Medan is the gateway to northern Sumatra. Indonesia's fourth-largest city (population around 2.5 million) is loud, sprawling and chaotic, but most travellers pass through on their way to Lake Toba, the immense volcanic lake a few hours south. Give Medan a day before you move on -- it has more character than it gets credit for.
The old colonial quarter around Jalan Ahmad Yani rewards a morning's walk. The Maimun Palace, built in 1888 for the Sultan of Deli, mixes Malay, Mughal and European styles and is still partly occupied by the royal family. Nearby, the Grand Mosque (Masjid Raya Al-Mashun) is one of the most beautiful mosques in Indonesia. The Tjong A Fie Mansion, the former home of Medan's most powerful Chinese merchant, is now an excellent guided museum — a window into the colonial plantation economy that made this city.
Medan's food scene is outstanding. Tip Top Restaurant has been serving soto and ice cream since 1934 in a Dutch colonial interior that has barely changed. The night markets are even better — find Pasar Semalam on Jalan Semarang for cheap, excellent Batak, Chinese, and Indonesian cooking.
Medan is 875 km northwest of Jakarta. Kualanamu International Airport has domestic connections across Indonesia and some international flights to Malaysia and Singapore. From the airport, it is about an hour's drive into the city centre.