In and around Bukittinggi, West Sumatra

In and around Bukittinggi, West Sumatra

Rachel Rinaldo, Contributor, Bukittinggi, West Sumatra

After nearly six months of living in the heat of Jakarta, I was
ready to spend some time in the mountains. A 12-day trip to
Sumatra with my husband and parents provided the perfect
opportunity; we spent the last few days of our visit basking in
the cool, clean air of the West Sumatran highlands.

Bukittinggi is a scenic town of about 100,000 people, nestling
nearly 1,000 meters above sea level, between the majestic Mt.
Merapi and Mt. Singgalang. It provides an excellent base for
exploring the spectacularly lush countryside, and is also an
enjoyable place to relax for a couple of quiet days.

During the rainy season, the sky is overcast much of the day,
and the mountains shrouded in fog. The air is frequently cool
enough in the late afternoon and evening to require a long-
sleeved shirt.

The central part of Bukittinggi is an excellent place to
wander on foot. Starting at the famed clock tower, we wandered
through the extensive outdoor market, tempted by the array of
sweets and snacks.

The awning-covered inner streets of the market are lined with
atmospheric old buildings, while the stairs of the indoor market
building provide nice views. It's easy to get lost, but the town
is small enough that you can nearly always locate the clock tower
or the nearby Novotel.

Leaving the market, we walked along Jl. Ahmad Yani to find
somewhere to eat lunch. This street, and the adjoining Jl. Teuku
Umar were "backpacker central" a number of years ago, when
Bukittinggi was a major stop on the Sumatra overland route.

These days just a handful of Western tourists are to be found
in Bukittinggi, but there are still a number of pleasant-looking
coffeeshops, Internet cafes and homestays that cater mostly to
budget travelers.

The cafes and coffeeshops often double as small travel
outfits, advertising tours of West Sumatra and the Mentawai
Islands. Unfortunately, we soon found that the food at these
traveler cafes left a great deal to be desired (though it was
very cheap). Some of them also seemed to function mostly as
hangout spots for bored young men.

Jl. Ahmad Yani has a few worthwhile antique shops, selling an
array of Chinese ceramics, old songket (silk or cotton cloth with
gold or silver threads woven into it), Dutch lamps and other
trinkets. The largest of these, Tanjung Raya Art Shop, next to
Jogja Wisata Tours and Travel, features incredible, wooden tables
with serpent heads from Nias, as well as chests and wooden
carvings from other parts of Sumatra.

Going south on Jl. Sudirman to Jl. Panorama takes you by the
beautiful Sianok Canyon. From the Taman Panorama park, you can
enter the caves built into the cliffs by the Japanese during the
Second World War. When my husband and I were last in Bukittinggi
three years ago, the caves were so dark and creepy that we
ventured only a few steps inside before turning back. We skipped
them this time.

Dinner in Bukittinggi presented some challenges, as my husband
and I are mostly vegetarian (although we eat fish and eggs). This
meant that Padang food, which consists mostly of meat-based
dishes, was not an option. Bukittinggi is more affluent than many
parts of Sumatra, but the economic downturn has had its effects
here too.

There are simply not many restaurants around. We were staying
at the grand-looking Novotel, easily the most upscale place in
town, but found that the hotel restaurant was poor and
overpriced. Of the two Chinese restaurants listed in our
guidebook, one had been replaced by a now-abandoned hotel
project, and the other looked dingy and grimy.

In the end, the best option turned out to be the clean,
brightly-lit warung, food stalls, that appear at night on Jl.
Ahmad Yani. For vegetarians, they offer Indian-influenced roti
canai (Indian cake with curry), and can also make meatless
versions of mie goreng (fried noodles) or martabak (thick, folded
crepe filled with spices, vegetables or pieces of meat).

We spent all of the next day touring the gorgeous countryside
around Bukittinggi. Just a few minutes out of town, the
brilliantly green rice fields, for which this province is famous,
begin to appear. As you climb into the mountains, the fields are
increasingly terraced, and wooden houses built in the striking
Minangkabau style are visible here and there (though most now
have tin roofs, rather than thatch).

A must on the itinerary of every visitor to Bukittinggi is a
stop at Rumah Gadang Pagaruyung, in the village of Silinduang
Bulan. It is a reconstruction of the former palace of the rulers
of the Payaruyung Kingdom, and is splendidly decorated inside and
out. Almost as much fun as the palace itself is the opportunity
to watch Indonesian tourists get dressed up in traditional
Minangkabau wedding outfits and have their picture taken.

West of Bukittingi is Lake Maninjau, a stunning lake reached
by a steep road with 44 numbered hairpin turns. Toward the end,
there are packs of small, gray monkeys waiting for handouts on
the roadside.

Even more so than Lake Toba, Maninjau looks like the crater
lake it is because of the rim of mist-covered mountains that
surrounds it on all sides. Sadly, many of the small guesthouses
and restaurants on the lakeshore are not very operational these
days. Although the lake is quite clean, and a good place for
swimming and canoeing, most visitors seem to come just for the
day to gaze at the water and have a simple lunch.

Another popular stop is the village of Pandai Sikat, where
several stores sell West Sumatra's justly famous songket. This
place is really a tourist trap, as the prices are somewhat high
and difficult to bargain over at all. Nevertheless, the quality
of the weaving is excellent, and it somehow feels better to buy
crafts where they have been produced.

West Sumatra's rugged, mountainous terrain provides excellent
hiking and trekking prospects, including Merapi volcano, and many
possible walks in the vicinity of Lake Maninjau and Lake
Singkarak. We spent part of our afternoon at Harau Canyon, a
valley walled in by sheer, towering rock cliffs. Several surging
waterfalls pour over the cliffs, and wild flowers can be seen
along the road.

Although a road winds through much of the valley, Harau also
has hiking trails, and the cliffs are popular for rock climbers.

Leaving Bukittinggi for Padang the next morning, we descended
from the mountains toward the coast. We stopped briefly at the
Anai waterfall, right along the roadside, to have our last taste
of cool air.

And then it was back to the steamy, sun-drenched city.

How to Get There:

Garuda, Merpati, Mandala, and Pelangi, and Silk airlines fly to
Padang. From the Padang airport, it is possible to take a charter
taxi to Bukittinggi. Alternatively, take a taxi or bus to
Padang's central bus terminal on Jl. Pemuda and get a bus to
Bukittinggi. Padang to Bukittinggi is an incredibly scenic two
hour drive.

Where to Stay in Bukittinggi:

There are inexpensive hotels and homestays on Jl. Ahmad Yani, Jl.
Teuku Umar, and Jl. Benteng (on the way to the fort). The only
upscale option is the centrally-located Novotel, on Jl.Laras
Datuk Bandaro.

Where to Go in Bukittinggi:

* Stroll through the Pasar Atas (Upper Market), in front of the
clocktower in the center of town, and then continue on to the
Pasar Bawah (Lower Market) below it. The best market days are
Wednesday and Saturday.

* The traveler cafes on Jl. Ahmad Yani are the easiest place to
book day or overnight tours of the region.

* The Medan Nan Balinduang, on Jl. Lenggogeni hosts performances
of Minangkabau music and dance every night (as long as there are
at least six people in the audience) at 8:30.

* Don't miss Panorama Park and Sianok Canyon, on the southern edge
of the town. This is an easy walk from the clocktower.

* Antique shops can be found on Jl. Ahmad Yani; at night this
street also has numerous inexpensive warungs.