung, Sibolga, Nias, Padang Sidempuan, LimaPuluh and Perbaungan. Get Medan durian at JalanSumatera, Jalan Semarang and Jalan Adam Malik.Price start from Rp 5000-15,000.

Bollywood Food centre Jl. Muara Takus No 7 +62 61 453694

This is nice place for real, homely Indian food.

Roland's German Restaurant[★link]. the only german restaurant in medan locatedat the main entrance to tasbi complex. tel.061-821-4379

Blu Apple Frozen YoghurtThe best frozen yoghurt in medan. if you want to eata tasty but healthy icecream without the fat andcalories, visit one of their two branches in medan, atsun-plaza or cambridge square.

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Merdeka WalkThe hottest hangout in medan. a complex ofcafeteria, restaurant and food stall, it is truly a foodcenter that offers high varieties of asian and westernfood with a unique medan touch. located right at thezero point of medan, it is a landmark of medan city.image:http://www.pemkomedan.go.id/images/news/2173.jpg

Gelato Bar[★link], italian gelato dessert and many popular pastadishes are available here. with their stylish dessertd.its good place to hang out and relax. tel 061-4533166

Obonk Steak RestaurantLocated on pattimura street and hm joni street. thecheapest and most affordable salad and steakavailable in town. for more information call 456-9989

Apek's Coffee HouseJalan hindu, kesawan, medan. historic coffee housewith excellent lintong coffee served up by 79-year oldapek. this place was set up by apek's father in 1922.serves roti srikaya (kaya toast). contains stalls withindian roti cane bread with goat curry and martabaqand malay soto soup. outside are malay fried rice andchinese kwetiau noodles. piece of medan history

Kesawan SquareIs located along ahmad yani street, before merdekawalk. it offers unique atmosphere for pleasure. openonly @ 6pm til' 1am everyday. numerous vendorsprovide various kinds of cuisine, the majority of whichare chinese. each vendor has "halal" or "non halal"label on their stand. however, the toilet facilitiesprovided in the area are abysmal.

Mie Aceh Titi BobrokWhich has been dubbed by one of the indonesianlifestyle magazines as the most popular local dish inmedan. a simple dish of noodle served with chilisauce and crab, rumour has it that the secretingredient which make the aceh-style noodleirresitistible is a dash of acehnese marijuana, whichis the commonest drug that could be importedillegally from the region. but that, of course, onlyheightened the mystery and the notoriety of the

delicious mie aceh.

GarudaNever forget to visit the famous local padangrestaurant. well known for its rendang (padang-stylebeef dish cooked slowly in coconut gravy and chili)and ayam pop (padang-style chicken dish cooked incoconut gravy), garuda also mantain its status as oneof the first local restaurant who expands itself byfranchising.

Lontong Sayur Kak LinServing tasty and cheap lontong sayur (rice cakes inhot vegetables curry), this humble eatery in cik di tirostreet is not much to look at for the uniniatiated. butjudging from the crowd that line in queue to buy theirbreakfast and lunch here, you can be sure that youhave met the darling of medan local dish.

Pagaruyung AlleyLocated at medan's "little india" or refered as"kampung keling" by locals. they offer, of course,indian and indonesian cuisine. begin their businesswhen the sun sets till 2 a.m. they are well known forsatay (chicken, lamb, liver, intestine, etc.), fried riceand martbak telur (egg pancake topped with dicedpotatoes, and onions, often served with curry).

Koki Sunda http://www.kokisunda.net (061) 4533282

,as the name implies, serves tasty Sundanese foodand beverages such as Nasi Liwet and Es Delima.Located at the heart of the city at the corner ofS.Parman and Hasanuddin makes it a place hard tomiss if you travel around the city. Its reasonablypriced and wide array selection of delicious food iswell known to both the locals and visitors alike. KokiSunda now opens in Tanjung Morawa and PekanBaru.

Merdeka WalkThe hottest hangout place in town, cafe, resto,exhibition, entertainment at lapangan merdeka.

Tip Top Restaurant

Used to be the restaurant in medan, this uniquerestaurant can trace its history back to the dutchcolonization. located in ahmad yani street, the foodhas a nostalgic taste clinging on every bites, such asthe ox-tongue sandwich and the bitter-ballen, but thebest experience you could have here is watching thebuzz of kesawan square from your rattan chairs in itsverandah.

others

Durian is one of the most famous fruits of bothMedan and North Sumatra. Get the best price andtaste when the season comes, which on July andDecember. North Sumatra has a lot of durian fieldslike; Sibolangit, Brastagi, Langkat, Sidikalang,Siborong-borong, Tarutung, Sibolga, Nias, PadangSidempuan, Lima Puluh and Perbaungan. GetMedan durian at Jalan Sumatera, Jalan Semarang,Jalan Adam Malik, Ucok Durian, and more. Pricestart from Rp 5000-50,000 each depending on sizeand season.

restaurants

Bollywood Food Centre Jl. Muara Takus No 7 +62 61 453694

This is nice place for real, homely Indian food.

Spoutnik Cafe Jl Tengah No. 33

Gado-gado special, a traditional mixed vegetablesalad).

Selat Panjang , Sumatra and Semarang StsThis is where some of the oldest chinese eateries inmedan serve their reknown cuisines, such as miepangsit tiong-sim (noodle served with stuffeddumplings), kwetiau goreng (wok-fried chineserice-fettuccine), pokpiah (singapore-stylevegetable-stuffed dumpling) and many more. if youwant to eat halal, of course you should beware of thepork content in the dishes, but you could always askfor a no-pork version of the dish and a different wokto cook your food in.

