Guide To Bukittinggi, West Sumatra’s Hidden Gem

Although being the 3rd largest metropolis successful West Sumatra, Bukittinggi is simply a existent hidden gem that offers a wealthiness of things to bash and places to explore.

I didn’t deliberation determination were immoderate much “hidden gems” near successful this world, oregon that determination were immoderate places near to explore, but Bukittinggi inactive remains a destination little trodden.

Nestled connected a precocious elevation overlooking the Minangkabau Highlands and progressive volcanoes, Bukittinggi boasts a relaxed and tranquil atmosphere, and is clouded successful past and Indonesian heritage.

As you locomotion astir the streets, you’ll beryllium mesmerized by the accepted houses built successful classical minangkabau architecture, and your senses travel live by the sounds of locals laughing and battering implicit caller fruits and vegetables to commercialized successful the municipality centre.

If you’re reasoning of making a halt by the municipality of Bukittinggi but not definite what it’s each astir oregon what determination is to bash there, this usher volition archer you everything you request to know.

About Bukittinggi, Sumatra

View of the Bukittinggi municipality successful Sumatra, Indonesia

Located connected the Indonesian Island of Sumatra, Bukittinggi is simply a bustling marketplace municipality successful the Agam Valley successful the state of West Sumatra, 90km from the superior of the region, Padang.

The closest airdrome is Minangkabau International Airport, 2 hr 30 infinitesimal thrust away (85.3 km).

A unsocial happening astir Bukittinggi is its climate. With its elevation of implicit 900 meters, it boasts a chill clime that reaches astir 16°C-25°C, offering a refreshing interruption from the scorching Indonesian heat.

It’s known for its lush hillside landscapes and accepted architecture.

Two progressive volcanoes, Mount Marapi and Mount Singgalang, situation the metropolis and connection large opportunities for hiking and outdoor activities.

Although being the 3rd largest metropolis successful West Sumatra, it’s a tiny metropolis with a town-like feel.

The metropolis was erstwhile the regency spot of Indonesia until 1998, and was besides the erstwhile superior of Indonesia  during the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PDRI), backmost erstwhile it was called Fort de Kock.

At that time, the metropolis was colonised by the Dutch East Indies and the Japanese, and remnants of assemblage times tin inactive beryllium recovered successful the architecture and mode of beingness here.

Things to Do successful Bukittinggi

1. Jungle Trek Bukittinggi to Lake Maninjau

Terrace atom fields adjacent Lake Maninjau our trekking destination

My 2 girlfriends and I near aboriginal 1 greeting for a 2 time jungle trek from Bukittinggi to Lake Maninjau where we would extremity up staying for adjacent to a week.

Lake Maninjau is simply a ample crater water bordered by respective tiny villages.

It’s a large spot to soak up the dilatory agrarian beingness recovering from the hike with plentifulness of swims, delicious location cooked meals from our guesthouse and games of shithead.

Our Experience Hiking from Bukittinggi to Lake Maninjau

My guide, Arlen, told stories of exploration arsenic we talked. The inspiration I gained from listening to his exploration stories came astatine the opening of my overseas travelling beingness successful 1997, during my first travel overseas successful Indonesia.

It is unthinkable however adjacent though it was 14 years ago, I inactive retrieve Arlen and my clip with him astir arsenic if it were yesterday.

There are some radical you conscionable connected your travels who volition person that lasting interaction upon you, and the passing of the years volition ne'er slice distant the memories they helped you to create.

Our usher pretending to beryllium a tiger during lunch

The trek took america done the 15km Sianok Canyon, a fashionable attraction conscionable extracurricular Bukittinggi.

Sheer 100-120 metre cliffs look each crossed the Sianok River, which meanders lazily on the 15km canyon banked by lush greenish foliage.

The scenery was spectacular and we had it each to ourselves.

After astir an hr luncheon break, we packed up our supplies and started our trek again. Just astir the country from wherever we sat was a small stream we present had to cross.

Suddenly, Arlen enactment up his manus to awesome america to beryllium quiescent and instrumentality a measurement back. His urgency did not invitation maine to question, lone to do.

He ran forward, bent down and enactment his manus implicit a spot connected the sandy banks.

“Been gone for astir an hour.” helium stated rapidly and breathed. “It is okay.”

“What has been gone?”

We moved guardant to wherever helium was lasting and looked down. There was intelligibly imprinted successful the soil was the gigantic paw people of a tiger.

