West Sumatra The Best Tourism Journey For Pleasure

Bukittinggi City

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 20:07:00 -0700

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 [show location on an interactive map] 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 has its origins in five villages which served as the basis for a marketplace. 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.

Jam Gadang

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 20:04:00 -0700

Jam Gadang (literally "Massive Clock") is a clocktower and major landmark of the city of Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located in the centre of the city, near the the main market, Pasar Atas, and is a tourist attraction.

The structure was build in 1926 during the Dutch colonial era, as a gift from the Queen to city's controleur. It was designed by architects Yazin and Sutan Gigi Ameh. Originally a rooster figure was placed on the apex, but it was changed into a Jinja-like ornament during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia. Following Indonesian independence, it was reshaped to its present form resembling traditional Minangkabaun roofs (Rumah gadang). It is said to have cost 3,000 Guilder.

The clock's diameter is 80 centimeters, the base's dimension is 13 metres in length and 4 metres wide, and it stands 26 metres tall.

One unique feature of the clock is that it uses the IIII for the number 4 instead of its traditional Roman Number IV.

Given its iconic appearance, the structure is a frequent object of local souvenirs. It is imprinted on apparels, painted, used as a sculpting model, and so forth. As of January 2008 it cost 50000 rupiahs (around US$ 5) to enter the tower.

Its plaza usually serves as the centre of New Year celebration in Bukittinggi for thousands of visitors to the city.

Benteng Fort de Kock

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 20:04:00 -0700

Fort de Kock. A fort built by the Dutch (nothing is left, only a water reservoir is on top of the hill) and Bundo Kanduang Park. The park includes a replica Rumah Gadang (traditional house), used as a museum of Minangkabau culture (many curiosities, such as stuffed animals with two heads and six legs, model houses and traditional dresses, foreign currencies... entrance Fee an extra Rp 1000 [Oct 2007]), and a zoo with a few very sad Orang Utans, a few expired species which are still rotting in their cages, two obese bears - not exactly a example in modern animal keeping. The Dutch hilltop outpost Fort de Kock is connected to the zoo by the Limpapeh pedestrian overpass. Ticket price: Rp8,000 (Oct 2007), camera Rp100,000 (June 2008).

Limpapeh Bridge

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 20:03:00 -0700

Limpapeh Bridge connects Budaya Kinantan Zoo with Fort de Kock. This bridge lies above Chinatown, Ahmad Yani Street. We can see the beauty of Bukittinggi downtown from here.

Japanesse Tunnel

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 20:02:00 -0700

This is the underground tunnel, that entered this tunnel feeling mainly unpleasant. Being in Indonesia where tremors are quite a common earth's activities, feeling of it going to collapse never escaped my mind. In addition, the cave was reportedly claims thousand of Indonesian forced labours' lives where nobody knew where the Japs dumped the bodies contributed to my uneasiness. But due to satisfiy my curiosity, I braved myself to enter it.

Ngarai Sianok

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 20:00:00 -0700

The ignimbtrite plato of Sianok Valley at Belakangbalok Village was produced by two periods of Maninjau volcanic eruptions. The two eruption periods are separated by fluvio volcanic deposits, consisting of very qoarse sand and conglomerate. The two periods pyroclatic deposits at containing pumice and locally several coal. These pyroclatic deposits were faulted and formed terrace morphology. The Sianok Valley is considered as an effect of the reactivation of basement fault throughting the ignimbrite deposits.

