Berastagi is situated in the upland of North Sumatra Province.  Wedged between Mount Sibayak (2,049 m) and Mount Sinabung (2,451 m), it  has cool climate, beautiful scenery, and several tourist attractions.  With a well-developed infrastructure, the city is perfect for weekend  getaways or longer holidays.
Berastagi has always been a favorite  weekend spot for Medan’s citizen since the 1.5 hours trip from Medan  (Capital of North Sumatra Province) is relatively shot. The city,  however, can also be a worthwhile destination for Jakartans. It only  takes a total of 3.5 hours to reach: 2 hours of Medan Berastagi drive.
 There  are vast forest along the road from Medan and occasionally, you can see  buildings with unique Karo (a tribe from Batak ethnic) ornaments, a  sign that you have entered their domain.

Women wearing the distinctive  Batak headdress can also be seen from time to time.
Mejuah-juah,  welcome to the land of Karo! On the road between Medan and Berastagi,  lies Sibolangit Botanical Garden, which houses several kinds of local  vegetation. Next, it goes winding and sloping upward, going through  Penatapen. If you want, you can stop here briefly to enjoy the cool air  or a clear view to the plains below.
Near Berastagi, there is an  intersection that goes to Semangat Gunung, a starting point for people  who wants to climb Mount Sibayak. After this intersection, you will see  hotels lining up along the road, right up to the hilltop. You can also  see forested hill on the right side of that winding road, before finally  entering the main street.

Berastagi is small city with downtown  area comprising only of a main street with stores and restaurants on its  left and right. For accommodation, it is better to pick hotels on the  hilly areas, such as Gundaling Hill where it is quieter and offers  better view.
The panorama from Gundaling Hills is especially  beautiful in this afternoon. You can see the whole city, its surrounding  orchards, and the crater of Mount Sibayak, a volcano that has been  dormant for centuries. To the west is Mount Sinabung (another dormant  volcano), while the Karo plains lie on the south.
Martabak Telor and Bandrek.
Evening  is the best time to savor various North Sumatra dishes in Pasar Kaget, a  market that opens nightly along Berastagi main street. Among the  interesting dishes are martabak and roti canai, both of which bore heavy  Indian influence. Indian are not the dominant ethnic group in the  province, but they have definitely left their mark in North Sumatra  culinary scene. Among several stalls selling such food is Aboy’s  restaurants , named after its owner. It offers martabak telor , roti  canai, and Indian-style fried rice.
For drinks, you can enjoy a  glass of milk tea or try Berastagi’s favorite beverage: bandrek. It is  similar to bandrek common in java, a mix of milk and ginger that warms  the body, perfect remedy for the cold weather typical of a place  standing 1,400 meters above sea level. Across Berastagi, bandrek is an  everyday beverage and the pride of locals.

It may be a bit  puzzling why a popular beverage in Java, especially West Java, ends up  wiyh the same popularity in Berastagi. Local tales have it that bandrek  was introduced some decades ago by a Javanese who opened the first  warung (similar to café but with a simpler setup) serving bandrek. Back  the, the drink is virtually unknown in Berastagi, but because bandrek  suits cold climate, its popularity took off at once. Presently, almost  anyone visiting the city will feel obliged to try the beverage. In fact,  bandrek has become synonymous with Berastagi.
Fruits Market
Morning  is the best time to buy fruits or enjoy the atmosphere of Berastagi’s  fruit market at the main street . you can find all sorts of fruits and  vegetables, from the ubiquitous orange and tomato, to Berastagi’s  special beet, red cauliflower, and passion fruit. You can even buy  flowers at this market.
A lot of these fruits were first planted  under the direction of Dutch colonial government to supply their need in  Medan. Since Karo Plains are Surrounded by volcanoes, the land is very  fertile and able to produce the best fruits and vegetables. In the past,  most of them are exported to Singapore and Malaysia. Now, it is the  tourists that come here to enjoy the harvests.
Another activity  you can do is visiting the Lingga traditional village, 16 kilometers  south-west of Berastagi. You can observe traditional Karo villagers go  about their lives and see their unique tribal houses that are almost  extinct, or their traditional garment that are almost extinct, or their  traditional garment that many still worn, especially during certain  occasions.
You can also continue to the Sipisopiso Waterfall,  about 1.5 hours from Lingga, and onwards to Toba Lake, through  Simarjarunjung, Prapat, and Samosir Island.
On the way to airport  in Medan, you might want to visit the famous Maimoon palace and mosque,  or go to Majapahit Road for a box of bika ambon, a delicious local cake  with unique spongy texture, sold by various vendors there.
A major  point to remember is that you have to book your accommodation in  advance for weekends or long weekend, since you will be competing with  tourists from Medan, and even Singapore and Malaysia for lodgings.
"Tourist Destination for Nearly a Century"
The  de development of Berastagi into tourist destination is closely related  with colonial planning. When the area around Medan was converted to  plantation (one of the most successful plantation in Dutch colonies),  their need for fruits and vegetables were supplied from the fertile  lands of Karo. This connection increased in 1908 when the Dutch  constructed a road directly linking Medan and Karo high plain.
The  Dutch recognized Berastagi’s potential as vacation spot. So they built  bungalows, villas, resorts. Clinics, schools, and even a nine-hole golf  course. In fact, many of them fell in love with Berastagi that they  opted to spend their retirement here.
Berastagi’s fame as a  tourist destination began to spread in the 1920s. almost a century  later, the city is still attracting local and foreign tourists.  Berastagi has become even more popular than Kabanjahe, the capital of  Karo.