Medan

Medan is a bold, buzzing city on the island of Sumatra, where ancient palaces sit beside glittering mosques and the jungle begins just beyond the city’s edge. Right in the heart of the city, the golden-yellow Maimun Palace still stands tall after more than a century, its beautiful design mixing Malay, Islamic, and European styles in a way that stops you in your tracks. Just next door, the Great Mosque of Medan dazzles visitors with its sweeping black domes and gleaming marble floors.

But Medan is more than its landmarks. It is a city with an incredible mix of cultures, and nowhere is that more obvious than at the dinner table. Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Batak cooking traditions all come together here, making Medan famous across Indonesia for its extraordinary food.

Venture a little further and the adventures get even wilder. You can gaze across the vast, mist-covered waters of Lake Toba, or hike through ancient rainforest to spot wild orangutans swinging freely through the trees. Medan truly has something for everyone.