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Though being the third largest metropolis in West Sumatra, Bukittinggi is a real hidden gem that gives a wealth of issues to do and locations to discover.
I didn’t suppose there have been any extra “hidden gems” left on this world, or that there have been any locations left to discover, however Bukittinggi nonetheless stays a vacation spot much less trodden.
Nestled on a excessive hill overlooking the Minangkabau Highlands and lively volcanoes, Bukittinggi boasts a relaxed and tranquil ambiance, and is clouded in historical past and Indonesian heritage.
As you stroll across the streets, you’ll be mesmerized by the normal homes in-built basic minangkabau structure, and your senses come alive by the sounds of locals laughing and battering over recent fruit and veggies to commerce within the city centre.
For those who’re considering of creating a cease by the city of Bukittinggi however undecided what it’s all about or what there’s to do there, this information will let you know the whole lot you might want to know.
About Bukittinggi, Sumatra
Positioned on the Indonesian Island of Sumatra, Bukittinggi is a bustling market city within the Agam Valley within the province of West Sumatra, 90km from the capital of the area, Padang.
The closest airport is Minangkabau Worldwide Airport, 2 hr 30 minute drive away (85.3 km).
A singular factor about Bukittinggi is its local weather. With its elevation of over 900 meters, it boasts a cool local weather that reaches round 16°C-25°C, providing a refreshing break from the scorching Indonesian warmth.
It’s identified for its lush hillside landscapes and conventional structure.
Two lively volcanoes, Mount Marapi and Mount Singgalang, encompass town and provide nice alternatives for mountaineering and out of doors actions.
Though being the third largest metropolis in West Sumatra, it’s a small metropolis with a town-like really feel.
Town was as soon as the regency seat of Indonesia till 1998, and was additionally the previous capital of Indonesia through the Emergency Authorities of the Republic of Indonesia (PDRI), again when it was known as Fort de Kock.
At the moment, town was colonised by the Dutch East Indies and the Japanese, and remnants of colonial occasions can nonetheless be discovered within the structure and lifestyle right here.
Issues to Do in Bukittinggi
1. Jungle Trek Bukittinggi to Lake Maninjau
My two girlfriends and I left early one morning for a two day jungle trek from Bukittinggi to Lake Maninjau the place we might find yourself staying for near every week.
Lake Maninjau is a big crater lake bordered by a number of small villages.
It’s an incredible place to absorb the sluggish rural life recovering from the hike with loads of swims, scrumptious dwelling cooked meals from our guesthouse and video games of shithead.
Our Expertise Climbing from Bukittinggi to Lake Maninjau
My information, Arlen, instructed tales of exploration as we talked. The inspiration I gained from listening to his exploration tales got here originally of my abroad travelling life in 1997, throughout my first journey overseas in Indonesia.
It’s unbelievable how although it was 14 years in the past, I nonetheless keep in mind Arlen and my time with him nearly as if it had been yesterday.
There are some individuals you meet in your travels who may have that lasting influence upon you, and the passing of the years won’t ever fade away the recollections they helped you to create.
The trek took us by way of the 15km Sianok Canyon, a well-liked attraction simply exterior Bukittinggi.
Sheer 100-120 meter cliffs face every throughout the Sianok River, which meanders lazily alongside the 15km canyon banked by lush inexperienced foliage.
The surroundings was spectacular and we had all of it to ourselves.
After about an hour lunch break, we packed up our provides and began our trek once more. Simply across the nook from the place we sat was a small river we now needed to cross.
Out of the blue, Arlen put up his hand to sign us to be quiet and take a step again. His urgency didn’t invite me to query, solely to do.
He ran ahead, bent down and put his hand over a spot on the sandy banks.
“Been gone for about an hour.” he said shortly and breathed. “It’s okay.”
“What has been gone?”
We moved ahead to the place he was standing and appeared down. There was clearly imprinted within the sand was the large paw print of a tiger.
“A tiger.” he mentioned “was right here about an hour in the past, ingesting from this river.”
