Grimy, chaotic and suffocating. These three words could be used to describe any number of Indonesia’s big cities. Medan, the capital of North Sumatra and Indonesia’s fourth largest city, is certainly no exception. Strangely enough, while it is not the most picturesque or salubrious of places, it is not entirely without some charm or interest either.
I arrived in Medan from Penang after a bumpy and uncomfortable 5 hour boat ride across the Strait of Malacca. After clearing immigration at the port of Belawan, I was lucky not to be shafted on to a bus to some unknown location by the mob of touts gathered out the front of the building. The city of Medan is certainly intimidating, so a map of the town is essential to help you get your bearings. The choice of accommodation is also pretty grim, and the cheaper options are likely to make your skin crawl. Unfortunately, even if you pay more, you might not always get a whole lot better.
However, once you’ve settled in and become acclimatised to the intense grime, you can actually start to discover some of Medan’s more attractive features. The Tourist Information Office is well organised, with friendly and knowledgeable staff who can provide accurate and useful information. This is especially in terms of bemo minibus routes and destinations. In terms of the sites, Medan’s Masjid Raya is a grand old mosque whose slightly dilapidated look actually enhances its character. The Istana Maimoon is also a pretty building that serves as the ceremonial palace of the Sultan of Deli, the region surrounding Medan. Even just wandering around and taking in some of the hustle and bustle of daily Medan life can be interesting, especially in places such as the bemo terminal and the nearby market place. Hopefully you won’t mind the dust and exhaust fumes settling into your skin pores.
A knowledge of bemo routes is handy when trying to reach the intercity bus terminal, which is way out of town. Once you’ve succeeded in locating it, you again need to steel yourself for the onslaught of touts who will clamour for your business. One word of advice when catching intercity buses. Ask to actually see the price for your destination, because if you don’t, they will almost certainly invent an inflated one. This was a lesson that I sadly did not always learn.
The city is certainly not going to win any tidy town or beauty prizes any time soon. However, they say that everything is beautiful in its own way. And it is surprisingly easy to find something of interest even amongst the dust and grime of Medan.
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