Best Walking Paths and Streets in Medan to Explore on Foot
Words by
Andi Pratama
Medan is a city that reveals its best side when you ditch the car and walk. Among the best walking paths in Medan, you will rediscover the city's charm, its history, and its energy all along the most unexpected sidewalks. Forget rushing between landmarks. Medan on foot is a different experience, where every corner reveals something new, from colonial-era buildings shadowed by palm trees to pockets of street vendors turning charcoal smoke into something unforgettable.
The Merdeka Walk Historic Stretch
This is the place to start any walking tour Medan offers, not just for what it is now, but for what it was. Merdeka Walk runs along Jalan Pemuda and the open square near the old Medan City Hall. The hall itself was built in 1913 under Dutch colonial rule, and the surrounding area used to be the administrative heart of the plantation economy. I walked this strip one late afternoon last month and the golden light hit the facade of the City Hall in a way that made the century-old tiles look almost new. Nearby the Tjong A Fie Mansion, built in 1900 by one of Medan's most powerful Chinese-Indonesian businessmen, sits just a five-minute walk east along Jalan Kesawan. Most visitors go straight for the Instagram shot outside the mansion, but if you turn around and walk west along Jalan Kesawan itself, you will find rows of shophouses from the early 1900s, many still running as printing presses and old pharmacies. Saturday evenings are the best time to be here. The pedestrian zone fills up with food stalls selling Mie Aceh, martabak, and fresh sugarcane juice. The old Medan Post Office on Jalan Pos, built in 1911, is also just a short walk north if you want a side detour. Most tourists do not realize that the back alley behind the City Hall still has original drainage canals from the Dutch period, visible if you look down near the eastern gate. Parking in this area is impossible on weekends, so walking is genuinely the best way to experience it.
Local Insider Tip: Walk this entire strip after 5:30 PM on a Saturday when the food stalls are fully set up but before the 8 PM crowd hits, because that is when you can actually see the colonial architecture clearly while still having every vendor to yourself.
The Sultanate and Old Medan Heritage Loop in Kampung Madras
Kampung Madras, centered around Jalan Kebun Bunga and Jalan Kebraon, is the historic Tamil quarter of Medan, and walking through it gives you a dimension of the city most guidebooks skip entirely. The Sri Mariamman Temple on Jalan Kebun Bunga, built in 1884, is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Sumatra, and its entrance gopuram towers over the narrow streets in a riot of painted Tamil deities. I spent an entire Tuesday morning drifting through this neighborhood last year and was struck by how quiet it was compared to the main roads just one block south. Just around the corner, the old Khalsa Indian School building sits on a side street that barely any outsider ever notices. Walk toward Jalan Palang Merah and you will pass rows of fabric shops run by Tamil and Punjabi families who have been here for three or four generations. The best time to visit the temple area is early in the morning, around 7 to 8 AM, when the priests are performing puja and the incense smoke drifts through the open doors in thick clouds. If you time it right, some of the nearby shops will have just-fresh semprong (rolled wafer cookies, an Indian-Malay fusion snack) that you will not find this good anywhere else in the city. One thing most tourists do not know is that several of the older homes along Jalan Kebraon still have original carved wooden doors from the 1920s, visible only if you slow down and actually look up as you walk.
Local Insider Tip: Do not photograph the inside of the Sri Mariamman Temple without asking one of the caretakers first, and they will almost always say yes, but they will appreciate the gesture. On Thursdays around noon, the temple serves free prasadam (blessed food) to anyone present, including visitors from outside the community.
