Destination: Sumatra --> West Sumatra

• Culture & Heritage, Eco-tourism:

1. Padang

Being the capital city of West Sumatra, it is the busiest city in the province, attracting so many ships that are willing to trade their goods for coffee, coal and spices such as cinnamon. 

Museum Adityawarman

There are plenty of things to do here. If you want to explore the rich culture of the Minangkabau people, you can visit Museum Adityawarman, a museum dedicated in preserving artifacts rich in cultural and historical values. The museum itself resembles a Rumah Gadang, the Minangkabau traditional house.

Batu Malin Kundang

Or you can go to Pantai Air Manis, a beach that is home to the legendary Batu Malin Kundang, a stone that resembles a prostrating man. Legend has it that a long time ago he was an ungrateful son who disowned his own mother after coming home from his travels and was cursed into a stone. Don't believe in legends? Come see it for yourself.

Padang also has twelve diving sites with good accessibility. Diving instructor will guide you to shipwreck sites and deep sea trenches , so diving here will surely be a great experience. For more diving information, you can go directly to this site: http://www.scubasurfindo.com/


    2. Bukittinggi


During your visit to Padang, why not go to a neighboring town called Bukittinggi? Located in the Minangkabau highlands, it has a a cool climate with a temperature between 16 to 25 degree Celsius. If you want to know more about the history of Indonesia and the culture of the Minangkabau people then this town is the right place to go.


Bukittinggi is most famous for its Jam Gadang, a clocktower built during the Dutch colonial era. It was built in 1962 and was a gift from the Queen of Netherlands. Originally there was a rooster figure on the top, but during the Japanese occupation it was changed to a Japanese Jinja-shaped roof. It was later changed to a traditional Minangkabau roof following the Indonesia Independence.

Jam Gadang

The natural beauty of this town is Ngarai Sianok, a canyon with a height of 120 meters spanning at a length of 15 kilometers with paddy fields at its feet. If you go down to the base, you can see a Japanese bunker that was built during the Japanese Occupation. Ngarai Sianok is a very beautiful tourist spot particularly during sunrise and sunset. A town with stories of the past mixed with nature's breathtaking beauty, a trip to Bukittinggi will surely be an unforgettable one.

Ngarai Sianok

• Culture & Heritage, Eco-tourism, Dynamic Sports:

1. Mentawai Islands

Venture into the wild tropical forests and ride on top of waves in the Mentawai Islands, a tropical paradise located off the West coast of Sumatra. A chain of islands of about seventy, these islands have been homes to the local inhabitants, the Mentawai people. 

The Mentawai Islands includes four municipalities, Sirebut, Sipora, North Pagai and South Pagai. Siberut is the biggest island and its biggest town is Muara Sirebut, a major entry point for tourists from the mainland and is still covered with tropical rainforests. 

Trek the jungle with the locals to find traditional villages of the Mentawai people and see what Mentawai life is like. Be fascinated by their traditional dance and their tattoos, a symbol of manhood, maturity and status. These people are also forest-lovers and their bond with nature is what making them strong. 

Traditional Mentawai Dance

Because of its massive, 3 to 4-meter tall waves, this island is internationally famous among surfers. When you want to take a break you can rest under the shades of palm trees in  the sandy beaches, and if you are lucky enough maybe you can spot some animals that are endangered and endemic to this island, the Simakobu monkey for example. Diving is also possible here, since there are many coral reefs nearby. 

Simakobu monkey

• Eco-tourism:

1. Danau Maninjau

Due to its cool climate and scenic beauty, Lake Maninjau has become a popular tourist destination. Situated in mountain highlands with an altitude of 450 meters, this place will be a good stop to relax and enjoy your life. 

In the surrounding areas you may find trees of exotic tropical fruits such as durian, jackfruit and rambutan and spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. Or you can just watch how the locals fish for two endemic species in the lake, Pensi which is a species of a small mussel and Palai rinuak, a type of small fish. Make friends with the locals and they might treat you a local dish made from grilled fish mixed with coconut and spices wrapped in banana leaf.

For those of you who like heart-pumping activities, you can try paragliding here. 

Danau Maninjau