Cahaya Baru Indian Restaurant

4 - Medan - www.journeum.com - free downloadable travel guides

The north-indian restaurant is one of medan's bestkept secrets, which recently has been featured inkompas as the only restaurant in medan whichserves a wide range of authentic north-indian cuisine.visit the restaurant in cik di tiro street for its endlesschoices of delicious vegetarian and curry dish!

Mansyur AvenueUsed to be a hang-out place for usu students, theavenue has developed in recent years into one of thehottest hangout place in town, lining with new cafeand restaurants which serves great food with studentprice.

Ondo Batak GrillIs a unique batak restaurant where you can find thegems of batak dishes, without all the germs. cafe-likeambience with non-stop jazz music. serves areasonably-tasting saksang (a pork dish cooked inpork blood), panggang (batak/karo-style choppedroast-pork) and arsik (batak-style fish dish). don'tforget to taste the hot pora-pora (a dish of sauteedpapaya and cassava leaves cooked in coconut gravyand rawit chili).

Apek's Coffee HouseJl hindu, kesawan. historic coffee house withexcellent lintong coffee served up by 79-year oldapek. this place was set up by apek's father in 1922.serves roti srikaya (kaya toast). contains stalls withindian roti cane bread with goat curry and martabaqand malay soto soup. outside are malay fried rice andchinese kwetiau noodles. piece of medan history

Gelato Bar[★link], italian gelato dessert and many popular pastadishes are available. its good place to hang out andrelax. â■■ +62 61 4533166

Roland's German Restaurant[★link]. the only german restaurant in medan locatedat the main entrance to tasbi complex. â■■ +62 61821-4379

Mie Aceh Titi Bobrok

Has been dubbed by one of the indonesian lifestylemagazines as the most popular local dish in medan.a simple dish of noodle served with chili sauce andcrab, rumour has it that the secret ingredient whichmake the aceh-style noodle irresitistible is a dash ofacehnese marijuana, which is the commonest drugthat could be imported illegally from the region. butthat, of course, only heightened the mystery and thenotoriety of the delicious mie aceh.

GarudaNever forget to visit the famous local padangrestaurant. well known for its rendang (padang-stylebeef dish cooked slowly in coconut gravy and chili)and ayam pop (padang-style chicken dish cooked incoconut gravy), garuda also mantain its status as oneof the first local restaurant who expands itself byfranchising.

Lontong Sayur Kak LinServing tasty and cheap lontong sayur (rice cakes inhot vegetables curry), this humble eatery in cik di tirostreet is not much to look at for the uniniatiated. butjudging from the crowd that line in queue to buy theirbreakfast and lunch here, you can be sure that youhave met the darling of medan local dish.

Pagaruyung AlleyLocated at medan's "little india" or refered as"kampung keling" by locals. they offer, of course,indian and indonesian cuisine. begin their businesswhen the sun sets till 2am. they are well known forsatay (chicken, lamb, liver, intestine, etc.), fried riceand martbak telur (egg pancake topped with dicedpotatoes, and onions, often served with curry).

Kesawan SquareAhmad yani st, (before merdeka walk). open6pm-1am everyday. numerous vendors providevarious kinds of cuisine, the majority of which arechinese. each vendor has "halal" or "non halal" labelon their stand. however, the toilet facilities provided inthe area are abysmal.

Tip Top Restaurant

Used to be the restaurant in medan, this uniquerestaurant can trace its history back to the dutchcolonisation. located in ahmad yani st, the food has anostalgic taste clinging on every bite, such as theox-tongue sandwich and the bitter-ballen, but thebest experience you could have here is watching thebuzz of kesawan square from your rattan chair on theverandah.

Koki Sunda http://www.kokisunda.net +62 61 4533282

,as the name implies, serves tasty Sundanese foodand beverages such as Nasi Liwet and Es Delima.Located at the heart of the city at the corner ofS.Parman and Hasanuddin makes it a place hard tomiss if you travel around the city. Its reasonablypriced and wide array selection of delicious food iswell known to both the locals and visitors alike. KokiSunda now opens in Tanjung Morawa and PekanBaru.

Kwetiau Kerang Jl. S Parman no 22

Merdeka WalkA complex of restaurants and food stalls with avariety of asian and western food. it is a landmark ofmedan and quite a happening place at night.

Blu Apple Frozen YoghurtIf you want to eat a tasty but healthy icecreamwithout the fat and calories, visit one of their twobranches in medan, at sun-plaza or cambridgesquare.

DrinkThere are several clubs, pubs and karaoke joints tovisit at night in Medan.

Shoots Bar Jl. Kapt. Patimura No.234 (061) 4531881

Modern Sports Bar/Live band venue catering tolocals and expats alike. Drinks are reasonably pricedfor the area and staff are very good.

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clubs, pubs and karaoke

Entrance Pub, Karaoke and BistroThese all in one entertainment venue host partieswith local celebrities and international djs. a popularplace for expatriate and the local 'elite', located at thefirst floor of grand aston city hall hotel.

Millennium Three (M3) DiscothequeLocated at thamrin plaza 8th floor

MCOtherwise known as the medan club, this is now thego to place for the expats of medan. beer is relativelycheap and food is passable, but the company and thesource of local info is the reason to come here.located on jl kartini, behind the governors office, justdown from sun plaza.

