--- title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Medan, Indonesia | Wimup" description: "The 10 best things to do in Medan: Maimun Palace, the Grand Mosque, Tjong A Fie Mansion, Kesawan, the Velangkanni shrine, durian at Ucok and a trip to Lake Toba." url: https://wimup.com/city/medan type: City guide updated: 2026-10-28 publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com) --- # Top 10 Things To Do in Medan Medan, Indonesia · Asia · By Wimup Editorial, 10 min read Medan is North Sumatra's capital and the largest city in Indonesia outside Java, a trading town that grew rich on Deli tobacco. Malay, Batak, Chinese and Tamil communities left a sultan's palace, a grand mosque, a merchant's mansion and Hindu and Buddhist temples a short ride apart. ## Quick answer Spend a day in the old centre: Maimun Palace and the Grand Mosque in the morning, then Tjong A Fie Mansion and a walk down Kesawan with ice cream at Tip Top. Give a second day to Kampung Madras, Vihara Gunung Timur and the Velangkanni shrine, with soto Medan and durian in between. Then head out: Lake Toba, Berastagi and the orangutans of Bukit Lawang are all within about four hours. ## Quick facts - **Best months:** Jun · Jul · Aug - **Ideal length:** 2 days, plus side trips - **Budget per day:** $35–75 - **Language:** Indonesian - **Getting around:** Grab & Gojek, Trans Metro Deli buses, becak motor - **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://www.indonesia.travel/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## The 10 best things to do in Medan ### 1. Tour Maimun Palace Palace · Jalan Brigjen Katamso, Medan Maimun The Deli Sultanate's yellow palace, finished in 1891, mixes Malay, Islamic, Indian and European details. The throne room is the interior on show; arrive early to see it before the tour groups. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Small fee - **Best at:** Morning - **Tip:** Pair it with the Grand Mosque, a short walk away ### 2. Visit the Grand Mosque of Medan Mosque · Jalan Sisingamangaraja, Medan Kota Masjid Raya Al Mashun was built from 1906 to 1909 for the Deli sultan, an octagonal hall under black domes with Moorish arches. It is still the city's main mosque, open to respectful visitors outside prayer times. - **Time:** 45 mins - **Cost:** Free (donation) - **Best at:** Mid-morning - **Tip:** Cover arms and legs and avoid prayer times ### 3. Walk through Tjong A Fie Mansion Museum · Jalan Ahmad Yani 105, Kesawan Built from 1895 to 1900 for Tjong A Fie, Medan's richest Chinese merchant and community leader, the 35-room house mixes Chinese, Malay and Art Deco style around an open courtyard. Guides lead visitors through the family rooms. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Ticketed - **Best at:** Late morning - **Tip:** Arrive before 4:30 pm, when the last entry closes Links: [Tjong A Fie Mansion](https://www.tjongafiemansion.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 4. Walk Kesawan, the old town Old town · Jalan Ahmad Yani, Kesawan Colonial Medan's commercial street runs past shophouses, the Tjong A Fie Mansion and Tip Top, a café in Kesawan since 1934. At the north end, the 1906 London Sumatra building was the first in the city with a lift. - **Time:** 1–2 hrs - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Early morning - **Tip:** Stop at Tip Top for ice cream and kue ### 5. See the Velangkanni shrine Church · Jalan Sakura III, Tanjung Selamat A Catholic Marian shrine in Indo-Mughal style, built by a Tamil-born priest and blessed in 2005. Its tiered tower looks more like Tamil Nadu than Sumatra. - **Time:** 45 mins - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Morning - **Tip:** It is in the south-west suburbs; book a ride app both ways Links: [Shrine](https://velangkanni.