Surrounded by 7 Regencies, Check Out Other Fun Facts About Lake Toba

The beauty of Indonesian tourist destinations is a never-ending discussion. Indonesia is an archipelago state known for its magnificent natural beauty, displayed by the islands of Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, Papua, and thousands more.

Every Indonesian island has tourist destinations that offer exceptional appeal, including Lake Toba in North Sumatra. With a depth of 500 meters, Lake Toba has become the main tourist attraction in Sumatra. Moreover, the place is enriched with vibrant culture and a breathtaking panorama.

It’s not an overstatement that you must visit Lake Toba once in a lifetime, hop on a ferry to Samosir Island, and stop by at Holbung Hill to enjoy the island’s beautiful scenery from the right spot.

Beyond Lake Toba’s unique appeal to tourists, it has a list of interesting facts. Curious to know them? Let’s check them out.

5 Facts of Lake Toba

Surrounded by 7 Regencies

Lake Toba is located at an altitude of 905 meters above sea level. The destination is unique because it is registered administratively in seven regencies.

They are Toba, Dairi, Simalungun, Samosir, Humbang Hasundutan, North Tapanuli, and Karo. The lake extends about 100 kilometers long and 30 kilometers wide.

This vastness makes the lake a stunning tourist attraction and a backup local water supply.

Formed from the Toba Eruption

A legendary folklore has it that Lake Toba is formed from a family’s broken oath. However, a scientific fact explaining the natural forming of Lake Toba is also available.

According to kompas.com, Lake Toba is a result of caldera-forming eruptions of Mount Toba that happened thousands of years ago. The eruption was reported four times and recorded as one of the largest-known explosive volcanic eruptions on Earth.

The World’s Largest Volcanic Lake

Lake Toba becomes the largest volcanic lake due to a prehistoric super volcano eruption. It’s about 500 meters deep, 100 kilometers long, and 30 kilometers wide. With such a gigantic size, it takes about 4 hours drive around the lake.

A Part of UNESCO Global Geoparks

In 2020, the UN agency specializing in education, art, and culture cooperation, UNESCO, named Lake Toba one of the UNESCO Global Geoparks. This recognition was granted at the 209th UNESCO Executive Board in Paris, France.

The certification received by Lake Toba has added to the number of Indonesian geoparks that UNESCO has previously recognized, such as Batur, Ciletuh, Gunung Sewu, and Rinjani geoparks.

Indonesia’s Top Priority Destinations

In the middle of April 2021, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf) designated Indonesia’s 5 Top Priority destinations. Lake Toba is included on the list, alongside Borobudur Temple, Mandalika, Labuan Bajo, and Likupang.

According to www.kemenparekraf.go.id, these top priority destinations are part of the government’s “10 New Bali” project.

These destinations are expected to appeal to tourists and grease the wheel of creative economy profitable for the locals.

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