Elite (previously known as M-City)Located at jalan gatot subroto

Stroom BistroLocated at jalan listrik

Kristal Discotheque , Perisai Plaza

Iguana Discotheque , Medan Baru Plaza

Jet Plane KTV , Plaza Medan Fair

Equator KTV Pub , Hongkong Plaza

Tropicana KTV

F1 DiscothequeLocated at jalan wazir / jalan kolonel sugiono

Vintage Wine shop[★link], â■■ +62 61 4577750. located at grandangkasa hotel lobby at shopping arcade. enjoy thejazzy environment with a glass or a bottle of winechosen from the wine rack displaying more than 200choices.

Retro pub, Capital Building

Shoot Pool Lounge Sports Bar Jl. Kapten Pattimura 423 +62 61 453 1884

A pool bar with big screen playing sports channel(football games on the weekends) accompanied byregular live bands and DJ performance. It wasexpanded and renovated in June 2008 andintroduced a more spacious and more relaxingvenue. It also has a large collection of wine from allover the world.

Sky ClubJl.kumango 1a (near kesawan sq and merdeka walk),this friendly karaoke bar has good cold beer, chinesestyle food and friendly service. you can participate inthe singing, request to watch satellite news or sports,talk to the locals or just sit and relax in this friendlyatmosphere.

Capital BuildingThis is the entertainment complex located in the heartof the city in medan, close to the post office at jalanputri hijau.

The Tavern(in the hotel dana toba complex). was once one ofthe most popular going out pubs for expats in the city,but now is a little run down and attracts a sleaziercrowd . it features live music from local bands. it'sfairly small, fairly popular and is crowded on theweekends with groups of friends, couples, and somerather friendly girls hanging out

Corner Cafe RayaJl. sipisopiso, (next to mesjid raya - the grandmosque). one of the few tourist attractions in medan.its proximity means that you will get deafened by thecall to prayer several times a day should you be saton the terrace. this is right in the heart of medan'sbackpacker area and you are likely to meet othertravellers and a few die hard expats here. be careful,drugs may be offered here and undercover policeoften frequent the place.

family karaoke

Karaoke Keluarga (K2) Family Karaoke

Kompleks Multatuli +62 61 4575055 11AM-2PM

NAV Family KaraokeNAV has 2 locations in Medan: Jl. Raden SalehJl.Palang Merah

Inul Vizta Family Karaoke Jl. Multatuli

H.o.M.E Family Karaoke Jl. Pattimura +62 61 4536567

Sleep

Hotel ZakiaÂ■■ +62 61 7322413. budget accommodation nextto the grand mosque. rooms range from rp55,000-120,000 including a breakfast. it is reasonablyclean and central.

Gumagaba Youth Hostel Jl SM Raja 21 Simpang Amplas http://www.Gumagaba.

com +62 813 9611 5221 Rp 40,000/night Good place to spend the nights if you have to catchan early departure from the nearby AMPLAS BusTerminal.

Wisma Ronna's Jalan SM Raja No. 34 C Medan +62 813 7598 9056

From Rp 40,000 Plywood walls surround a large double bed andprivate bathroom and the most dirty rooms in thearea.

Sultan Homestay JL.Sisingamangaraja no.66 http://www.sultanhomestay.

com 061-7363311 Standar room from Rp 70,000 include breakfast and wifi Clean, friendly people, good information. Located inthe heart of travellers' area. The place changed thename to Sultan Homestay (Aug 2012), still veryfriendly and clean.

Wisma Wahana Daya Pertiwi(a short walk from the railway station on m. yamin st).owned by the railway company, clean, decent, cheap.

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superior rooms rp 135,000/night, suites rp 250,000.restaurant (permata dsm) is acceptable.

Hotel Residence[★link]. â■■ +62 61 7760 0980. budgetaccommodation next to the grand mosque. roomsrange from rp 60,000-120,000 . it is reasonably cleanand central. unmarried couples are not allowed tosleep in the same room.

Blue Angel Jl. Sisingamangaraja 70 Twin room Rp 90,000

Very popular budget backpacker place with a cafeattached. Address Jl. Sisingamangaraja 70. Free wifiin the lobby/restaurant. Rooms small, basic, clean.Windows and door handles provide doubtful security,better not leave valuables in your room- (it actuallynot clean and not safe at all and at this place,theythreat backpackers as money walking) - (confirmedthat the place is not clean anymore and the ownerdeveloped a tendency to overcharge tourists - aug2012)

Hotel Citi International Palang Merah Jl. Palang Merah No.112A, http://www.citi-hotel.com/p

ublic/index.php?id=112=125 +62 61 455 4787. Standard Room is Rp 250,000 (around US$24) per night. Business hotel fairly close to the airport.

Candi Hotel Jl Darussalam No. 124 http://www.candihotel.com/ i

nfo@candihotel.com +62 61 4536 888 From Rp 275,000.00

Hotel Citi International Sun Yat Sen Jl. Sun Yat Sen No.77 http://www.citi-hotel.com/ +62

61 736 3479 Current rate is at Rp 275,000 (around US$29) for Superior Room, credit cards accepted Clean, no-frill modern hotel with wifi in rooms andcafe. One of the highest buildings, please try the SkyCafe at Floor 17.

Antares Hotel Jl S.M Raja 84 +62 61 732 4000 Rooms from Rp 22

9,000 (about US$25)

Discounts on weekends. Breakfast buffet included inthe price. SatTV with HBO, Star Sports, DiscoveyChannel, CNN. A/C. Clean, but room doors notproperly noise-proofed, so you will hear anything andanyone walking the corridor on their way from theelevator. Bring ear plugs if you are a light sleeper.There is a children pool on the 3rd floor.