Batusangkar

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:56:00 -0700

On the Southern side of both Mount Merapi and Mount Sago is the ancient center of Minangkabau kingdom; Batusangkar. The area around this small town is spectacular. Hills and huge expanses of carefully maintained "sawah" or rice field abound. These terraced rice fields have been cultivated for countless generation and have reshaped the natural landscape in a very elegant balance of man's need complimenting the preservation of the land's natural beauty. This dignified tradition of wet rice agriculture exists every where in West Sumatera but especially here in the region of Batusangkar. Considered the center of Minangkabau culture, this district has some historical remains of stone tablets with ancient Hindu script and villages with beautiful traditional house

Pagaruyung Palace

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:55:00 -0700

Here's where the king and his wife sleep. It's decorated luxuriously with colourful curtains hang down. If you notice my expression; I didn't mentioned the Queen. The King's wife is not considered a Queen. There's no Queen for this case. The King however, doesn't have the full power to control. The uncle's of the King which is regarded as wisemen and elders are the ones who managed the government during the earlier times.

There's 9 bedrooms provided for the King's daughters. Once married, the daughters and their husband will stay in the palace with the King. Unlike son, who normally will never stay in the palace would eventually find his way sleeping in a "surau" (small mosque) till he get married and his way to build a home of his own. amazing achitecture of the building. Inside, the palace you actually could see how the king lived with his wife and daughters. The traditional wear and the bedrooms

Padi Field

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:55:00 -0700

Padi or Rice field are maintained regularly so as to have a good harvest. Enough water and proper irrigational system is needed and of cause the sun.

The cycle of rice plantation is a continuos one. After harvest, the farmers will start to plant again known as "Bercucuk padi". The picture shown here is a young rice field which will need time to harvest.

Coconut Trees

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:54:00 -0700

You might not see coconut tree in your hometown. Places like this has plenty of coconut trees.

The Asian don't eat ripe coconut. But used it to extract the coconut milk which in turn will be added to some delicacies. The young coconut are eaten while the flesh is soft and drinking the water really ease the thirst. Monkeys are normally used to pluck the coconut from the high tree.

Inscribed Stone

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:54:00 -0700

This the famous "batu bersurat" which means Inscribed Stone. It is actually a historical thing about the people of the past then the King Adityawarman whom fulled with knowledge about the Buddishm before Islam came. The stone also said about the blessings to the king. He was also named as Sutatha Bajra-daiya which meant a pious buddha. He was also described as having the qualities of one of the Hindu god named Indra.

Pariangan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:53:00 -0700

The mother village of Pariangan is the oldest Minangkabau sttlement and is about 15 kilometers outside Batusangkar on the slopes of Mount Merapi. This village seems to be preserved in the past with its traditional mosques and homes packed in tight cluster around the community hall. Villages like there are abundant around the well-travelled town of Batusangkar.

Belimbing Village

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:50:00 -0700

Situated 10 kilometers east of Batusangkar, this village reflects the essence of the Minangkabau conception of housing. Some houses are 300 years old and still intact.

Payakumbuh Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:44:00 -0700

Payakumbuh is known for its gelamai, a kind of sweetmeat, and for its traditional horse races. The area is also boasts a large number of grand traditional houses, one of them said to be more than 200 years old. They can be found especially at Koto nan Ampek, Koto nan Gadang and Taram. Further on the road, near Suliki is the renowned Harau Valley, located at the distance of 14 kilometers from Payakumbuh. This is a green valley enclosed by perpendicular granite walls of many colors, 100 to 200 meters high. Three waterfalls - Sarasah Bunta, Sarasah Murai, and Sarasah Aka Barayun - disgorge their water down the cliffs onto the valley. The Harau Valley is part of a nature and wildlife reserve, in which many forms of plant and animal life can be found, including tigers, wild boat, forest goats, deer and tapir. There is space for camping, and the cliffs are excellent for climbing.

Suliki and Koto Tinggi derive their renown from the role which they played during Indonesia’s war independence in 1948, when Dutch troops occupied the Republican war capital Yogyakarta on the island of Java, and Kota Tinggi was made the seat of the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia. Near Payakumbuh, at Padang Mangatas, is a horse breeding farm. Evidence of the existence of a civilized human community in the Limapuluh-Koto area in prehistoric times is found in the presence there of about 2,000 menhirs - upright stone monuments - scattered across a wide area in the subdistricts Guguk, Suliki, and Gunung Emas. A small museum, attached to the site, is found at Guguk. Ngalau Indah is a small cave with a lookout post in the limestone hills outside Payakumbuh. The site offers an impressive view of the paddies and coconut groves in the lush surrounding countryside. At a distance of 4 kilometers from the center of town is Batang Tabik, a swimming pool filled with clear, cool water. A restaurant there specialized in fresh broiled fish dishes.

