VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Pulo Sibandang Tourism Village was inaugurated as one of the top 50 best tourist villages in Indonesia in the 2024 Indonesian Tourism Village Award (ADWI) on July 4. The village, formed by a collaboration of three villages -- Sibandang Village, Papande Village, and Sampuran Village -- is one of the 16 sites of the Toba UNESCO Global Caldera Geopark. Pulo Sibandang Tourism Village has a natural abundance, surrounded by the eye-pleasing blue water of Lake Toba. While traveling there, you can immediately see the fertile land on Sibandang Island, an outcome of the Mount Toba eruption. The land there is planted with various plants, such as udang mango, the small-sized mango typical of Pulo Sibandang Tourism Village.

Pulo Sibandang Tourism Village is located in North Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra. From Silangit Airport, getting to the Pulo Sibandang area only takes about 45 minutes by land. While arriving at the village, you will immediately see the expanse of the waters of Lake Toba. Besides enjoying the lake view, you can go sailing a wooden boat (solu), watch traditional dances, go trekking, and go cycling. You can also join the udang mango agrotourism. It has a sweet taste, with thin flesh. Apart from eating mangoes, tourists can also see the first mango trees, hundreds of years old, planted by the Dutch.

One of the villages on Pulo Sibandang, Papande village, is a producer of the woven cloth of Harungguan ulos. According to legend, Harungguan ulos were once only worn by kings. Harungguan ulos clothes that are woven by the community still use traditional looms and natural dyes. In Pulo Sibandang Tourism Village, you can watch people weaving Harungguan ulos.

Besides that, you can also learn the history of the Sibandang Kingdom. There are traces of the kingdom that still stands on Pulo SIbandang, such as the stone fort and Ruma Bolon which was the king's palace at that time. Some royal-era furniture is also still found in Ruma Bolon.