Lake Toba: The largest volcanic lake in the world

When we arrived at Lake Toba we checked in to our hotel; Bagus Bay. The place was fantastic! Because it was low season there were very few tourists,luckily for us that meant we were able to get our room for six dollars a night, which was a real bargain considering the guesthouse had a pool table, volleyball, badminton, and a waterfront deck with lounge chairs and an incredible view of the lake. We were in absolute paradise. The island of Samosir was huge. We stayed in the town of tuk tuk , which is a quaint touristy town filled with guesthouses, restaurants, and souvenir shops. The lake itself was massive, surrounded by steep mountains covered in beautiful green jungle and farmland. It was an incredibly amazing experience staying on a lake inside of a volcano.We stayed for five nights. Everyday we swam in the lake and spent our lazy afternoons playing badminton and pool. At night we enjoyed the incredible food. It was some of the best food I have ever had. Our favorite restaurant was Jenny's where we ordered fresh BBQ fish with salad and fries.We also had some incredible Indonesian dishes like Gado Gado ( boiled veggies with peanut sauce), it was to die for. One of our days on Toba we rented a motorbike and explored the countryside. The island was so huge, we rode all day and only saw a small portion of it. Half way through our drive we stopped at a little concession stand on the property of an old woman's house to buy a beer. We sat in her yard at the picnic table drinking our beer and taking in the incredible aerial view of lake toba, while the old woman picked through her cacao beans and her grandchildren ran around naked and barefoot.The culture on Lake Toba was very different from the rest of Sumatra. The people are from the Batak Culture where they speak a different language and are predominately Christian. The architecture of the houses were quite fascinating ;with large pointy slanted roofs, and churches everywhere. In the town of tuk tuk mushrooms were sold everywhere. If you walked down the street you were sure to be asked "Do you need a motorbike? Laundry Service? Magic Mushrooms?" . It took me by surprise how many times we were offered them. I was also shocked to learn that they were legal, considering the use of marijuana results in the death penalty. The five nights spent at Toba were incredibly relaxing, and filled with beautiful views, great food, and fun.