Novotel Soechi[★link], 4 star hotel in the city centre, attached to amall. from us$70/night. has a pub (3rd floor) andkaraoke club and wifi on 8th floor for rp 75,000/day.

Danau Toba[★link]. 3 star hotel, in need of room refurbishment,large swimming pool and many mosquitos.us$40/night. popular music venue tavern.

Grand Angkasa Hotel[★link]. close to the airport but not convenient for citycentre shopping. the night club soccer is in thebasement. from us$89.

Garuda Plaza Hotel Jl Sisingamangaraja 18 http://www.garudaplaza.com/

+62 61 736 1234 Rp 350.000,- 250 rooms in the city centre, 10 min from Poloniaairport. Free wifi in public areas, rooms, meetingfacilities.

Hermes Palace Hotel Medan Jl. Pemuda No 22 http://www.hermeshotelmedan.com

/medan/ +62 61 4515 777 Hermes Palace Hotel Medan provides standard anddeluxe room with air-conditioning, cable TV andinternet connection. Facilities and services includeChinese seafood restaurant, fitness center, roomservice and city tours.

Mikie Holiday Resot Hotel Jalan Raya Medan Brastagi +62 62 891650, +62 62 89

1 6551 Swimming pool, wifi hotspot restaurant, Star Theater,function rooms and funland, a theme park. Hot waterpool, trampoline. The rooms aim for minimalist designand a zen-like atmosphere.

The Aryaduta Hotel Medan Jl. Maulana Lubis No 8 http://www.aryadutamedan.com

5 star hotel opened in 2007 located in near businessand government district, adjacent to Grand PalladiumMall. 15 minutes drive away from the airport. Resortstyle swimming pool, Pool Cafe, the Lounge and theKitchen restaurant.

J W Marriott Jl Putri Hijau No. 10 http://www.marriott.com/hotels/ho

tel-information/travel/mesmc-jw-marriott-hotel-medan/ from jw mariott hotel we organize taxi toeverywhere.mobile phone:0852 9758 9379,081375944019.

Grand Swiss-Belhotel Medan Jalan S.Parman No.1 http://www.swiss-belhotel.com

+62 61 4576 999 5 star hotel with 246 guest rooms in the CBD andclose to Polonia international Airport. Adjacent to theCambridge condominium and city square. Rooftopdining at the " Edge Restaurant" or chill out whilelistening to live music at the " View Music LoungeBar" on the 26th floor.get out,you can do traveling toberastagi,like visit sipiso piso,karonese traditionalhouse,gundaling spectaculer view,sibayak sinabungvolcano.call number:0813 7594 4019.

Grand Aston City Hall Hotel and ServicedResidence

Jl. Balai Kota No. 1 http://www.grandastonmedan.com The building is in the national archive of historicplaces and was recently restored.

Buyfood

Dewi Plaza BakeryJl.lampung no.8b. one of the best cakeshop inmedan, â■■ +62 61 7344272, +62 61 77701323.

Bolu Meranti

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Jl. kruing, petisah. the home-made roll cakes withvariety of tastes, such as cheese, blueberry, mocca.the most famous roll cakes in town.

Bika Ambon MarquisaJl. majapahit, on petisah area. with numbers of shopsalong the street there, you can do the selection.

Lotte Mart (formerly known as Makro)(on the road towards pinang baris bus station). abranch of the international cash carry. membershipmay be required.

Dried fruitsWith sugar at pasar rame, a famous morning tillafternoon market, beside thamrin plaza.

Toko Mr. BenProvides imported western food such as frozen newzealand beef and lamb at reasonable prices,. it is asmall, chinese-owned shop.

Medan Home Dairy[★link], â■■ +62 813 9703 3540. they have europeanstyle best natural yogurt in indonesia. located at tasbicomplex. they are producing many kinds of goat'sand cow's milk cheeses, as well. for the goat's milkproducts they are using fresh, pasteurised (twice)organic goat's milk

CarrefourStores stock food as well as electronics and clothing.the clothing section includes many namebrands atvery low prices (ex: diesel t-shirts for rp 15,000. manywestern food items can be found as well, at fairlycompetitive prices. these supermarkets cater to themiddle/upper classes and are one of the few stores inmedan that accept credit cards. recent addition to themedan supermarket scene, more sophisticated thansome more established outlets.

Macan Yaohan SupermarketsThere are 13 branches located around medan foryour grocery shopping. find more information andlocations at [★link]

Pasar PetisahCentral market, sells vast array of meat, fish, fruit andvegetables

Zuki BakeryJl.s.parman no.103. bika ambon, spekoek, prunes,role cake(bolu gulung), breads. famous on freshself-made everyday and additional syrup self-madesuch as marquisa syrup, terong belanda syrup,kietnah syrup.

modern malls

Medan Fair PlazaCity center. has a big carrefour supermarket, so ifyou need something you will be able to find them incarrefour. slightly cheaper than sun plaza. has abranch of matahari, the mid-market indonesiandepartment store.

Grand Palladium MallGood restaurants outside, underneath aryaduta hotel,similar to medan fair plaza, however medan fair plazais a better 'destination' if you are not in the locationalready. hypermarket on the basement. nointernational brands for clothing, shoes andaccessories.