Scenic Walks Along the Deli River at Jalan Jenderal Gatot Subroto
Medan does not get enough credit for the Deli River corridor, and the stretch that runs behind Jalan Jenderal Gatot Subroto offers one of the more meditative scenic walks Medan has if you know where to access it. The old Dutch-era warehouses near the riverbank, some repurposed into textile storage and others simply left to rot with vines crawling over the brick, speak to Medan's origin as the export hub for tobacco, rubber, and palm oil. I walked this path on a Sunday morning at around 7 AM and the river mist had barely burned off, giving everything a silvery haze that made the rusted warehouse cranes look like sculptures. Walk south along the riverbank path and you will eventually reach Jalan Cik di Tiro, where the old Medan Cathedral (Gereja Katolik Raja St. Yosef) stands with its twin spires rising above the treeline. Built in 1928, the cathedral served the small but influential Eurasian Catholic community of colonial Medan. Early morning is the best time because by midday the heat along this stretch becomes punishing with almost no shade. A detail most visitors miss is that near the junction of Jalan Raya Nibung, there is a small concrete marker, easy to step over, indicating the original Dutch-era flood observation posts that were used to monitor the river during monsoon season.
Local Insider Tip: Bring a hat and water, but also wear light-colored clothing because the dark asphalt along Gatot Subroto absorbs heat rapidly and you will feel it radiating upward through your shoes by 10 AM. The 6:30 to 7:30 AM window is the only time this walk feels genuinely comfortable in a tropical climate.
The Kampung Keling and Jalan Semarang Heritage Shophouse Trail
Jalan Semarang, running between Jalan Guru Patimpus and Jalan Perniagaan, is one of those streets in Medan where the past is literally built into the sidewalks. This was once the main commercial artery of the merchant quarter, and the two- and three-story shophouses that line both sides still bear the marks of that era, with Art Deco ironwork balconies and faded hand-painted business signs in Indonesian, Chinese, and Dutch. I visited this corridor one Wednesday afternoon and ducked into one of the old shops on the northern side that still sells traditional Chinese medicine, the kind where the keeper pulls glass jars off floor-to-ceiling shelves and weighs ingredients on a brass scale. The smell of dried herbs and camphor hit me before I even got through the door. Walk further north and you will eventually come upon Mesjid Al-Osmani on Jalan Mahkamah, one of Medan's oldest mosques dating back to the reign of the Deli Sultanate in the late 19th century. Its minaret is modest compared to the grand mosques of other Indonesian cities, but its interior courtyard has a quiet dignity that speaks to Medan's roots as a Malay sultanate long before the Dutch or the plantation boom. The best time to walk this trail is between 8 and 10 AM, when the old shops have just opened and the mixed aroma of coffee, spices, and fresh bread from the old bakeries fills the street. Most tourists have no idea that the narrow alley called Gang Lobak, running parallel to Jalan Semarang, still has a row of residences where the descendants of 19th-century Indian Muslim traders live, maintaining traditions that date back over a hundred years.
Local Insider Tip: Look above the modern signage on the shophouses along Jalan Semarang. Many still have their original ceramic corner tiles imported from the Netherlands and Belgium, stamped with small maker's marks on the back edge. These tiles survived the war and the decades of renovation because no one thought to rip them out, and now they are some of the rarest colonial-era artifacts in the city.
Medan on Foot: The Polonia Neighborhood Canopy Walk
Polonia, the old airport-turned-residential district near Jalan Pemuda and Jalan Diponegoro, is one of the greenest neighborhoods in central Medan, and walking through it feels almost like entering a different climate zone. The large rain trees (Albizia saman) that canopy over several of the main roads here were planted during the Dutch period, and their branches create a natural tunnel effect that keeps the sidewalks surprisingly cool even in the early afternoon. I walked the full length of Jalan Diponegoro from the old Polonia Airport marker toward Jalan Iskandarmuda one Friday morning and counted no fewer than thirty birds species just by ear, starting with a pair of barbets hammering away somewhere above the roofline. The area was originally where the European plantation managers lived, and several colonial-era bungalows still stand along the side streets, concealed behind high walls and overgrown bougainvillea. The best time to walk this neighborhood is early morning on a weekday, when the traffic has not yet built up and the old residents are out on their verandas drinking tea. A small museum located in a converted caretaker's house near Jalan Setyabudi contains photographs and artifacts from the original Polonia Airport, which operated from 1928 until it was replaced by Kualanamu in 2013. Most first-time visitors have no idea this museum even exists because it is tucked behind a row of auto repair shops.