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 6. Visit Sri Mariamman Temple Temple · Kampung Madras, Medan Polonia Completed in 1884, Medan's oldest Hindu temple anchors Kampung Madras, the Tamil quarter. Its gopuram is crowded with painted figures, and Deepavali brings the year's biggest procession. - **Time:** 30 mins - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Evening - **Tip:** Leave shoes at the entrance ### 7. Explore Vihara Gunung Timur Temple · Jalan Hang Tuah 16, Madras Hulu One of Medan's largest Chinese temples, a Taoist and Buddhist complex beside the Babura river. It stands about 500 m from Sri Mariamman, so walk between the two. - **Time:** 30 mins - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Morning - **Tip:** Walk on from Kampung Madras ### 8. See the Rahmat Wildlife Museum Museum · Jalan S. Parman 309, Petisah Hulu Thousands of mounted animals from more than 2,600 species fill three floors arranged by habitat, the collection of Medan businessman Rahmat Shah. An odd collection, and a good one for children. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Ticketed - **Best at:** Hot afternoons - **Tip:** Combine it with Pasar Petisah nearby ### 9. Eat durian at Ucok Durian Food · Jalan K.H. Wahid Hasyim, Medan Medan takes durian seriously, and Ucok Durian sells North Sumatran fruit around the clock, to eat on the spot. - **Time:** 45 mins - **Cost:** $ - **Best at:** Late evening - **Tip:** Many hotels ban durian, so eat it on site ### 10. Go to Lake Toba Day trip · Parapat, about 4 hrs south The world's largest volcanic lake fills a supervolcano caldera south of Medan. Buses from Amplas terminal reach Parapat in about four hours, and ferries cross to Tuktuk on Samosir island. - **Time:** 2 days - **Cost:** Bus + ferry - **Best at:** Dry months - **Tip:** Stay at least one night; a round trip in a day is too long ## Best heritage buildings in Medan The sultan's palace and the planters' boom town, mostly within walking distance of Lapangan Merdeka. 1. **Maimun Palace** (Small fee · Medan Maimun): The Deli sultans' yellow palace of 1891, throne room open. 2. **Tjong A Fie Mansion** (Ticketed · Kesawan): A merchant's 35-room house of 1900 around an open courtyard. [Tjong A Fie Mansion](https://www.tjongafiemansion.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 3. **London Sumatra Building** (Exterior · Kesawan): Harrisons & Crosfield's 1906 office, Medan's first with a lift. 4. **Medan Post Office** (Free · Lapangan Merdeka): A 1911 post office on Lapangan Merdeka, facing the old Javasche Bank. ## Best places of worship in Medan A mosque, a Hindu temple, Chinese temples and two churches, each built by a different community. 1. **Grand Mosque of Medan** (Free · Medan Kota): The sultan's octagonal mosque of 1909, under black domes. 2. **Graha Maria Annai Velangkanni** (Free · Medan Tuntungan): A Catholic shrine in Indo-Mughal style, blessed in 2005. [Shrine](https://velangkanni.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 3. **Sri Mariamman Temple** (Free · Kampung Madras): Medan's oldest Hindu temple, completed in 1884. 4. **Vihara Gunung Timur** (Free · Madras Hulu): A Taoist and Buddhist temple by the Babura river. 5. **Maha Vihara Maitreya** (Free · Cemara Asri): Opened in 2008, billed as Indonesia's largest modern Buddhist temple. 6. **Immanuel Church** (Free · Jalan Diponegoro): Built in 1921 opposite the governor's office, the city's oldest church. ## Best museums in Medan North Sumatra's peoples, its plantations and one very large taxidermy collection. 1. **North Sumatra State Museum** (Small fee · Medan Kota): Opened in 1982: prehistory and the province's ethnic groups. Closed Mondays. 2. **Rahmat Wildlife Museum** (Ticketed · Petisah Hulu): More than 2,600 species of mounted animals over three floors. 3. **Museum Perkebunan Indonesia** (Ticketed · Jalan Brigjen Katamso): Plantation history in the old Avros building, opened in 2016. 4. **Tjong A Fie Mansion** (Ticketed · Kesawan): The merchant's house kept as a family museum. [Tjong A Fie Mansion](https://www.tjongafiemansion.