Founded by Guru Patimpus, a Karonese man, Medan is the largest city in Sumatra Land. It is the capital of North Sumatra and acts as an economic hub and commercial centre for the region. Besides that, Medan has a big population of more than 2 million inhabitants making the city the fifth most populous area in Indonesia as in 2016. On top of that, Medan is one of the four main central cities of Indonesia, alongside Jakarta, Surabaya, and Makassar based on National Development Planning Agency.

Medan is known for its diversity with Tamil influence, a large Chinese community, and the indigenous Batak people. It is also famous for its various culinary spots that have been attracting local and international tourists from other parts of the world.

Best time to fly from Davao to Medan

The best time to visit Medan is all year round since the temperature stays within a comfortably warm range year-round (20°C to 30°C). Medan also experiences rainfall occasionally and becomes more frequent and heavier during the end of the year and monsoon seasons. Public holiday in Medan is the most packed and attractions are filled with groups of tourists. Therefore, visitors are advised to plan and book hotels ahead as the prices will rise during peak periods.

Main airports available in Davao and Medan

Francisco Bangoy International Airport - Also known as Davao International Airport, this is the main airport serving Davao City in the Philippines. Davao Airport is serving seven airlines, including AirAsia and Cebu Pacific and these airlines connect to domestic and international destinations. Since the new terminal had opened publicly in 2003, the terminal has been equipped with the best modern facilities. It can handle more than 3 million passengers annually making the airport the busiest airport on the island of Mindanao.

Kualanamu International Airport - Located in Deli Serdang regency, this airport is an international airport serving Medan, Indonesia. The airport opened to the public on 25 July 2013 and has become the third-largest airport after Jakarta Soekarno–Hatta and the new Bandung Kertajati and fifth busiest in Indonesia in 2017. Designed by the well- known Wiratman & Associates, Garuda Indonesia launched direct flights from Kualanamu to London and Amsterdam, making the airport the only Indonesian airport to serve Europe after the airline suspended operations from Soekarno-Hatta in 2019.

Climate pattern in Davao and Medan

Medan features a tropical rainforest climate with no real dry season. The city experiences both dry and wet seasons, with its driest month, is January whereas the wettest month is October. The average temperature in the city is approximately 27 °C throughout the year.

Highlights in Medan

• Mesjid Raya Al Mashun - Mesjid Raya Al Mashun, or referred to as Mesjid Raya is Medan's main mosque. The mosque serves the Muslim residents in the city and also attracts international tourists. It was built using high quality and imported building materials such as Italian marble and the floor is made up of exquisite emerald green tiles. Non-Muslims are welcome to tour the mosque outside of prayer hours with conditions. They are required to dress respectfully and make sure to follow all the rules in the mosque.
• Istana Maimun - Istana Maimun is the name of the royal palace in Medan which belonged to the Sultanate of Deli. This palace has turned into a museum and opened to the public. The palace displays the history of a local royal family with a vast collection of ancient clothing and classic monuments. Besides that, there is also a throne room where visitors can dress up and take pictures with family and friends.
• Merdeka Walk – Merdeka Walk is famous for stalls and restaurants selling different kinds of local and western food. Since Medan is also known for its variety of food, there are many interesting selections of delicacies you can find here such as bakso, curries with rice, alpukat drink and noodle dishes.