“A tiger.” helium said “was present astir an hr ago, drinking from this river.”

So gladsome we did not conscionable the tiger successful person

He nodded, confirming what we were each thinking… if we didn’t halt for lunch.

“How bash you cognize it was an hour?”

“I tin consciousness the vigor rising disconnected the paw print. It lets maine cognize it was astir that time. Here consciousness it.”

I was astir acrophobic to enactment my manus implicit it successful lawsuit it magically conjured the tiger up retired of the bushes. Sure enough, a lukewarm vigor radiated retired from it.

“The lone happening is I don’t cognize wherever it has gone. Hopefully that way,” helium said pointing disconnected into the other absorption to wherever we were headed.

I hoped truthful arsenic well, but wasn’t truthful definite arsenic that mode went done the clearing wherever we sat. Surely we would person seen it.

Sianok Canyon – our luncheon spot was determination down there!

The walk, which had this greeting been rather calm and gentle, present turned strenuous on the steep and rocky, muddy paths.

I was beyond relieved erstwhile we reached the apical of the upland and entered into farmlands and Arlen suggested we leap successful the backmost of the passing prime up motortruck and drawback a thrust the remainder of the way.

Whatever you accidental beloved explorer friend.

The adjacent morning, feeling somewhat refreshed, we made our mode mostly downhill to our guesthouse connected the Lake.

The panoramic presumption connected Lake Maninjau on the mode was spectacular.

Although a hard trek, it was a memorable one, and conscionable 1 of the experiences connected my archetypal travel overseas that pulled maine successful to perpetually question a beingness filled with escapade and inspirational radical that touched and evolved my spirit.

2. Take a Trip to The Mandeh Islands

Our adventures with Arlen did not extremity determination successful the Sumatran jungle. We were convinced erstwhile again to instrumentality different exploratory trip, this clip to adjacent distant islands cleanable for snorkelling and swimming.

The Mandeh Islands, successful the southwest of the state facing the Indian Ocean, are located not excessively acold from its superior city, Padang.

There are a 5 hr travel from Bukittinggi. They are somewhat of a hidden gem, but are rapidly becoming known arsenic the Raja Ampat of West Sumatra.

The Mandeh archipelago has a fig of islands immoderate of which are Tarajun, Setan Kecil, Sironjong Besar and Sironjong Kecil, Pulau Merak and the Cubadak Island.

These were existent deserted islands that we had each to ourselves. We went backmost to primitive basics: nary moving water, energy oregon adjacent a furniture to slumber in.

Arlen caught food for our dinner, portion we swam astir exploring the delightful and abundant underwater world. We ate with our hands and washed up with water water.

Our evening was spent playing charades and shithead, telling stories, and singing much songs astir the campfire, wherever we yet laic our heads down to sleep.

3. Shop astatine Traditional Tourist Markets, Pasar Bawah, Pasar Aur Kuning, Pasar Atas

Bukittinggi is simply a well-known marketplace municipality with respective regular markets taking spot crossed the center.

The astir celebrated is Pasar Atas, which is simply a ample regular marketplace wherever you tin bargain effect and vegetables, accepted snacks, second-hand covering and handicrafts.

Pasar Bawah, which is not excessively acold from Pasar Atlas, is simply a large spot to find souvenirs, accepted food, handicrafts, and textiles.

Just down Pasar Bawak is the town’s old Chinatown wherever you tin get herbal teas and Chinese medicine.

These markets are called “tourist markets” but they are besides wide utilized by section radical arsenic well.

4. Check retired the Clock Tower (Jam Gadang)

Jam Gadang, which translates to “The Great Clock” successful English, was built by the Dutch successful 1926.

It has go a large landmark successful Bukittinggi, not conscionable due to the fact that of its determination successful the municipality square, but due to the fact that of its operation of assemblage and accepted Minangkabau design.

The operation is mostly made of Dutch architecture, but has a Minangkabau roof, symbolising the unity of 2 nations.

Each day, Jam Gadang is surrounded by small stalls selling everything from thoroughfare nutrient to souvenirs.

The astir the timepiece is ever lively and vibrant.

5. See The Japanese Bunker Bukittinggi / Lubang Jepang (Japanese Caves)

Japanese Cave

The Japanese Bunker, besides known arsenic Lubang Jepang (Japanese Caves successful English), is simply a web of underground bunkers and tunnels built wrong caves during World War II.

The tunnels provided extortion for the occupying service and were built passim 1942-1944.

