Aug 31, 2023
Celebrating Lake Toba
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle celebrates Lake Toba, or Danau Toba, in Sumatra island of Indonesia! It’s the world’s largest crater lake and one of the deepest lakes in the world. Lake Toba is a natural result of a massive volcanic eruption from Toba Caldera thousands of years ago. Lake Toba also boasts beautifully scenic sights and is home to a UNESCO Global Geopark. On this day in 2020, Lake Toba was designated as UNESCO Global Geopark.
Toba Caldera erupted more than 74,000 years ago and created Lake Toba. The mega-eruption caused the volcano’s magma chamber to collapse, which eventually formed the island now known as Samosir. The island is a well known tourist destination and home to several Indigenous ethnic tribes.
In celebrating Lake Toba, it’s also important to recognize the Indigenous Batak Toba people who are the lake’s native inhabitants. Their traditional villages riddled with local markets and wondrous houses attract curious visitors from far and wide. In the villages it's common to see traditional dancing like the Tor-Tor and authentic wood carvings souvenirs.
Many tourists also visit Lake Toba for its variety of outdoor activities and breathtaking natural wonders. Those who aren’t afraid of heights visit Huta Ginjang to go paragliding, while others who prefer the water can relax on beaches or kayak through the lake. The nearby Sipiso-piso waterfall is also said to be an extraordinary experience that washes away all worries.
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