Firefly

General Information

The main sights in the city include Adityawarman Museum, a traditional Minangkabau house that features a good collection of antiques and a cultural centre where visitors see traditional dances performed every Sundays. It is an arts institute, which often stages Minang dance and pencak silat (martial arts) performance. The cultural centre also offers free tours in the city.

Padang has several houses built in traditional architecture, including the Padang Museum, which houses objects of cultural and historical interest. Padang is a prosperous city and has major ports, which has retained the atmosphere of a market town. It is the third largest city of Indonesia with a population of more than 300,000 people. South of Padang, the massive Kerinci-Strait, sits the Nature Reserve, Indonesia's largest national park sprawling across a 345 sq km stretch of Jungle Mountain dominated by the volcanic core of Mount Kerinci, Sumatra's highest mountain.

The most popular beaches are located south of Padang. The beaches are good for swimming, boating or just watching fishing boats going out in the afternoon. On Sundays, the beaches are usually crowded with families and youngsters enjoying their weekly day off. The beach on Bungus bay with its white sands is good for swimming and boating. Small boats can be hired from here to some small islands nearby such as Sirandah, Sikoai, Pagang and Parsumpahan.

Attractions

Kantor Balaikota

Kantor Balaikota, built in the 19th century was a metropolitan city and also the largest city out of Java province during the Dutch era. Kantor Balaikota grew as the coffee trade expanded. Now, is it an urban area covering Muaro to Pasa Mudiak, Pasa Besar, and Beam Laweh.

Museum Adityawarman

Museum Adityawarman is the most important cultural museum in Western Sumatra. The architecture of this museum is being shaped liked Rumah Gadang Minangkabau with a big and beautiful garden. The exhibition that shows in the museum are about the Minangkabau's and Mentawai cultures from attire, food, art to mode of transportation, money and so much more. The statue of Pedati and Bendi as well as an aircraft used during war can be seen at the front garden of the museum.

Pantai Air Manis

Pantai Air Manis is located 10 km from south of Kota Padang. The beach water taste as sweet as sugar and the sand as white as cotton. When the sea recedes, visitors can walk to Pulau Pisang Ketek, only 200 meters ahead. Pantai Air Manis is known for its legend about the ungrateful son in Batu Malin Kundang. As the story goes, Malin Kundang was a sailor from a poor family who voyaged to sea to seek his fortune. He became rich and married a princess. On his return to his home village, he was ashamed of his humble origins and refused to recognise his elderly mother. She cursed him, and when he set sail again, he and his ship turned to stone.

Bukit Tinggi

The heart of the highlands, Bukittinggi is a two-hour drive through the beautiful Anai valley countryside up the Agam Plateau. The centre of attraction is the town's clock tower, topped with a horn-shaped roof and referred to by the people as Jam Gadang. It overlooks the market square and the city's magnificent surroundings. Located 930 meters above sea level, Bukittinggi, formerly named Fort De Cock by the Dutch, has a cool climate and is surrounded by three volcanoes; Tandikat, Singgalang and Merapi. Also worth a visit is the Museum, which is a Rumah Gadang, a traditional extended family house built in the 19th century.

Maninjau Lake

A winding road with 44 sharp turns descends visitors to Maninjau Lake, 36 km from Bukittinggi. It is a crater lake, abundant with fish, visitors can also swim and go water skiing. Matur village, overlooking lakes, arranges dance performances on request. To the west of Bukittinggi, Meninjau Lake, is another Crater Lake renowned for its scenery and remote beauty. Visitors can rent canoes and motorboat at the lakeshore. To the east of Padang panjang, Batusankar there is a splendid restored palace, with its wonderful carved and painted facades. A village found there called Balimbing, have many traditional Minang houses.

Payakumbuh

Payakumbuh is a picturesque village and market place. Fine basketry is available here. It is 35 km from Bukittinggi and a little further up is the most dramatic view on the Harau Valley. Harau canyon, near Payakumbuh is a deep canyon with beautiful waterfalls and many butterflies. Near Lake Meninjau, Batang Palapuh a sanctuary, giant rafflesia flowers are sometimes found.

Batusangkar

An old small town, 50 km southeast of Bukit Tinggi, it is a centre of the ancient Minangkabau culture. Pagaruyung is the historical site of a Minangkabau kingdom in the 14th century. Nearby is where some archaeological vestiges, such as the Written Stone, the Stabbed Stone and some other relics can be found.

Diatas and Dibawah Lakes (Solok)

Solok lies on the Trans-Sumatra Highway, 64 km from Padang and 76 km from Bukittinggi. The town has some fine examples of Minangkabau architecture with horn-shaped roofs and outer walls of wood, completely carved and painted in brilliant colours. 60 km from Solok are the Twin Lakes (Diatas Lake and Dibawah Lake), which are becoming popular as a holiday resort. Cool mountain air and beautiful landscapes seen from the hill between the two lakes have made this spot extraordinary. Set only about 1 km apart, one of the lakes is on a slightly higher elevation than the other. The spot offers an impressive panorama of the surrounding countryside and offers itself excellently to hiking or camping.

Shopping

Pasar Baru

There is a big marketplace in the centre of Padang, called Pasar Baru. A part of it is at the street, another part is inside. There is also a warehouse called Matahari. Take a ride on the 'angkots' (little busses) and 'dokars' (wagon with a horse) that waits at the square. Other than that, there are lots of batik fabrics, clothes, and many more.

Bukit Tinggi

There are 2 markets named Pasar Atas (Upper Market) and Pasar Bawah (Below Market). It is situated near Jam Gadang. Pasar Atas is the largest market in Bukittinggi

Pasar Bawah is for fruit and vegetables trade whereas Pasar Atas is for souvenirs and clothes. Most of the prices in each kiosk are similar and can be bargained for lower prices. Most of the souvenirs sold here have low quality. Souvenirs for a better quality can be found in Pandai Sikek.

People in Bukit Tinggi like dry, spicy and sweet snack food. They make snacks with different taste, shape from one ingredient that make the foods here are special. For example, from cassava they can make spicy long shape cassava chips, tasty cubes cassava chips, and sweet round shape cassava chips.

Food & Beverages

Food is commonly called Padang cuisine, due to it being the capital and largest city of the region. Padang restaurants are common throughout the country and is famous for their spicy food and their unique way of serving it. Padang food is usually cooked once per day, and all customers choose from those dishes, which are left out on display until no food is left. It is served in small portions of various dishes with rice, as a complete meal. In a Padang-style restaurant, the table will quickly be set with dozens of small dishes filled with highly-flavoured foods such as curried fish and fried tempeh.

Schedule

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