Berastagi is located in North Sumatra province. A popular destination for travellers who want to immers in themselves in cultural and hiking beautiful volcano. This article will explain things to know before you go to Berastagi.
1300 meters over sea level made Berastagi a perfect place to escape from crowded city Medan, with just 2 hours drive from Medan. Mostly local tourist will visit Berastagi during weekend or public holiday.
Berastagi is a district in Karo Regency, this area is popular for producing farm product such as vegetables and fruits. Karo Regency has 2 volcanos Sibayak and Sinabung.
If you plan to visit Berastagi or hiking Mount Sibayak for Sunrise Trekking, here are some important things to know before you go to Berastagi.
1. How to acces Berastagi from Medan Airport or others city in North Sumatra
If you just arrive in Kualanamu Airport, there is many option to reach Berastagi. First you can find bus named ALMASAR in train station, it will bring you directly to Berastagi the price is Rp 50.000 (3 dollars).
Second, using Gojek or Grab from airport to Simpang Pos, Medan. In Simpang Pos you will see Bus Station who can bring you to Berastagi, there is 3 option bus you can choose MURNI Express, Sinabung Jaya and Sutra, price is Rp 20.000 ( quite cheap, right?).
Third option is hire a private car to pick you up from airport or from any hotel in Medan and drop off to Berastagi, this will very good option if you are with big luggage or travel with friends. The price from Airport or from Medan to Berastagi with private car is Rp 600.000 – 650.000
2. Where to stay in Berastagi
There are many option to stay in Berastagi from 5 stars hotel, budget hotel or homestay. Just check online in accommodation booking platform which fit in you.
4 Four Star Hotel
– Hotel International Sibayak
– Sinabung Hills Hotel
– Mickey Holiday Resort
– Simalem Resort (Merek, 35 km from Berastagi)
Budget Hotel & Homestay
– Smiley Homestay
– Wisma Sibayak Guest House
– Sapo Rumbia
– Kaesa Homestay
– Nachelle Homestay
– Sunrise View Homestay
3. There is plenty of ATM, no worries when run out of cash.
Yes, Berastagi is a district in Karo Regency but don’t worry when you run out of cash because there is plenty of ATM in Berastagi. Just go to the center of the town near the Tugu Perjuangan (Hero Monument) you will find there.
4. A lot of option for food.
Many option for food in Berastagi from local dishes, Chinese food or Western Food. Also there is food night market in Berastagi where you can find a lot of choice local dish, from Ayam Bakar (grilled chicken), Ikan Bakar, Nasi Goreng, Sate (satay) and many more. If you mis western for just go to restaurant such as Jabu Café or PE 88 Tavern thera are many option western food there, from pizza to steak. Things to know before you go to Berastagi
5. How long to stay in Berastagi
If you are not in a hurry, 2 nights is enough to stay in Berastagi. It will enough time to explore all the main attraction. But if you want to digg and explore more stay longer, so you can explore and stay in different area in Area.
6. Thing to do in Berastagi, Mount Sibayak sunrise trekking, visiting Ghost Town and many more.
The main attraction or place must to visit in Berastagi is Mount Sibayak Sunrise Trekking, is only 90 minutes hike from starting point and you can enjoy the magnificent view from the top of volcano. After that, don’t forget to relaxation in Natural Hot Spring before heading back to the town.
If you want to do Mount Sibayak Sunrise Trekking, make sure you hava a guide. Because, there some tourist who get lost in Mount Sibayak, some founded alive and the last one in 2017 German guy founded died after 7 days lost.
Actually, Mount Sibayak is easy to hike because there is path we could follow through, but often tourist and local people underestimate about this mountain.As we know, the weather change so quick in the mountain, some the foggy very thick, its make visibility very short.
So, hired a guide would be a good option, they can lead you up and down the mountain and also the cost hired guide is no that expensive.
Sunrise from Medan : Sunrise tour from Medan
7. Don’t hike Mount Sinabung !
Important ! things to know before you go to Berastagi
Sinabung is active volcano, first eruption is August 2010 and still some volcanic activity until this article posted (we will update the situation). More than 5 village on the feet of Mount Sinabung is already relocated to Siosar Area.
But, you could visit the village on the feet of the Sinabung we called Ghost Town make sure you go with guide, so they can tell you story behind it.
8. Renting a Motorbike explore Sipiso – piso, Tongging Village and Gajah Bobok
Renting a motorbike is very good option to explore South part of Karo Regency such as Sipiso-piso Waterfall, Tongging the village by the lake where you can eat fish fresh from the Lake Toba, and also small hike to the Gajak Bobok Hill to enjoy magnificent view of Lake Toba. If you want you can try paragliding from the hill and landing in Togging Village.
9. Is it possible to do jungle trekking Berastagi
Yes, that’s possible to do jungle trekking, but starting point is little bit far from Berastagi, it takes 90 minutes to drive by car to the Kuta Male Village. The village is right in the border of the Gunung Leuser National Park.
This place is not popular like Bukit Lawang and Ketambe, where you can do jungle trekking to see wild orangutan and many other wildlife. There is one animal you can find here but hard to find in other place, that’s Slow Loris, the slow move guy and nocturnal animal. If you want to do this trekking, don’t hasitate to reach us.
10. Easy to go to other destination from Berastagi
If you plan to move from Berastagi to other destination such as Bukit Lawang, Lake Toba, Ketambe, Singkil (Pulau Banyak) or back to Medan to catch flight from Kualanamu Airport is easy reach those places, because Berastagi is right in the middle of those destination.
There is many option of transportation to go to other destination, from private car, public bus or tourist bus (private car sharing with other tourist, ask your accomodation or guide to book this tourist bus). That’s some things to know before you go to Berastagi