NOW! GRAN FONDO NEW YORK (GFNY) Indonesia 2018 goes Samosir Island, LAKE TOBA

Having been successfully held in Bali last February 4th, 2018, the Gran Fondo New York Asia Championship Cycling Race is now heading to yet another magnificent island in the Indonesian Archipelago. This time, the thrilling race will take place deep in the heart of North Sumatra as the Gran Fondo New York (GFNY) Indonesia 2018 is set to be staged on beautiful Samosir Island on Lake Toba on September 2nd, 2018.

The race features two different courses: the long-distance course covers a total of 180 km, while the Medium distance course covers a total of 108km. The race will take riders around the island, right in the middle of huge Lake Toba, and into some of the most fascinating parts of the island that offer magnificent vistas including on the villages of TukTuk, Batu Hobon, and Pasir Putih Tadarubun. Although dominated by relatively flat tracks, the courses feature a number of steep slopes and sharp turns that will challenge riders to pull their very best actions.

With Toba’s astonishing panorama and unique challenging tracks, GFNY Samosir has set the target of 2,000 participants from across the world. The event will also form an inseparable part of the Horas Fiesta Samosir 2018 Agenda presenting music and traditional cultural performances.

Situated in vast Lake Toba, the island of Samosir is not only the central point of the lake but also the heart of Toba Batak culture. On the east side of the island, the land rises steeply from a narrow strip of flat land along the lake’s water edge, climbing to a central plateau that towers some 780 m. above the lake.

Cycling up to the plateau while passing many traditional villages is a pleasant experience, as from this height one can have a vintage panoramic view of this magnificent blue lake. Regular ferries ply between Parapat on the mainland and the villages of Tomok and Tuktuk on Samosir.

As you step down from the ferry at Tomok you will be greeted by a row of souvenir stalls selling an array of Batak handicraft, from traditional hand-woven ulos cloths to Batak bamboo calendars and all kinds of knick-knacks.

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Further north of Tomok is a small peninsula, known as Tuktuk Siadong, - or simplyTuktuk-, best loved for its sandy beaches and beautiful lush scenery. Here the soft lapping blue waters of Lake Toba blend with the green pastures where water buffalos graze or work the land.

With beaches and opportunities for watersports, the air here is cool as it is located high in the mountains. No wonder, therefore, that Tuktuk has become a favorite destination for tourists so that here you will find a plethora of small hotels and homestays, restaurants and handicrafts galore.

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As the magnificent Lake Toba in North Sumatra is fast regaining popularity, more and more airlines today fly to Silangit Airport mostly from Kualanamu airport in Medan.

This greatly reduces travel time. If beforehand one needs to drive 5 hours from Medan to Lake Toba, today Silangit airport lies closer although it will still take some 1.5 hours ride from here to Lake Toba, so one does need transport to get to the various towns around the Lake.

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Since the airport’s expansion, Garuda Indonesia operates direct flights from Jakarta to Silangit. Starting 17 August, Malindo Air flies direct from Subang airport, Malaysia to Silangit Airport on Lake Toba.  While other airlines are following suit flying in from more overseas cities.

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More info on GFNY Samosir 2018 is available at http://www.gfnysamosir.com/

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