Medan

Asia

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Indonesia

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Medan

Medan is the capital of North Sumatra Province and is one of Indonesia’s third-largest city. If West Java has Bandung as their Paris van Java, Medan is renowned as Paris van Sumatra due to its flawless mixture of Dutch-colonial charm and the modern life of a metropolitan city. However, that’s not the only beauty Medan has to offer. This multicultural city is also famous for its various kinds of local, Western, Eastern, and Middle Eastern cuisine. Make a stop at Medan’s culinary areas in Jalan Selat Panjang and Jalan Semarang to indulge in Chinese foods, Jalan Pagaruyung for some Indian and Malay cuisines, and Jalan Padang Bulan for Batak foods. Every dish is available in variety price. Apart from its unique culture, Medan is also home to some interesting tourist attractions like Istana Maimoon (a palace with Malay, Mogul, and Italian influences) or Tjong A Fie Mansion, the former residence of a famous Chinese merchant with a blend of Chinese and Victorian style.

Travel Tips for Medan

What you need to know before traveling here

Getting Around Medan

A guide to Medan's local transportation

Paddle Rickshaw

Municipal Transport

DAMRI Bus

Bentor

Sudako

Pembangunan Semesta Bus

Car Rental

In addition to bentor (motorized rickshaws), there is also traditional transportation in Medan called paddled rickshaws. Unlike the rickshaws in other areas, the Medan paddle rickshaw uses an old-school ontel bicycle connected to a sidecar for the passenger cabin. Because the population is getting smaller, you can only find this rickshaw around markets or tourist sites. The fare starts from IDR 10,000 for short distances and can carry 1-2 passengers. You can negotiate the fare with the driver if you want to travel quite far or go around tourist sites.

Practical Tips for Medan

Things to prepare and best way to visit

Is there any direct flight route from Jakarta to Medan?

If you want to fly from Jakarta to Medan, there are various choices of planes with direct flights or 1-2 transits. The transit cities are Yogyakarta, Palembang, Surabaya, Batam, and Pekanbaru. Generally, there are 8 airlines that serve Jakarta (CGK) - Medan (KNO) flight routes, namely AirAsia, Batik Air, Citilink, Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, NAM Air, Super Air Jet, and Wings Air. On average, the direct flight route from Soekarno-Hatta to Kualanamu takes less than 2.5 hours. For more information about the schedules and flight ticket bookings, you can use the Traveloka app or access their website.

What transportation can I use from the airport to downtown Medan?

There are several public transportations available that you can use from Kualanamu airport to downtown Medan. The first is the Airport Train which will take you from the airport to Medan's big station. The fare starts from IDR 100,000 and takes about 45 minutes. The second one is the DAMRI Bus, with a route from the airport to Plaza Medan Fair. The fare is IDR 30,000 and takes about 60 minutes (without traffic jams). And the third option is you can rent a car via the Traveloka application at least one day before you arrive in Medan.

What tourist attractions are around Medan?

There are several iconic and unique tourist objects around Medan city. There is Maimun Palace, Al-Mashun Grand Mosque, Tjong A Fie Mansion, the State Museum of North Sumatra Province, and the Rahmat International Wildlife Museum & Gallery. However, if you want to go to an amusement park, there are the Central Park Zoo, Kampung Ladang, The Lehu Garden, Pematang Johar Tourism Village, etc. Out of town a little bit, you can enjoy natural attractions such as the Lake Toba area, Elephant Trekking at Tangkahan, Berhala Island, Bali Lestari Beach, Tinggi Raja Crater, Salah Namo Island, and many others.

What typical Medan culinary dishes should I try?

Medan is also known for its cuisine. Medan culinary menus vary from side dishes to processed vegetables. Some typical Medan culinary are Lontong Medan, Soto Medan, Ikan Arsik, Sate Kerang, Mie Pecel, Mie Gomak, Mie Balap, Kari Bihun, Sipirok Soup, Anyang Pakis, Bubur Pedas Melayu, Daun Ubi Tumbuk, Sambal Teri Kacang, Ikan Panggang Geleng, Martabak Piring, Pancake Durian, Putu Bambu, Kue Ombus Ombus, Kue Lupis Medan, Durian Medan and Rujak Medan. In addition to the food menu, Medan also has beverage menus such as Kolak Durian, Martabe Juice, Sidikalang Coffee, Teh Susu Telur, Soda Badak, and Roco Timun.

What souvenirs can I bring home from Medan?

Medan has various souvenirs from food and beverage to typical Medan cloth that you can bring home. Some typical Medan souvenirs are Bika Ambon Cake, Lapis Legit Cake, Meranti Roll Cake, Napoleon Roll Cake, Siantar Ganda Bread, Pancake Durian, Sihobuk Peanut, Roti Kacang Tebing Tinggi, Durian Kupas, Teri Medan, Tauco Medan, Markisa Syrup, and Sidikalang Coffee. For those of you who want to bring home typical Medan cloth as authentic souvenirs, Batik Medan, Ulos Batak, and Songket BatuBara are the answers.