He nodded, confirming what we had been all considering… if we didn’t cease for lunch.
“How have you learnt it was an hour?”
“I can really feel the warmth rising off the paw print. It lets me understand it was about that point. Right here really feel it.”
I used to be nearly afraid to place my hand over it in case it magically conjured the tiger up out of the bushes. Certain sufficient, a heat warmth radiated out from it.
“The one factor is I don’t know the place it has gone. Hopefully that approach,” he mentioned pointing off into the other way to the place we had been headed.
I hoped in order properly, however wasn’t so positive as that approach went by way of the clearing the place we sat. Absolutely we might have seen it.
The stroll, which had this morning been fairly calm and delicate, now turned strenuous alongside the steep and rocky, muddy paths.
I used to be past relieved once we reached the highest of the mountain and entered into farmlands and Arlen steered we soar behind the passing choose up truck and catch a experience the remainder of the best way.
No matter you say pricey explorer pal.
The subsequent morning, feeling barely refreshed, we made our approach principally downhill to our guesthouse on the Lake.
The panoramic view on Lake Maninjau alongside the best way was spectacular.
Though a troublesome trek, it was a memorable one, and simply one of many experiences on my first journey overseas that pulled me in to continually search a life stuffed with journey and inspirational folks that touched and advanced my spirit.
2. Take a Journey to The Mandeh Islands
Our adventures with Arlen didn’t finish there within the Sumatran jungle. We had been satisfied as soon as once more to take one other exploratory journey, this time to close by distant islands good for snorkelling and swimming.
The Mandeh Islands, within the southwest of the province dealing with the Indian Ocean, are positioned not too removed from its capital metropolis, Padang.
There are a 5 hour journey from Bukittinggi. They’re considerably of a hidden gem, however are shortly turning into referred to as the Raja Ampat of West Sumatra.
The Mandeh archipelago has quite a few islands a few of that are Tarajun, Setan Kecil, Sironjong Besar and Sironjong Kecil, Pulau Merak and the Cubadak Island.
These had been true abandoned islands that we had all to ourselves. We went again to primitive fundamentals: no working water, electrical energy or perhaps a mattress to sleep in.
Arlen caught fish for our dinner, whereas we swam round exploring the pleasant and plentiful underwater world. We ate with our fingers and washed up with ocean water.
Our night was spent enjoying charades and shithead, telling tales, and singing extra songs across the campfire, the place we finally lay our heads right down to sleep.
3. Store at Conventional Vacationer Markets, Pasar Bawah, Pasar Aur Kuning, Pasar Atas
Bukittinggi is a well known market city with a number of each day markets going down throughout the middle.
Probably the most well-known is Pasar Atas, which is a big each day market the place you should buy fruit and greens, conventional snacks, second-hand clothes and handicrafts.
Pasar Bawah, which isn’t too removed from Pasar Atlas, is a superb place to search out souvenirs, conventional meals, handicrafts, and textiles.
Simply behind Pasar Bawak is the city’s outdated Chinatown the place you may get natural teas and Chinese language medication.
These markets are known as “vacationer markets” however they’re additionally broadly utilized by native individuals as properly.
4. Take a look at the Clock Tower (Jam Gadang)
Jam Gadang, which interprets to “The Nice Clock” in English, was constructed by the Dutch in 1926.
It has change into a significant landmark in Bukittinggi, not simply due to its location within the city sq., however due to its mixture of colonial and conventional Minangkabau design.
The tower is basically manufactured from Dutch structure, however has a Minangkabau roof, symbolising the unity of two nations.
Every day, Jam Gadang is surrounded by little stalls promoting the whole lot from avenue meals to souvenirs.
The across the clock is at all times full of life and vibrant.
5. See The Japanese Bunker Bukittinggi / Lubang Jepang (Japanese Caves)
The Japanese Bunker, also called Lubang Jepang (Japanese Caves in English), is a community of underground bunkers and tunnels constructed inside caves throughout World Warfare II.
The tunnels offered safety for the occupying military and had been constructed all through 1942-1944.
