Tinggi Raja White Crater (Kawah Putih Tinggi Raja) is a warm water crater in the Dolok Tinggi Raja Nature Reserve area at Silau Kahean Subdistrict, Simalungun. White limestone hills surround the crater. The destination covers a total area of approximately 30 ha (0.1 sq mi), which is about 4 hours from Medan. To see it on the map, click here.
What’s Special
Tinggi Raja White Crater is unique because the area has looked like snow hills with a lake on the upstream and a river on the downstream. You can bath on the hot springs while enjoying the view of the ‘snow’ and pine forest. On the river lane, some stalactites create the caves and the rocks. Further, the natural carpet scenery formed by the flow of hot water through the river makes the rocks like whitish green carpets. You can soak with some privacy near the crater cliff in warm water not only for fun but also for health. The hot spring contains sulfur as the result of a geothermal process.
What to Enjoy
The crater area looks like a pearl in the middle of a dense forest. It has amazing beauty of the white limestone hills to fascinate visitors. Further, it has hot springs that are enchanting and exotic to bath in. But wait. The spring has a temperature of about 90 degrees Celsius. It is more than enough to cook eggs. So, don’t try top swin immediately on the crater. Find a swimming spot far down the lane where the water temperature has dropped to what your body can taste and enjoy. The spring flows between the limestone rocks that are stepped. This event makes the rocks become pure white like snow.
The source of the white high king crater there are 2 places that you can visit in this tourist area. The first is the limestone hill which is traversed by the flow of hot water, thus making these rocks beautiful to the eye, there is also the beauty of a natural carpet formed from a mossy river flow and passed by hot water making the rocks like a white-green carpet. .
Above there is also a natural pool that is not so wide but big enough that it emits a hot spring that looks bubbly at the bottom of the pool, which of course you are prohibited from bathing in that area because it is very dangerous. This stream of hot water flows through the bushes of trees that dry up because of the heat and gathers into one stream to form a lake whose water is turquoise and makes it very beautiful.
What to Expect
You should come to the White Crater before noon. When the day is getting late the puddles will get hotter by the sun. And bring food and drink, as you will not find a restaurant there (just small shop stalls). Beware of dehydration due to the steam from the earth and the sun. Food brought to this location, according to the local people, should not contain pork otherwise it will rain! You can boil eggs in a hot puddle of the crater, and if some eggs are lost you shouldn’t get surprise or get angry. According to the folktale, eggs are the favorite food of Tinggi Raja White Crater ghost waiters.
and you have to pass through a not so smooth road to get to the crater
Travel to this area requires motorcycles or 4-wheel-drive cars due to some bad road conditions. The entrance fee is Rp 30,000 ($2.25) per visitor.
What Visitors Say
“This is hidden gem in North Sumatera. Some people said that this crater is a bit similar with pamukkale in Turkey. Unfortunately there is no good management from local government in managing this site. Lots of illegal food stall (with blue tent) and they do not manage the garbage properly.
Also during the trip from Medan lots of local organisation asking for money which is illegal.” Anggi Kusumawardani (Source)
“View is amazing, but tracking is too far.” Akiau May (Source)
“Although the road is there is damaged, pay off with amazing scenery.” Kristy MRP (Source)
“For an hour and a half through this challenging road, we finally arrived at the destination, namely Kawah Putih. Tiredness will be cured when we see the beauty of the white crater.” thobink (Source)
“The Tinggi Raja White Crater is surrounded by very tall pandan forests, the water of which is blue with lumps of sulfur that form naturally like a thick layer of ice.” Valent Huba (Source)
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