Sun PlazaLocated downtown in the central business districtarea, just at the border of little india, surrounded bymajor international banks. this is the major andlargest high-end shopping mall in medan. plenty offood choices from western to eastern. there is a hugesupermarket, hypermart, which stocks almostanything, just like carrefour. has more luxuriousgoods than other malls in town, however many ofthem are knock-off branded products. the productscan range from c to aaa grades. it is highly advisableto bargain. some good buys include mont blanc penswhich can be purchased for just idr 100,000 to200,000 per piece. it comes complete with gift boxand warranty card.

Cambridge City Square

Located downtown, linked to both grand swissbelhotel and cambridge apartments. this is the latestand newest shopping mall in medan. although it isonly less than a quarter of the size of sun plaza, ithouses many restaurants and cafes. there are alsoseveral boutiques which sell knock-off "branded"stuffs.

older malls

Medan Mall Jl. MT Haryono 10AM-10PM daily

A must go place for tourists where you can findalmost everything from fine jewelery, clothing, food,and groceries. The adjacent Olympia mall is awholesale market. There is also wet market extendedlocated just behind the Central Pasar that operatingin the morning time only, and a dry market thatoperates only in the evening.

Thamrin Plaza Jl. Thamrin 10AM-22PM daily

A smaller mall with large Matahari Department store,Timezone arcade and top-floor food court. There's awholesale market beside Thamrin Plaza called PasarRame that opens from 9AM-5PM daily.

others

TauKo MedanJl. sei batang serangan, â■■ +62 61 4573166, [★link],(taukomedan@gmail.com). merchandise includingt-shirts, from rp 65,000.

Masindo JewelleryGwangju street no.30, â■■ +62 61 4519101.established 1927 and located in the centre of the city.various jewellery including necklace, bangle,bracelet, earrings, men and women rings, pendant in24k gold which are structured by pearl and diversityof gemstones. designed by an expert designer. abranch known as d'on jewellery specialises indiamonds.

HelsJl sei batang serangan 39/54, â■■ +62 61 4573166,(hels.medan@gmail.com). complete design services

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in graphics and fashion. from rp10,000-120,000.

Tondi GalleryJl keladi buntu no. 6. (close to jl sriwijaya and dharmaagung university). contemporary arts by local,national and international artists. open mon-sat10am-5pm, sundays 12 noon-5pm.

Informationconsulates

Royal Netherlands Honorary Consulate Jl. Monginsidi No. 45-T/39 +62 61 453-6130, +62 61 4

56-9853

Japan Consulate General Wisma BII, 5th Floor, Jl. Diponegoro No. 18 +62 61 45

7-5193

Sri Lanka Honorary Consulate Jl Putri Hijau Dalam 4 FG +62 61 4144777

United States of America Consulate Jl. Walikota No. 13 +62 61 2956.400

India Honorary Consulate Jl. Uskup Agung A. Sugiopranoto No. 19 +62 61 455-6

452, 453-1308

Royal Norway Consulate General Jl. Ir. Juanda I No. 24-O/38 +62 61 457-0012

Royal Thai Honorary Consulate Jl. Cut Meutia No. 6 +62 61 415-2425

Royal Danish Honorary Consulate Jl. Hang Jebat No. 2 +62 61 415-3020, +62 61 453-80

28

Australia Honorary Consulate Jl. R. A. Kartini No. 32 +62 61 415-7810, +62 61 455-4

520, +62 61 455-4504

Malaysia Consulate General Jl. Diponegoro No. 43 +62 61 453-1342, +62 61 453-5

271, +62 61 452-3992

Finland Honorary Consulate Jl. Hang Jebat No. 2 +62 61 415-3020

Sweden Honorary Consulate Jl. Hang Jebat No. 2 +62 61 415-3020

cope

Some countries maintain consulates in Medan, andthe addresses of some of the consulates are listedbelow:

Australia Honorary Consulate in Medan, NorthSumatera

Jl. R. A. Kartini No. 32, Medan 20152, North Sumatera (62-61) 415-7810, 455-4520, 455-4504

Royal Danish Honorary Consulate in Medan,North Sumatera

Jl. Hang Jebat No. 2, Medan, North Sumatera (62-61) 415-3020, 453-8028

Finland Honorary Consulate in Medan, NorthSumatera

Jl. Hang Jebat No. 2, Medan, North Sumatera (62-61) 415-3020

Germany Consulate General in Medan, NorthSumateraAt the moment is no German Consulate in Medan

India Honorary Consulate in Medan, NorthSumatera

Jl. Uskup Agung A. Sugiopranoto No. 19, Sumatera Utara, Medan 20152 (62-61) 455-6452, 453-1308

Japan Consulate General in Medan, NorthSumatera

Wisma BII, 5th Floor, Jl. Diponegoro No. 18, Medan (62-61) 457-5193

Malaysia Consulate General in Medan, NorthSumatera

Jl. Diponegoro No. 43, Medan 20152 (62-61) 453-1342, 453-5271, 452-3992

Royal Netherlands Honorary Consulate in Medan,North Sumatera

Jl. Monginsidi No. 45-T/39, Medan 20152, North Sumatera (62-61) 453-6130, 456-9853

