Making the most of Belawan Sumatra
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Medan town centre is a 26 km drive from the port and terminal.
Yes—taxis are available at the pier.
Belawan stands on Sumatra’s northeastern coast beside the Deli River, close to Medan. It is Indonesia’s busiest harbour outside Java.
Options suited to a short trip or half day of sightseeing:
Possibilities for a full day of sightseeing:
- Visit Danau Toba, also called Lake Toba.
- Combine Brastagi with Pasar Buah Brastagi.
- Discover Peceran, a traditional Batak Karo village.
- Travel to Parapat and Samosir Island.
- See Sipiso – Piso Waterfall.
- Explore Simalungun Castle at Pematang Purba.
- Visit King Sidabutar’s graveyard.
- Spend time in Tomok Village.
- Discover Ambarita Village.
- Include Pematang Siantar in the itinerary.
- Visit Tebing Tinggi, meaning High Hill.
- Browse Toko Paten, the souvenir shop from Pematang Siantar.
Getting around
A cruise-organised excursion is the recommended approach because public transport at the harbour is limited and road surfaces can be poor.
Taxis operate in many towns, but always settle the fare before travelling.
Nearby places
With approximately 2 million residents, Medan is Indonesia’s fourth-largest city after Jakarta, Surabaya and Bandung, and its biggest city beyond Java.
Medan’s older, leafy Dutch-style districts—with parks, lawns and grand former Dutch homes now used as government or business premises—contrast sharply with commercial areas crowded by hundreds of newer, poorly built shophouses and a small number of modern malls.
Food and shopping
Eating with the hand instead of cutlery is widespread in Indonesia. The usual method uses four fingers to shape a small rice ball, dip it in sauce and push it into the mouth with the thumb. Etiquette requires eating only with the right hand because the left is reserved for bathroom hygiene. Do not reach either hand into shared dishes; use serving utensils with the left hand, then eat. Wash thoroughly before and afterwards, and remember that hand-eating is discouraged in some settings...
Money
ATMs are readily available in Indonesia’s larger cities.
Exercise care with credit cards because cloning and fraud are serious concerns in Indonesia. Visa and Mastercard have wide acceptance, whereas American Express may cause difficulties. Small businesses commonly add 2-5% to card payments compared with cash.
Staying connected
Bahasa Indonesia, or Indonesian, is the country’s only official language.
Internet prices differ considerably and service generally reflects cost, but a usual rate is around Rp 5,000 per hour. In major cities, selected shopping centres, McDonald restaurants and Starbucks cafés provide free hotspots, as do the lobbies of some hotels.
From a mobile phone, dial 112 in an emergency.