They had been found within the early Fifties and have become a vacationer attraction in 1994.
You possibly can stroll by way of the hiding tunnels, see the assembly rooms, after which go to Panorama Park after for unbelievable views of town.
6. Go to Nagari Sijunjung, A Native Village
Positioned a 3 hour drive away is the normal settlement of Nagari Sijunjung, a UNESCO World Heritage Web site.
The village is barely made up of 76 homes, that are inhabited by 9 clans and constructed utilizing Minangkabau structure, plus a gathering corridor referred to as a Rumah Gadang.
The village is surrounded by paddy fields and plantations, in addition to mosques and a faculty, and small market.
It doesn’t take lengthy to stroll across the village, but it surely’s a beautiful instance of Indonesian heritage that has been properly preserved and sorted.
7. Journey Round in Horse and Cart
Bukittinggi is a distant metropolis and is barely accessible by street, and what makes it distinctive is that it nonetheless adopts a conventional horse-cart methodology to get round.
Whereas automobiles and scooters are used within the metropolis, you can even get a Bendi (horse and cart) in restricted locations within the metropolis.
You will discover horse carriages round Jam Gadang Sq., however ensure that to barter a value earlier than you experience.
8. Go to Museum Rumah Kelahiran Bung Hatta (Museum of Bung Hatta Birthplace)
You possibly can be taught in regards to the life and legacy of the Indonesian founding father, Mohammad Hatta, in a dwelling museum inside the house wherein he was born.
The home was constructed within the 1860s utilizing a wood construction. It has the principle home, and a pavilion, rice barn, kitchen, horse stables and fish pond exterior.
The pavilion was as soon as used as Bung Hatta’s bed room.
If you wish to be taught extra about Bung Hatta, positioned subsequent to Jam Gadang Sq. is The Palace of Bung Hatta, the place he lived throughout his vice presidency. It has now been become a 5 star lodge.
The place to Keep in Bukittinggi
Bukittinggi has loads of lodging choices, whether or not you need to keep in a 5 star lodge or camp in an eco-resort.
Being surrounded by hillsides and jungle, it’s solely becoming that you simply keep someplace that embodies the panorama that surrounds you.
The Padi Ecolodge is only a 20-minute stroll from the city heart and boasts these beautiful rooms overlooking a backyard.
Don’t let the concept of staying in an eco lodge put you off, it has all of the mod-cons you might want to be comfy, corresponding to personal loos and mosquito nets.
You don’t want A/C because you’re so excessive up. Some rooms have personal balconies too!
Get to Bukittinggi
To get to Bukittinggi, you need to first fly into Minangkabau Worldwide Airport in Padang.
From right here, you possibly can then take a taxi or a bus to Bukittinggi, which is a couple of 2-hour drive away.
Alternatively, you possibly can take a bus or a minivan from different cities in Sumatra, corresponding to Medan or Pekanbaru, to Bukittinggi.
Remaining Ideas
We arrived in Bukittinggi intending to remain for a few nights, however stayed for two weeks as we had been drawn right into a romance with this matriarchal Muslim neighborhood.
The employees at our little hideaway hostel cherished serving us our favorite Indonesian tea sweetened with condensed milk through the day, and smuggled bottles of whiskey at night time.
Every day we arrived for breakfast, that they had a brand new adventured deliberate to encourage us to remain.
When, after our two day keep within the Bukittinggi space turned to 2 weeks, we determined that we couldn’t deal with one other candy tea and dragged ourselves away to the closest bus station.
It was the primary of many painful goodbyes I might quickly have alongside the travelling street. I simply wished our Indonesian explorer pal Arlen to come back together with us.
I wrapped him up in a bubble and positioned him within the particular recollections field in my coronary heart, understanding that approach I may hold all he had taught me and all of the enjoyable we shared endlessly safely in there.
Time then, may by no means destroy that which was as soon as so nice.
Extra Indonesia Journey Ideas
Have you ever ever met anybody as cool as Arlen in your travels? What did you be taught and the way did you allow them to go?