Royal Norway Consulate General in Medan,North Sumatera

Jl. Ir. Juanda I No. 24-O/38, Medan 20157, North Sumatera (62-61) 457-0012

Royal Thai Honorary Consulate in Medan, NorthSumatera

Jl. Cut Meutia No. 6, Medan (62-61) 415-2425

Sri Lanka Honorary Consulate in Medan, NorthSumatera

Jl Putri Hijau Dalam 4 FG Medan 20111 62-61 4144777

Sweden Honorary Consulate in Medan, NorthSumatera

Jl. Hang Jebat No. 2, Medan, North Sumatera (62-61) 415-3020

United States of America Consulate in Medan,North Sumatera

Jl. Walikota No. 13, Medan, North Sumatera (62-031) 2956.400

cosmetic surgery

Elixir de Vie. Jl. Dewa Ruci No. 9. Phone +62 61 4532400. Although Thailand and Korea have been thetraditional destinations for cosmetic surgeries, Medanhas recently been put on the destination map forcosmetic surgeries as well, with the establishment ofElixir de Vie. Singaporeans and many other foreignnationals have been reported in several Singaporenewspapers such as Straits Times, Sunday Timesand Lianhe Wanbao, to visit Medan for the solepurpose of getting liposuction and autologous fatgrafting for breasts and buttocks enhancement, whichare the forte of Elixir de Vie.

talk

Being a part of Indonesia, all locals will be able tospeak Bahasa Indonesia. However, the ethnic

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Chinese can often be heard speaking a localisedvariant of Hokkien known as Medan Hokkien, whichis almost identical to Penang Hokkien spoken acrossthe Strait of Malacca.

Medan has a very high level of education and manyyounger people speak English very well. I have foundquite a few older people, those over 50 or 60 alsospeak English and some even Dutch. If you findyourself stuck just tell the person you need someonewho speaks English to help and there will besomeone there in a matter of minutes. SpeakingEnglish well is a highly regarded skill by the locals soanyone who does so is well known and can be foundquickly.

Bahasa Indonesia is also a simple language to learnso get yourself a phrase book and learn a few simplephrases, you will feel more clever as well and themore you try to speak it the quicker you will pick upthe basics, its easy and fun and the locals will reallyappreciate your efforts although they will laugh loudlywith you too.

Getting thereMedan's Polonia International Airport and Belawansea port are both visa-free and visa-on-arrival points.

For more visa information, see the Indonesia page.

By Rail

Medan is connected by rail to other conurbations onthe eastern coast of Sumatra, such as Tanjungbalai,Rantauprapat, Siantar and Binjai. Executive,business and economy class trains are available, butif your budget allows, take the better class trains,which are faster and more comfortable. Tickets costbetween Rp 9,000 (economy) to Rp 70,000(executive).

Domestic

For destinations within Indonesia, there aresome regional airlines and LCC that serve Medan toother cities.

• Batavia Air - [★link] from/to Jakarta, Padang andBatam

• Citilink - LCC [★link] (operated by GarudaIndonesia) from/to Jakarta

• Garuda Indonesia - [★link] from/to Banda Aceh andJakarta

• Indonesia AirAsia - LCC [★link] from/to Bandungand Surabaya

• Kartika Airlines - [★link] from/to Batam

• Lion Air - [★link] from/to Pekanbaru, Jakarta andBanda Aceh

• Merpati Nusantara Airlines - [★link] from/toMeulaboh, Sabang, Nias, Sibolga and Sinabang

• PT Mandala Airlines - [★link] from/to Jakarta

• Riau Airlines - [★link] from/to Pekanbaru

• Sriwijaya Air - [★link] from/to Banda Aceh, Padang,Pekanbaru, Batam and Jakarta

• Susi Air - [★link] from/to Kutacane, Silangit, AekGodang, Simeulue, Blang Pidie and Meulaboh

International

There are direct international flights to/fromPenang (for only around US$70 return), KualaLumpur, Johor Bahru and Ipoh in Malaysia,Singapore, and Bangkok. There are a fewinternational flights which serve Medan: Silkair,Malaysia Airlines, Air Asia, Firefly, Valuair and TigerAirways. The first two are regular airlines, while therest are budgest airlines.

Silkair, Valuair and Tiger Airways fly the popularSingapore-Medan route. Kuala Lumpur-Medan routeis served by both Malaysia Airlines, Air Asia andFirefly. Air Asia and Firefly also connect Medan tomany other cities in Malaysia, including the popularMedan-Penang route.

• Firefly Airlines - [★link] from/to Penang andSubang near Kuala Lumpur

• AirAsia - (www.airasia.com) from Kuala Lumpur

• Garuda Indonesia - [★link] from/to Kuala Lumpur(Malaysia Airlines)

• Indonesia AirAsia - LCC [★link] from/to Penang,Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Hong Kong

• Kartika Airlines - [★link] from/to Penang (CLOSED)

• Lion Air - [★link] from/to Penang

• Malaysia Airlines - [★link] from/to Penang (byFirefly) and Kuala Lumpur

• SilkAir - [★link] (operated by Singapore Airlines)from/to Singapore

• Mandala Airlines - [★link] (operated by TigerAirways) from/to Singapore

• Sriwijaya Air - [★link] from/to Penang

• Valuair - LCC [★link] from/to Singapore

Medan's international airport is known as PoloniaInternational Airport (IATA: MES) and is locatedabout 15 minutes from the city. It handles bothdomestic and regional international flights. Domesticdeparture taxes from Medan is Rp 35,000, whileinternational departure tax is Rp 75,000.

Medan is currently in the process of finalising the newKuala Namu International Airport, but when this mightactually happen is still uncertain. Be prepared thoughas this new airport is a long way from the middle ofthe city and taxi transfers will be much moreexpensive.