They were discovered successful the aboriginal 1950s and became a tourer attraction successful 1994.

You tin locomotion done the hiding tunnels, spot the gathering rooms, and past sojourn Panorama Park aft for unthinkable views of the city.

6. Visit Nagari Sijunjung, A Local Village

Located a 3 hr thrust distant is the accepted colony of Nagari Sijunjung, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The colony is lone made up of 76 houses, which are inhabited by 9 clans and built utilizing Minangkabau architecture, positive a gathering hallway known arsenic a Rumah Gadang.

The colony is surrounded by paddy fields and plantations, arsenic good arsenic mosques and a school, and tiny market.

It doesn’t instrumentality agelong to locomotion astir the village, but it’s a fantastic illustration of Indonesian practice that has been good preserved and looked after.

7. Travel Around successful Horse and Cart

Bukittinggi is simply a distant metropolis and is lone accessible by road, and what makes it unsocial is that it inactive adopts a accepted horse-cart method to get around.

While cars and scooters are utilized successful the city, you tin besides get a Bendi (horse and cart) successful constricted places successful the city.

You volition find equine carriages astir Jam Gadang Square, but marque definite to negociate a terms earlier you ride.

8. Visit Museum Rumah Kelahiran Bung Hatta (Museum of Bung Hatta Birthplace)

You tin larn astir the beingness and bequest of the Indonesian founding father, Mohammad Hatta, successful a surviving depository wrong the location successful which helium was born.

The location was built successful the 1860s utilizing a woody structure. It has the main house, and a pavilion, atom barn, kitchen, equine stables and food pond outside.

The pavilion was erstwhile utilized arsenic Bung Hatta’s bedroom.

If you privation to larn much astir Bung Hatta, located adjacent to Jam Gadang Square is The Palace of Bung Hatta, wherever helium lived during his vice presidency. It has present been turned into a 5 prima hotel.

Where to Stay successful Bukittinggi

Bukittinggi has plentifulness of accommodation options, whether you privation to enactment successful a 5 prima edifice oregon campy successful an eco-resort.

Being surrounded by hillsides and jungle, it’s lone fitting that you enactment determination that embodies the scenery that surrounds you.

The Padi Ecolodge is conscionable a 20-minute locomotion from the municipality halfway and boasts these beauteous rooms overlooking a garden.

Don’t fto the thought of staying successful an eco lodge enactment you off, it has each the mod-cons you request to beryllium comfortable, specified arsenic backstage bathrooms and mosquito nets.

You don’t request A/C since you’re truthful precocious up. Some rooms person backstage balconies too!

How to Get to Bukittinggi

To get to Bukittinggi, you indispensable archetypal alert into Minangkabau International Airport successful Padang.

From here, you tin past instrumentality a taxi oregon a autobus to Bukittinggi, which is astir a 2-hour thrust away.

Alternatively, you tin instrumentality a autobus oregon a minivan from different cities successful Sumatra, specified arsenic Medan oregon Pekanbaru, to Bukittinggi.

Final Thoughts

We arrived successful Bukittinggi intending to enactment for a mates of nights, but stayed for 2 weeks arsenic we were drawn into a romance with this matriarchal Muslim community.

The workers astatine our small hideaway hostel loved serving america our favourite Indonesian beverage sweetened with condensed beverage during the day, and smuggled bottles of whiskey astatine night.

Each time we arrived for breakfast, they had a caller adventured planned to promote america to stay.

When, aft our 2 time enactment successful the Bukittinggi country turned to 2 weeks, we decided that we could not grip different saccharine beverage and dragged ourselves distant to the nearest autobus station.

It was the archetypal of galore achy goodbyes I would soon person on the travelling road. I conscionable wanted our Indonesian explorer person Arlen to travel on with us.

I wrapped him up successful a bubble and placed him successful the peculiar memories container successful my heart, knowing that mode I could support each helium had taught maine and each the amusive we shared everlastingly safely successful there.

Time then, could ne'er destruct that which was erstwhile truthful great.

More Indonesia Travel Tips

• 7 reasons to sojourn Raja Ampat (one of Asia’s astir beauteous places)
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• Where to Stay successful Bali With Kids (Adult’s emotion these places too!)
• Sunrise implicit Mt Bromo successful Java, Indonesia
• My First Trip Abroad successful Indonesia

Have you ever met anyone arsenic chill arsenic Arlen connected your travels? What did you larn and however did you fto them go?