Ambarita - Ancient court

Ambarita is a small village at Samosir Island, Lake Toba, Sumatra, Indonesia. It is at walking distance from Tuk-tuk. There are some guesthouses and hotels to be found in Ambarita as well as some small restaurants. But what Ambarita is known for is the ancient court yard in a beautiful setting of traditional Batak houses.

The old court yard at Huta Siallagan in Ambarita 

Guilty as charged

The most popular place to visit in Ambarita is Huta Siallagan. Here you will find some stone chairs and a stone table, which make up an ancient court yard. Those were used a long time ago by the local king as a court of justice. When found guilty, the culprits were decapitated right after the session, on yet another stone table. You are asked to sign the guest book upon leaving Huta Siallagan and to put some "uang rokok" (tip) in the inevitable tip box.

Right next to Huta Siallagan you will find a large number of souvenir shops. Don't forget to bargain.