Getting there: A Taxi into town sets you back aroundRp 40,000, unless you walk past the taxis in front ofthe terminal and proceed towards the exit. There aremore taxis towards the exit, and if you bargain well,you can get a taxi for only Rp 20,000 (Although this isnot easy to do as the road is quite bumpy and youare likely to get run down walking along the exit road,strongly suggest you negotiate with the taxi drivers atthe terminal). Metered taxis exist if you want to walkoutside airport. There is a Petronas Gas Station justacross the road in the left side of the exit. Usually,some Blue Bird taxis are parked there. These taxisalways use meter and possibly more cheaper thantaxis in airport. If you know the public bus number foryour destination, it is Rp 3,500 per person, but thoseunfamiliar with the Indonesian language areencouraged to get taxis for their first transportation.

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The central station for all larger buses in Medanis Amplas Station Central (not located in the center ofthe city though). This is where a lot of the smallerminivans go as well, and where travellers need to goto make connecting buses to further cities. Many ofthe large air-conditioned buses perform overnightroutes.

Larger, non air-conditioned buses and large luxurybuses (often Mercedes) that are air-conditioned(some have toilets on board, though they aresquatting toilets that are difficult to use when thebuses are moving, given driving habits and roadconditions throughout Sumatra).

As an example of prices from August 2005, expect topay around Rp 50,000-80,000 for an 8-10 hrovernight luxury bus (without toilet saves about Rp10,000+) trip, as in to Duri, Bukit Lawang, or LakeToba (Danau Toba). Such buses provide a smallsnack and sometimes have televisions on board.While seats are very comfortable by Sumatranstandards, all rides are swervy/bumpy and driversoften play stereos quite loud during the entire trip(unless a movie is available). Also, many buses havesmoking sections in the back, and sometimes,smoking occurs in the front of the non-smokingsection by the driver if the driver is so inclined.Earplugs are good accessories. Furthermore, whilethe large luxury buses have ample stowage aboveseats, keep valuables safe while you sleep.

Medan is not located by the sea but nearbyBelawan is a major port with domestic andinternational boat and ferry services. Belawan islisted as a visa-free and visa-on-arrival entry point(see the Get in section of the Indonesia page).

To/from other parts of Indonesia: Pelni [★link] boatslink Belawan with various ports in Sumatra and otherIndonesian islands. The comfortable MV Keluddeparts from Belawan every Tuesday. The full sailingschedule is on www.pelni.com [★link].

Getting around

Medan city is swamped by becaks and taxis (thepreferable choice to get around). There is also a formof public transport known as the angkot (smallminivan).

By Becak

Also known as trishaws or pedicabs. You have to begood negotiator if you want to ride on becaks, withprice ranging between Rp 5,000-10,000 dependingon the destination (near or far).

Very few becak drivers speak more than a few wordsof English, but a map and lots of pointing will get youto the right place, even if it takes twice as long as youthought.

As you can get a hotel taxi for Rp 35,000 to almostanywhere in Medan, paying more than Rp 15,000 fora longer ride is probably not a good idea. Local taxisare now Rp 30,000 to almost anywhere. They will notbargain much with visitors.

Public transport is not reliable, though they havefixed price from one destination to other destinations.

Small minivans (called sudako or angkot by locals)have painted numbers (1 to 267 in Medan) thatsignify their routes, which even locals don't havememorized. If you speak Indonesian, just ask wherepeople are standing by the roadsides which "bus"number corresponds to your location and what theprice is in advance. When a van with the appropriatenumber approaches, flag them down as they don'tmake scheduled stops (just drive along a given routeand drop off passengers when told or pick up newpassengers when flagged). If you are a westerner, besure to confirm the price before getting in. This typeof transportation should only be braved by those witha point-to-point knowledge of Medan and a workingknowledge of Indonesian so they know where to tellthe driver to stop, unless you have a local friend whocan take you around. Standard fee is now Rp3,000/trip.

One easy route is Minibus #3 from the great mosque(at the side of yuki mall) to the Medan Mall, which isRp 2,000.

Try to pick taxi from a reliable place such in frontof malls, shopping centres or airport. Many taxidrivers will resist the use of a meter and want tobargain. Taxis with meters may put them on, but thensay there is a minimum charge, Rp 20,000-Rp 25,000- the metered fare will usually be far lower.

Try to avoid the use of taxis other than Bluebird orExpress and always use the meter as they are thetwo most reliable taxi companies in Medan, this is ageneral rule that applies throughout the regions ofIndonesia where either of these two taxi companiesare available.

• Express Taxi - â■■ +62 61 455 2211. White colortaxis (usually Toyota Vios), they can usually befound around Medan, especially around central cityand mostly use meter. Call in advance and they willcome in time too (minimum fee by call is Rp25,000).

• Blue Bird Taxi - [★link] â■■ +62 61 846 1234. Bluecolor taxis, the newest taxi company to startoperate in Medan. Friendly drivers and always usemeter. Minimum fee by call is Rp 20,000.

If you must engage in bargaining a non-meteredjourney then a taxi cost anywhere in central Medanshould be Rp 20,000 or less. However drivers mayask for Rp 25,000. Higher fares are only justifiable forlonger distances, such as to Pinang Baris bus station,about 10 km, which should cost no more than Rp50,000.

See aroundBerastagi - popular mountain resort for weekendgetaways, for Medan locals. About 1.5 hours drivefrom Medan. Check out other references toBerastagi, which is pronounced Brestagi by thelocals. It's a really beautiful place. You can hike thetwo nearby volcanoes, Sinabung and Sibayak.

