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| Ratna House |
Ratnauli Gultom
Silimalombu
Onanrunggu
Samosir Island
North Sumatra
Indonesia
phone: +6281260858209
Email: silimalombu*at*gmail.com
Please note: My village is very small and remote. My internet reception is not always reliable. So if I have not replied to your email within a few days, please send me an SMS to make sure I received it. I generally just give very brief replies to emails and SMS. Don't be offended, this is just because it is most practical with slow internet and patchy phone reception!
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| My Village |
I live in Indonesia, in North Sumatra on the Samosir Island located on photogenic post volcanic Lake Toba.
DIRECTIONS TO REACH SILIMALOMBU:
MEDAN TO PARAPAT
BY BUS
From Airport to Bus Terminal Amplas:
If you come from Kualanamu airport either:
1) take a taxi (80,000 Rp.)
2) by bus Damri to Amplas Bus Station (In Indonesian say "Amplas Terminal Bis").
From Amplas Bus Terminal to Parapat Town, (Ajibata Harbour)
Take a bus run by the company "Sejahtera"(32,000Rp.) direct to Ajibata Harbour.
These buses leave Amplas Bus Terminal every hour between 6am to 5pm every day.
If you arrive at Amplas after 5pm you can take a minibus to Parapat town, for around 30,000Rp. but this take 5-6 hours.
BY TAXI
From Medan (Polonia Aiport) direct taxi to Parapat, Ajibata Harbour is possible:
2 Taxi companies recommended:
PT. Bagus Holiday's Taxi 081396380170, 081362397309, 081362117942
(if roaming +6281396380170, +6281362397309, +6281362117942)
0625 41747 or 0625 41156 or 0625 41922
(if roaming +62 625 41747 or +62 625 41156 or +62 625 41922
CV Raja Taxi Trans 061 7333933 or 061 7333944
(if roaming +62 61 733933 or +62 61 7333944)
Costs 80,000Rp. and takes 5 hours.
FROM PARAPAT TO SAMOSIR ISLAND
Most Direct:
You need to ask to go to Ajibata Harbour (NOT the big ferry which takes the car) which goes to Tuk Tuk or Tomok. Here you take a small local boat straight to Silimalombu 1pm every day for 15.000 Rp. (Saturday at 2pm). Ask for the direct boat to Silimalombu - these are owned by Else or Marta.
Not so direct:
Every hour there is a local boat from Ajibata harbour to Tomok for 6.000 Rp.
Another way is that you can take a local boat from Parapat (Tigaraja harbour) to Tuk Tuk for 10.000 Rp. From Tuk Tuk one need to walk to main road (2km) and then catch a bus to Tomok (3km).
From Tomok one can catch minibus to Lontung (15km, many buses, 8.000 Rp.). From Lontung one can walk 2km along the lake to reach Silimalombu.
Alternatively you can rent a motorbike from Tomok (50.000 Rp.) or from Tuk Tuk (70.000 Rp.) but you have to usually bargain.
SILIMALOMBU VILLAGE
In Silimalombu there are 250 people living in 50 houses in Silimalombu. I live in our house with my Husband (from Germany) and my mother, situated close to lake. I can offer a separate room for volunteer with shared Asian style toilet and bucket shower. There is 24-hours electricity in the village. The closest Internet access is Tuk Tuk, but you can use Internet by mobile with Indonesian Sim card. The best card to get is XL but be aware that the internet will still be very slow, and sometimes not work at all. Part of remote and simple village life! Volunteers are welcome to join our meals which usually consists from rice, vegetables, eggs and fresh fish from the lake. I can also support a vegetarian. If you come in a proper time you can count on unlimited Mango or Durian straight from the tree.
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| Room 2 |
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| Room 1 |
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| Room |