Local Insider Tip: Polonia is one of the few neighborhoods in Medan where you can comfortably walk for more than thirty minutes without being harassed for a becak ride, which makes it ideal for a slow, unhurried exploration. The side streets branching off Jalan Diponegoro to the east, especially around Jalan Ceremai and Jalan Mangaan, are where the oldest and most photogenic colonial bungalows are.
The Binjai Street Night Walk: Jalan Asia and Jalan Imam Bonjol
When people talk about walking tours Medan, they rarely mention the nighttime potential of Jalan Asia and Jalan Imam Bonjol, but this is where the city truly comes alive after dark. Jasan Asia, once the main boulevard connecting the old Dutch colonial district to the commercial center, is still lined with storied buildings, including the old Medan Lie Chit Phong pawnshop and several pre-war office buildings that now house everything from travel agencies to minimarkets. At night, the street transforms. The sidewalk between Jalan Imam Bonjol and Jalan HOS Cokroaminoto becomes the Kampung Kobe Ramayana, a sprawling open-air food court and cultural performance ground that did not exist a decade ago but has become one of Medan's most popular evening gathering spots. I was there one Tuesday evening last month, arriving around 7 PM, and the entire area was electric, with live dangdut music echoing off the old colonial walls while hundreds of people sat at plastic tables eating nasi padang and es cendol. Walk south on Jalan Imam Bonjol and you will pass the Istana Maimun, the palace of the Deli Sultanate, built in 1888. By night, its green-and-gold illuminated facade is one of the most photographed sights in Medan. The best time to walk this entire corridor is between 6:30 and 9 PM. Most visitors do not realize that the Istana Maimun still has a small and rarely visited room in the back left wing of the palace where the original royal regalia are displayed, including a keris (dagger) that is said to be over 400 years old.
Local Insider Tip: The food stalls at Kampung Kobe along Jalan Asia start setting up around 6 PM, but the best vendors, the ones who sell the really good sate padang and mie celor, arrive closer to 7:30. If you show up right at 6, you get the leftovers from the earlier setup. Also bring cash in small denominations because none of these vendors have mobile payment options.
The Tuntungan and Java Street Colonial Detour
Jalan Java (Jalan Jawa in Indonesian), which runs east from the center of town toward Tuntungan, was once one of Medan's most prestigious addresses during the plantation era. Several Dutch-era homes still stand along this road, though many are now surrounded by the creeping commercial development that has consumed so much of the city. The stretch between Jalan Letjen Jamin Ginting and Jalan Tuntungan has a specific cluster of heritage buildings worth seeking out on foot. I walked this path on a Thursday morning and was surprised by how quickly the city dropped away once I got past the main commercial strip, replaced by patches of fruit trees and walled compounds that felt distinctly different from the dense grid of central Medan. This is also the gateway to the Tuntungan market area, where you can find some of the freshest tropical fruit in the city, including durian during the season from June to August, sold by farmers who bring it down from the Karo Highland villages. The best time to walk this section is early morning, ideally on a Friday when the Tuntungan morning market is in full swing and the fruit sellers are competing loudly for your attention. One detail most tourists overlook is that the old bridge crossing the small canal near Jalan Java and Jalan Cempaka was built by the Dutch Public Works Department (Burgerlijke Openbare Werken) and has a small stone engraving with the date 1935, partially covered now by decades of moss and paint.
Local Insider Tip: If you are looking for the best durian along Jasan Tuntungan, ignore the large stalls with the modern signage. Walk toward the back of the market area, where the elderly Batak and Karo women sell from plastic sheets on the ground. Their fruit is cheaper, fresher, and almost always opens on the spot so you can inspect it before committing.