Kabanjahe - the capital of the Karo Regency. Youcan observe and experience the life of Karo peopleby visiting the villages around Kabanjahe. Kabanjaheis also a convinient post to climb Mount Sinabung. Ifyou wish to spend the nights in the villages of Karo

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people, go to Gumagaba Youth Hostel located onJalan SM Raja Simpang Amplas, Medan to find moreinformation. They will be glad to help you. Yourcontact is David Gintings.

Bukit Lawang - A 3 hour journey from Medan, thelatter half of the journey being a rather bumpy andpot-holed ride. A little village on the edge of GunungLeuser National Park that was once home to anOrang-utan rehabilitation center. The rehabilitationprogram is no longer running, however regularfeeding sessions take places at the feedingplatforms. Jungle treks can be arranged or you canjust relax by the river.

Lake Toba - one of biggest fresh water lakes in theworld. Formed by volcanic eruption. Has a largeisland, Samosir, in the middle. Danau Toba is anabsolute must see, its a really magnificent place fullof Batak culture on the shores of a mesmerizing lake.The food is wonderful, accommodation is cheap andthe climate is totally perfect, it seems to be 25'c 24 x7. Rent a scooter and explore Samosir, you won'twant to go home.

by bus

• Berastagi - popular mountain resort for weekendgetaways, for Medan locals. About 1.5 hours drivefrom Medan. Check out other references toBerastagi, which is pronounced Brestagi by thelocals. It's a really beautiful place. You can hike thetwo nearby volcanoes, Sinabung and Sibayak.

• Kabanjahe - the capital of the Karo Regency. Youcan observe and experience the life of Karo peopleby visiting the villages around Kabanjahe.Kabanjahe is also a convinient post to climb MountSinabung. If you wish to spend the nights in thevillages of Karo people, go to Gumagaba YouthHostel located on Jalan SM Raja Simpang Amplas,Medan to find more information. They will be gladto help you. Your contact is David Gintings.

• Bukit Lawang - A 3 hour journey from Medan, thelatter half of the journey being a rather bumpy andpot-holed ride. A little village on the edge ofGunung Leuser National Park that was once hometo an Orang-utan rehabilitation center. The

rehabilitation program is no longer running,however regular feeding sessions take places atthe feeding platforms. Jungle treks can bearranged or you can just relax by the river.

• Lake Toba - one of biggest fresh water lakes in theworld. Formed by volcanic eruption. Has a largeisland, Samosir, in the middle. Danau Toba is anabsolute must see, its a really magnificent placefull of Batak culture on the shores of a mesmerizinglake. The food is wonderful, accommodation ischeap and the climate is totally perfect, it seems tobe 25'c 24 x 7. Rent a scooter and exploreSamosir, you won't want to go home.

by plane

Airport Alert: If you are a foreign tourist, you arerequired to fill in a form at the Fiscal Check counterstating that you are not an Indonesian citizen orKITAS holder. This necessity because unlike Jakarta,Surabaya or Denpasar; where locals are required topay Government Fiscal Fare when they're travellingabroad, Medan did not charge this fare. Thus this isnot required at Jakarta or Denpasar. Starting 2009though, all Indonesian citizen with tax payer number(NPWP) are released from paying this GovernmentFiscal Fare. So be prepared to fill in a very small formwith your name and passport details stating that youare not a citizen or holder of KITAS.

Also be prepared to have your passport and boardingpass checked by any number of people, manystanding right next to each other, and not letting youpass until they have all had a long look at yourpassport. Do not expect any friendliness from theairport officials here either, listen carefully to allannouncements, and then ask a local what is goingon, it is the only way to find out how many hours yourflight is being delayed.

Also be very careful with your check in luggage, thereseems to be a gang of thieves working at the airportand they will break into your suitcases regularly (6times for us in 6 months so far this year) even if thereis nothing of value in them. Another good reason tocheck in as late as possible. The police will refuse todo anything about it, as have the airlines involved so

far, although one has promised to look into it, theother refused to take our complaint saying its nottheir problem, so good luck with your luggageespecially if you are flying to Singapore.

The departure area has now been vastly improved.Originally there was absolutely nothing to do, yet nowthere are plenty of shops, cafes and entertainment. Ifyou have a morning flight on the weekend there willbe no traffic so allow 10 minutes from your hotel tothe airport. Check in and passport control is 10minutes. Feel free to leave as early or as late as youplease. ( I am not sure who put the information aboutthere being plenty of shops, its kind of true but theyall sell the same old souvenirs that you can buyanywhere that are mass produced and as for cafesrestaurants and entertainment, I have no idea whatthis person is talking about because as of last weekthere was a Dunkin Donuts and a local warung there,nothing inside the terminal worth looking at).

It seems that flights into and out of Medan aredelayed more than any other airport I have been to inIndonesia, and those with international connectionsseem to be the most delayed. If you are taking theSilk Air flight any evening back to Singapore it isstrongly suggested that you call the airport and checkhow many hours the delay. My record to date is 6hours, although my friends tell me they have haddelays of up to 24 hours just to get back to Jakarta ona domestic flight.

This travel guide to Medan was created usingwww.journeum.com on 30 October 2013. Parts of thecontent of this guide are derived from the correspondingWikitravel page and are available under Creative CommonsAttribution Share-Alike 3.0 license. Visithttp://wikitravel.org/en/Medan to get the full list of theauthors.Get more customizable travel guides for free atwww.journeum.com.Please consider environment before printing this guide.