This island is located in Muara Subdistrict. Sibandang Island is the second-largest island after Samosir Island in the Lake Toba area. If you look at Sipunsur Park, Sibandang Island looks small.
Sibandang Island is part of 16 geosites in the Lake Toba area. The area reaches 461 hectares, with an altitude of about 910 meters above sea level. The island is inhabited by four clans, namely the Ompusunggu, Rajagukguk, Simaremare, and Siregar clans with a total population of 1,200 people.
The four clans are symbolized by the Hariara tree that grows in Sibandang Village as the founder of Sibandang. A number of things can enjoy there start from traditional rural nuances and geopark elements. Plantation products agricultural production also support in this region. Especially the shrimp mango commodity, namely the mango typical of Sibandang Island.
Mango commodities can be an attraction for agro-tourism through several culinary preparations produced by the local community, such as mango lunkhead and mango jam.
Apart from mangoes, there are also other agro-tourism products, such as avocado, coffee, corn, cocoa, peanuts, shallots, and sweet potatoes. The majority of the population work as farmers. This village also has a historical heritage site in the form of the village head’s house which has been standing for hundreds of years, since the Dutch colonial era.
There is also the Rajagukguk traditional house which is now used as a tourist spot. This house is the first king in Sibandang, who is around 300 years old.
At the peak of Sibandang Hill, there is a spot that is visited by many tourists because of its uniqueness. In this village, you can see the tomb of King Sorta Uluan, known as King Sibandang. There is another site partungkoan, which is a stone chair where the kings used to hold meetings or deliberations.
Mr. Oloan Marulitua Naibaho, a community leader there, said that Sibandang Island is a unique island. And in this village, there is a mango harvest festival which is held regularly every year. The attractiveness of Sibandang Island has been able to attract foreign tourists from Singapore, China, and Malaysia in 2019.
How to get there?
To get to the Sibandang Island area, which is located in Muara District, there are two routes are chosen, namely, through Parapat and Dolok Bun. But the two routes still have to enter through the intersection of Silangit or Muara Airport, then continue to the ship port located in Unte Mungkur Village.
And the distance between the two routes, via Parapat, is six hours one hour faster than Dolok Sanggul which is about seven hours. From the port of Unte Mungkur Village, the boat crossing to Sibandang Island has a distance of about 600 meters, with a distance of about ten minutes.
And ships are the main means of transportation on the island, so every day there is always movement, and the intensity of the ship’s back and forth is uncertain because it depends on the number of passengers at that time.
