Sumatra Vacantion

Padangpanjang, West Sumatra - Indonesia

2012-03-20T02:17:00.003-07:00

Padang Panjang (sometimes written as Padangpanjang, literally translated means long field) is located in the cool highlands of West Sumatra, inland from the provincial capital Padang. It sits on a plateau beneath the volcanoes Mount Marapi and Mount Singgalang. It has an area of 23 km² and a population of over 40,000. It is located at 0°27′S 100°25′E.

Home to a famous performing arts conservatorium, Sekolah Tinggi Seni Indonesia (STSI) - Padang Panjang ("college of traditional Indonesian arts"), the town stretches up the hill from the marketplace and central mosque, to the soccer field and bus terminal on up to STSI. The main road through Padang Panjang links coastal Padang and the highland capital, Bukittinggi.

Here some picture for Padangpanjang :

That's just a few picture from Padangpanjang, you can drop there if you visited Bukittinggi, here the Wikitravel link guide.

Bukittinggi, West Sumatra - Indonesia

2012-03-20T02:00:00.002-07:00

Bukittinggi (Indonesian for "high hill") is one of the larger cities in West Sumatra, Indonesia, with a population of over 91,000 people and an area of 25.24 km². It is situated in the Minangkabau highlands, 90 km by road from the West Sumatran capital city of Padang. It is located at 0°18′20″S 100°22′9″E, near the volcanoes Mount Singgalang (inactive) and Mount Marapi (still active). At 930 m above sea level, the city has a cool climate with temperatures between 16.1°-24.9°C.

The city was known as Fort de Kock during colonial times in reference to the Dutch outpost established here in 1825 during the Padri War. The fort was founded by Captain Bauer at the top of Jirek hill and later named after the then Lieutenant Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, Hendrik Merkus de Kock. The first road connecting the region with the west coast was built between 1833 and 1841 via the Anai Gorge, easing troop movements, cutting the costs of transportation and providing an economic stimulus for the agricultural economy. In 1856 a teacher-training college (Kweekschool) was founded in the city, the first in Sumatra, as part of a policy to provide educational opportunities to the indigenous population. A rail line connecting the city with Payakumbuh and Padang was constructed between 1891 and 1894.

During the Japanese occupation of Indonesia in World War II, the city was the headquarters for the Japanese 25th Army, the force which occupied Sumatra. The headquarters was moved to the city in April 1943 from Singapore, and remained until the Japanese surrender in August 1945

It is a city popular with tourists due to the climate and central location. Attractions within the city include :

Ngarai Sianok (Sianok Canyon)
Lobang Jepang (Japanese Caves) - a network of underground bunkers & tunnels built by the Japanese during World War II
Jam Gadang - a large clock tower built by the Dutch in 1926.
Pasar Atas and Pasar Bawah - traditional markets in downtown.
Taman Bundo Kanduang park. The park includes a replica Rumah Gadang (literally: big house, with the distinctive Minangkabau roof architecture) used as a museum of Minangkabau culture, and a zoo. The Dutch hilltop outpost Fort de Kock is connected to the zoo by the Limpapeh Bridge pedestrian overpass.
Museum Rumah Kelahiran Bung Hatta (Museum of Bung Hatta Birthplace) - the house where Indonesian founding father Mohammad Hatta was born, now a museum.

Ngarai Sianok (Sianok Canyon)

Lobang Jepang (Japanese Caves)

Jam Gadang

Pasar Atas and Pasar Bawah

Taman Bundo Kanduang park

there's so much more that you can find in Bukittinggi, and if you want to drop by here i attach Wikitravel guide so you won't miss anything from this place.

Painan, West Sumatra - Indonesia

2012-03-20T01:15:00.000-07:00

Painan is a coastal town, and the capital of the South Pesisir regency of West Sumatra, Indonesia.

Actually, there is no certain historical document or archive that holds the origin of the town's name. However, according to the local beliefs, the name Painan is originated from paik nian, which means "very bitter" in bahasa Minangkabau, the language of the Minangkabau people who lives in the area. The phrase paik nian itself is believed as the expression of travelers that visited the town in the past upon seeing the "bitterness" of life in the town.

This town then became an important place since year 1663 when the Dutch, via the Dutch East India Company set-up a trading post in 'Pulau Cingkuk', one of many islands offshore the town, according to "Perjanjian Painan" or 'Painan Treaty'.

There are some attractive tourism spots in Painan, such as the historical Pulau Cingkuk, the renowned Carocok beach, several beautiful islands off the coast of the town, and even paragliding from the town's Langkisau Hill.

Here some pic for Carocok beach and some islands off the coast