Located on the coast with the Strait of Malacca to its north, Medan is the capital of the province of North Sumatra and is Indonesia's third most populous city. Colonized by the Dutch, Medan retains much of its Dutch influence, as seen in some of its vintage architecture. Visit the old City Hall and the Titi Gantung Bridge over the railway for some iconic evidence of Dutch governance. Do not leave Medan unless you have seen the following: the historic Water Tower that is Medan's symbol, the Maimun Palace - where the current Sultan of Deli still lives - and the architecture wonder of the Masjid Raya Mosque.

No direct flights are available to Medan from the United States. However, you can get a transfer flight from Singapore or Malaysia, which services many nonstop international carriers. Alternatively, one can travel to Medan via a domestic flight after a stopover at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the main airport in the capital of Jakarta. You can get cheaper tickets to Medan by flying there during the off-peak season. Another good way to save money is by booking your hotel and flight together.

Airports Serving Medan, Indonesia

Better known as the Bandar Udara Internasional Polonia by the locals, Polonia Airport (MES) is named after the area it is situated in. Polonia is the Latin name for Poland. Located five km from the Central Business District in the city of Medan, it is Indonesia's fourth largest airport after Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Juanda Airport, and Ngurah Rai Airport. While being relatively small, Polonia Airport serves an average of four and a half million passengers annually.