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## Best restaurants in Medan Soto, noodles, durian and old coffee shops: Medan eats out all day. 1. **Tip Top** (Since 1934 · Kesawan): Kesawan's café since 1934: ice cream, cakes and a street terrace. 2. **Mie Aceh Titi Bobrok** ($ · Setia Budi): Spicy Acehnese noodles; order the crab version. 3. **RM Sinar Pagi** ($ · Medan Barat): Soto Medan since 1962, a breakfast and lunch room. 4. **Soto Kesawan** ($ · Kesawan): A narrow warung known for soto udang, prawn soto. 5. **Ucok Durian** (24 hours · Medan Kota): North Sumatran durian, sold and eaten on site around the clock. 6. **Kedai Kopi Apek** ($ · Kesawan): A Kesawan coffee shop from the 1920s on Jalan Hindu. ## Best markets and food shops in Medan Fabric by the metre, a market for everything and the cake every visitor carries home. 1. **Pajak Ikan Lama** (Mornings · Kesawan): The old fish market, now a textile bazaar with tailors on hand. 2. **Pasar Petisah** (Bargain · Petisah): One of Medan's largest traditional markets: snacks, clothes, crafts. 3. **Bika Ambon Zulaikha** (Takeaway · Jalan Mojopahit): The best-known bika ambon shop; queues build before holidays. ## Best neighborhoods in Medan Four districts, four communities. 1. **Kesawan** (Old town · Centre): The colonial core: shophouses, Tip Top and Tjong A Fie. 2. **Kampung Madras** (Little India · Medan Polonia): The Tamil quarter around Sri Mariamman, Medan's Little India. 3. **Petisah** (Markets · Medan Petisah): Market district, home of Pasar Petisah and the wildlife museum. 4. **Cemara Asri** (Temples · North-east): A housing estate on the city's edge, home of Maha Vihara Maitreya. ## Best day trips in Medan Most visitors come to Medan on the way to the lake, the volcanoes or the jungle. 1. **Lake Toba** (Overnight · South): The world's largest volcanic lake; Parapat is about 4 hrs by bus. 2. **Bukit Lawang** (3–4 hrs · North-west): Orangutan treks into Gunung Leuser with a licensed guide. 3. **Berastagi** (About 2 hrs · South-west): Highland market town 66 km away, below Sibayak and Sinabung. 4. **Sipiso-piso** (About 3 hrs · South-west): A 120 m waterfall at the northern tip of the Toba caldera. 5. **Tangkahan** (3.5–4.5 hrs · North-west): Jungle village where rangers patrol Leuser on elephants. ## Festivals & annual events in Medan (2026) - **Imlek (Chinese New Year)** (January or February): Vihara Gunung Timur and the Chinese temples fill with worshippers and red lanterns. - **Ramadhan Fair** (Ramadan): A month of evening food stalls and Malay culture; the 20th edition ran in 2026. - **Idul Fitri (Lebaran)** (End of Ramadan): Families crowd Maimun Palace and the Tjong A Fie Mansion over the holiday week. - **Medan anniversary** (1 July): The city marks its founding in 1590 by Guru Patimpus. - **Pekan Raya Sumatera Utara** (Mid-year): The month-long provincial fair; the 50th ran from 3 July to 2 August 2026. - **Independence Day** (17 August): Flag ceremonies, parades and street contests across every district. - **Feast of Our Lady of Velangkanni** (8 September): The shrine's annual feast in Tanjung Selamat. - **Deepavali** (October or November): Kampung Madras holds the Maha Puja procession at Sri Mariamman Temple. ## Must-try dishes in Medan, Indonesia - **Soto Medan**: Turmeric-yellow coconut soup with chicken or beef and potato perkedel. - **Mie Aceh**: Thick spicy noodles from neighbouring Aceh, fried or in broth, often with crab. - **Lontong Medan**: Rice cakes in coconut vegetable curry with egg, the city's breakfast. - **Bika ambon**: A chewy honeycomb cake from Medan, despite the name. Buy it on Jalan Mojopahit. - **Durian**: North Sumatran durian, eaten fresh at the stall or in durian pancakes. - **Bihun bebek**: Rice vermicelli in duck broth, a Chinese-Medan breakfast. - **Arsik**: Batak carp stewed with turmeric and andaliman, the region's numbing pepper. - **Kopi Sidikalang**: Highland robusta from Dairi, brewed strong in the old coffee shops. ## Medan transport & airports - **Kualanamu International Airport** (KNO): Opened in 2013 in Deli