The Heritage Loop Around Mesjid Raya Al-Mashun and Taman Ahmad Yani
The area surrounding Mesjid Raya Al-Mashun (also known as the Great Mosque of Medan) on Jalan Sisingamangaraja is one of the most historically significant walking circuits in the city. The mosque itself was completed in 1909 under the patronage of Sultan Ma'mun Al Rashid Perkasa Alamyah of the Deli Sultanate, and its distinctive blend of Middle Eastern, Indian, and European architectural elements makes it unlike any other mosque in Southeast Asia. I visited one Monday morning last quarter and spent nearly an hour just circling the exterior, noting how the Italian marble, the German crystal chandeliers, and the Moorish-arched windows all fuse into something that is entirely Medan. The mosque sits directly south of Taman Ahmad Yani, a small but well-maintained city park that provides a shaded rest area and a useful orienting landmark. Walk east from the mosque and you will come upon the old Istana Maimun as well, which means you can cover the two most iconic buildings of the Deli Sultanate in a single thirty-minute loop. The best time to walk this loop is between 7 and 9 AM, when the light through the mosque's stained glass windows paints colored patterns across the marble floor. One gap most visitors do not notice is that the mosque's minbar (pulpit) is not the original. The original was removed during a renovation in the 1960s and reportedly stored in a warehouse belonging to the sultanate family, accessible only by special request.
Local Insider Tip: To enter the mosque, women need to wear a head covering, and there is a small table near the entrance with loaner scarves if you do not have one. Bring your own anyway, because the loaners are often in short supply after Friday prayers. Also, the guards will let you photograph the interior if you enter through the side door on the eastern wall rather than the main entrance, where the crowd makes it difficult to get a clear shot.
When to Go and What to Know
Walking in Medan requires some planning because the equatorial climate does not forgive poor timing. The dry season, roughly from February to August, is the best window for extended walks on foot across the city. Mornings between 6:30 and 9 AM offer the most comfortable temperatures, typically between 25 and 28 degrees Celsius, before the tropical heat pushes past 33 degrees by midday. Carry water at all times, wear covered shoes rather than sandals, and have a small umbrella or rain jacket because afternoon downpours can arrive without warning even in the dry season. Download the Grab app for backup becak or motorcycle ride options because some of the walking routes above cover distances of 2 to 4 kilometers, and you may want a ride back. Indonesian Rupiah in small denominations (1,000 and 5,000 notes) will serve you well at the street vendors and warungs. Most sidewalks in Medan are uneven or broken, so watch your step. This is not a polished walking city, but that rawness is part of what makes it real.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which local ride-hailing or transit apps should I download before arriving in Medan?
Download both Grab and Gojek before your trip, as they are widely used in Medan for both ride-hailing and some food delivery. Grab tends to have better coverage for airport transfers to Kualanamu, which is about 39 kilometers from the city center, while Gojek's GoCar and GoRide services are abundant within the central Medan area. Cash payments are accepted by both platforms alongside digital wallets, which is useful since not all foreign credit cards link successfully.
How many days are needed to see the major tourist attractions in Medan without feeling rushed?
Three full days is the realistic minimum for covering the key sites including Istana Maimun, Mesjid Raya Al-Mashun, Tjong A Fie Mansion, Kampung Madras, and the Merdeka Walk area at a comfortable pace. If you want to also include day trips to nearby Lake Toba gateways or the Karo Highland villages, add at least two more days.
How walkable is the main cultural and dining district of Medan?
The core area around Merdeka Walk, Jalan Kesawan, and the Istana Maimun is genuinely walkable, covering roughly a 2-kilometer radius that can be covered in about 25 minutes of flat walking between major points. Beyond this core, sidewalk conditions deteriorate significantly, and the distances between neighborhoods become too large to walk comfortably in the heat without frequent rest stops.
What is the safest area to book an accommodation or boutique stay in Medan?
The Polonia district, centered around Jalan Diponegoro and Jalan Pemuda, is consistently regarded as one of the safer and more walkable areas for visitors, with several heritage guesthouses within walking distance of the Merdeka Walk dining strip. Binjai area around Jalan Gatot Subroto and the Medan Baru district along Jalan Asia are also reasonable options with decent hotel density and evening food options.
What is the safest and most reliable way to get around Medan as a solo traveler?
Grab and Gojek motorcycle rides are the fastest and most reliable option for short distances within central Medan, with fares typically ranging from 10,000 to 35,000 Rupiah for most inner-city trips. For longer transfers such as to and from Kualanamu Airport, book a GrabCar or Blue Bird metered taxi, which should cost between 150,000 and 200,000 Rupiah depending on traffic, and always confirm the meter is running before departure.
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