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Sabtu, 22 November 2008

The amazing Sipiso-Piso waterfall

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra
Located in the Bukit Barisan mountains, the Sipiso-piso waterfall offers an enchanting vista view and fresh air to visitors.
The water falls from a height of about one kilometer into famous Lake Toba. With Samosir Island in the background, it is an unforgettable view for anyone who has been there.
With its natural beauty and temperate climate of between 16 and 28C, the Sipiso-piso waterfall has become another major tourist destination in Karo regency, North Sumatra, aside from Berastagi.
The resort area, which lies 1,600 meters above sea level, is not only a favorite destination for locals but also a must-see for foreign tourists visiting North Sumatra.
Most foreign visitors come from Asia, Europe and the United States.
""Usually, tourists from Portugal, the Netherlands and Malaysia buy paintings as souvenirs before leaving,"" said Awal Siregar, a souvenir vendor.
Today, however, business is not good for Awal and his fellow vendors who rely on the tourists for their livelihoods. The number of foreign tourists has dropped following the last December's powerful earthquake and tsunami that brought massive destruction in nearby Aceh and parts of North Sumatra.
""No foreign visitor has been here since the natural disaster. I have not sold a single souvenir for the past month,"" souvenir vendor Riana Munthe told The Jakarta Post late last month.
Prior to the natural disaster, she said she could earn up to Rp 500,000 (US$53) per day by selling the souvenirs.
Awal, who sells mostly paintings as souvenirs, also complained about the situation.
""I get the paintings from artists in Yogyakarta. Each painting costs me between Rp 40,000 and Rp 200,000. I haven't sold a single item since the disaster,"" he said.
Geographically, Karo regency shares a border with Southeast Aceh regency in Aceh province. People in Karo regency also felt the quake that produced the tsunami.
Karo regent Sinar Peranginangin said the problem was not solely the recent disaster, but also the national security situation.
""The problem is national security. If there is a demonstration in Medan (the capital of North Sumatra) or trouble in Aceh, tourists are reluctant to come,"" the regent told the Post
Regency statistics say that more than 45,000 foreign tourists visited the regency in 2003. Most of them came from the Southeast Asian countries (61.7 percent). The others came from Europe (24 percent), the Asia Pacific countries (12 percent), and the United States (2 percent).
""Foreign tourists visit Karo regency because there are various tourist attractions here. Usually, all our hotels are fully occupied,"" he said, adding that the regency boasted five four-star hotels.
Another main tourist destination in the regency is Berastagi, which is a favorite place for people living in Medan to spend their weekends. The small town is famous for its agricultural products (fruit, vegetables) and the beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.
How to get there:
Various carriers provide transport from Jakarta to Medan, the capital of North Sumatra. From Medan, we can take an intercity bus to Kabanjahe, the main city of Karo regency, passing through Berastagi. It takes about two hours from Medan to Kabanjahe by bus. Minibus operate regularly from Kabanjahe with the fare costing Rp 1,000. The resort charges an admission fee of Rp 1,400 per person.

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Sun, 02/20/2005 11:37 AM Life

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