Congested, crowded and polluted, Medan, in northern Sumatra, serves as a gateway city to such attractions as Lake Toba and Nias Island (a rugged, undeveloped tropical island off the west coast of Sumatra). In Medan, visit the Sultan's Palace, the old Dutch fort, the Grand Mosque and colonial buildings, especially in the Polonia (old quarter). 875 mi/1,400 km northwest of Jakarta.
