Medan does not pretend to be anything other than what it is: a sprawling, traffic-choked commercial city of 2.5 million people where extraordinary food is available at almost every hour and the colonial architecture has been allowed to age unsentimentally. We arrived expecting a transit city and found ourselves spending two full days deliberately, eating our way through a cuisine landscape that exists nowhere else in Indonesia.
The city’s unusual character comes from its ethnic composition. Medan grew rapidly in the 19th century as a Dutch tobacco plantation hub, drawing labor from across the archipelago and beyond: Toba Batak from the highlands, Karo Batak from the mountains, Malay from the coast, Acehnese from the north, Minangkabau from West Sumatra, Javanese and Sundanese, and a large Chinese merchant community that has been here since the 17th century. The result is a city where the morning food markets sell Batak pork sausage next to Malay rice cakes next to Chinese dim sum next to Acehnese noodle soup — and where nobody finds this unusual.
Tjong A Fie Mansion
Built in 1900 by Tjong A Fie, a Chinese merchant who became one of colonial Sumatra’s most powerful businessmen, this heritage mansion is the architectural highlight of Medan. Two floors of carved teak furniture, antique porcelain, family photographs, and the original owner’s office and reception rooms survive remarkably intact — his descendants still live in part of the building. Guided tours run IDR 35,000; allow 1.5 hours. The mansion sits on Jalan Ahmad Yani in the old commercial quarter, surrounded by other 19th-century shophouses.
Maimun Palace and the Grand Mosque
Maimun Palace was built in 1888 for the Sultan of Deli in a style that synthesizes Malay, Dutch, Italian, and Mughal influences — yellow and white facade, European columns, and interiors of Venetian glass and local teak. It remains the official residence of the Deli Sultanate’s descendants. Entry IDR 10,000; the royal collection includes traditional weaponry, ceremonial regalia, and family portraits spanning 150 years.
Two hundred meters away, the Masjid Raya (Grand Mosque) is among the most beautiful mosques in Southeast Asia — built in 1906 with Italian marble floors, Egyptian chandeliers, and a blend of Moorish, Mughal, and Dutch architecture. Non-Muslims may enter outside prayer times (cover appropriately; loaned garments available at entrance).
Food
We ate extraordinarily well on very little. The most important meal in Medan is breakfast — the Acehnese roti canai stalls open at 6am, paper-thin flaky flatbreads served with lentil curry and strong kopi tarik (pulled tea), IDR 8,000–15,000. Soto Medan at H. Ramudin (Jalan Sei Deli) is the gold standard — rich coconut broth with turmeric, galangal, and lemongrass, IDR 30,000–45,000 a bowl.
For the full durian experience (June–August), the durian stalls along Jalan Palang Merah are the city institution — local Medan durian is considered the best in Sumatra. Select your fruit from the pile and eat it on the spot; a large fruit IDR 50,000–120,000 depending on variety. It’s intense, polarizing, and worth trying once regardless of your position on the flavor.
Practical Tips
Getting to Lake Toba: The most comfortable option is the KSPD Bus from Amplas Terminal (IDR 60,000, 4.5 hours to Parapat). Private cars are faster (3.5 hours) but more expensive (IDR 400,000–600,000 return). There’s also a train to Pematangsiantar (2 hours) followed by onward bus to Parapat.
Bukit Lawang: The ethical orangutan sanctuary in Gunung Leuser National Park is 4 hours northwest. Half-day treks (IDR 350,000–500,000) guarantee Sumatran orangutan sightings in semi-wild conditions. 1–2 night jungle treks through the national park offer deeper encounters. Book through guides certified by the park authority — avoid uncertified operators who use food bait.