Serdang, about 39 km by road from the centre. The airport train reaches Medan station in 30 to 45 minutes; a car takes about an hour. [KAI](https://booking.kai.id/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Medan railway station** (Rail): On Lapangan Merdeka. Trains run to Binjai, Pematang Siantar, Rantau Prapat and Tanjung Balai. Book on KAI Access. [KAI](https://booking.kai.id/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Amplas bus terminal** (Buses): Buses to Parapat for Lake Toba leave from Amplas in the south. Tourist shuttles to Berastagi and Bukit Lawang collect from hotels. - **Around the city** (Buses & apps): Trans Metro Deli buses run five corridors. Grab, Gojek and becak motor, the motorbike rickshaws, cover the rest. ## Medan at a glance - **Country:** Indonesia - **Region:** Capital of North Sumatra province, on the Deli and Babura rivers - **Population:** About 2.54 million in the city (2024 estimate), 4.7 million in the metro area - **Founded:** 1590, by Guru Patimpus where the Deli and Babura rivers meet - **Nickname:** Parijs van Sumatra (Paris of Sumatra), from the plantation era - **Language:** Indonesian; Malay, Batak, Hokkien and Tamil are also spoken - **Currency:** Indonesian rupiah (Rp) - **Time zone:** WIB (UTC+7) - **Calling code:** +62 61 - **Airports:** Kualanamu International (KNO), about 39 km by road - **Power:** 230V, plug types C and F - **Emergency:** 112 national, 110 police, 113 fire, 118 ambulance ## Interesting facts - Medan's airport moved in 2013 from Polonia, inside the city, to Kualanamu in Deli Serdang. - Tip Top in Kesawan has baked with the same oven since it opened there in 1934. - Bika ambon is named after the island of Ambon but is a Medan speciality. - The London Sumatra building, begun in 1906, was the first in Medan with a lift. - Sri Mariamman, completed in 1884, is the oldest Hindu temple in Medan. ## Medan travel FAQ ### How many days do you need in Medan? Two days cover the city: Maimun Palace, the Grand Mosque, Tjong A Fie Mansion and Kesawan on one, the temples and the Velangkanni shrine on the other. Most visitors use Medan as a base, so add nights for Lake Toba, Berastagi or Bukit Lawang. ### How do you get from Kualanamu Airport to Medan? The airport train is quickest, reaching Medan station in about 30 to 45 minutes. Taxis and Grab cars take about an hour on the 39 km road, longer at rush hour. ### When is the best time to visit Medan? Medan is hot and humid all year, around 26 to 28°C. June to August tend to be drier, which also suits Lake Toba and jungle treks; rain builds from September and peaks around November. ### How do you get from Medan to Lake Toba? Buses from Amplas terminal reach Parapat in about four hours, and ferries cross from there to Tuktuk on Samosir island. Hired cars and tourist shuttles are quicker and collect from hotels. Plan to stay at least a night. ### Can you see orangutans from Medan? Yes, at Bukit Lawang on the edge of Gunung Leuser National Park, about 90 km north-west and three to four hours by road. Treks need a licensed guide, who arranges the park permit. Stay at least one night. ## Nearby guides - [Penang](https://wimup.com/city/penang.md): Malaysia · 10 picks - [Ipoh](https://wimup.com/city/ipoh.md): Malaysia · 10 picks - [Kuala Lumpur](https://wimup.com/city/kuala-lumpur.md): Malaysia · 10 picks - [All of Asia →](https://wimup.com/asia): 106 cities Part of the [Indonesia guide](https://wimup.com/country/indonesia.md) · [Asia](https://wimup.com/asia.md) ## Sources - [Medan tourism board](https://www.indonesia.travel/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Walk through Tjong A Fie Mansion: Tjong A Fie Mansion](https://www.tjongafiemansion.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [See the Velangkanni shrine: Shrine](https://velangkanni.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Kualanamu International Airport: KAI](https://booking.kai.id/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.