Andaleh is village about five kilometers from Payakumbuh, which is known for its rattan bags, hats, lamp shades, food covers and other articles. Not far from the main road, in the direction of Lintau, on the slope of the Sago Mountain 21 kilometers from Payakumbuh, is the Halaban, a formerly Dutch-owned tea plantation. Besides tea, area is also known for its pineapples. As one travels in the direction of Pekanbaru, in Riau province, the road winds up the mountains, passes a stretch with nine hairpin turn known as Kelok Sembilan, then Pintu Angin and Ulu Air, and finally reaches a point called Panorama Selat Malaka (Malacca Strait Panorama). The view from this vantage point is breath-taking. Towards the west and south, the hills and mountains of the Bukit Barisan range loom against the sky, their distant peaks blurred in the haze. Towards the east, the lowland plains of Riau are clearly visible. On clear days, the vista stretches as far as the blue waters and the dots of islands in the Malacca Strait beyond.

Rumah Gadang, Padang Panjang

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:38:00 -0700

Rumah Gadang, Padang Panjang, originally uploaded by algenta101.

The last standing of Rumah Gadang (Big House) or some say Rumah Godang according to local dialect as tourist object after the famous similar house in Pagar Ruyong burnt down due to lightning strike. The four huts in front of the house is called "rangkiang", a hut to store harvested paddy.

If you are to visit Bukit Tinggi via Padang, you would not miss this place as this is located on the way up to Bukit Tinggi.

According to our local guide, it is called Rumah Gadang because it will housed all of the family members including one who is married. But the individual rooms are so small, an indication by the head of familes to politely or implied for them to move to their own house.

Solok Regency

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:32:00 -0700

The town of Solok is known for its top quality rice. It is 64 kms from Padang, many original traditional houses found in the area. Especially worth seeing are the adat houses in the Cupak, some of which are hundreds of years old, with roofs of palm fiber that are so timeworn they are covered with moss. The old customs and tradition are still strictly upheld in Cupak.

Singkarak Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:29:00 -0700

Between Solok and Batusangkar is Lake Singkarak, which is a little less grand than Lake Maninjau. It marks the gateway to the incredible basin of Solok. The main road skirts the lake's clean, gently sloping shore for a distance of twenty one kilometers, many lodges and restaurants available along the like shore.

Singkarak Lake is an ideal place for recreation and water sport, 36 km from Bukittinggi. There are several motels and restaurants in the area. Singkarak Lake is located about 10 Km of Solok city and ± 35 Km from Kayu Aro. This lake is located in X Koto district and spread across Solok - Bukit Tinggi way. The lake is state between two regencies that is Solok regency and Tanah Datar regency with ± 129,70 km2 (± 1.129,29 Ha) width. Singkarak Lake is the widest lake in West Sumatra and the second widest lake in Sumatra Island after Toba Lake.

The Lake that located in 362,5 m height from the sea level, has special species of fish that only live in this lake and the only in the world. Society around called as Bilih Fish (Mystacoleuseus Padangensis). Uniquely, this fish cannot live in other habitat, both in an aquarium and in a pool. The people around are often selling this fish and the visitors can enjoy the specific taste of this fish in the restaurants that located around the lake.

The Lake is equipped by some facilities, such as; hotels, motels, restaurants and also water sport facilities. Beside used as tourism objects and the economic source of society around, nowadays, this lake also used as the electric source of Sicincin.

Diatas / Dibawah Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:28:00 -0700

The twins lake with 1 km panorama in between, where Lake Dibawah located on the left and Lake Diatas on the right of the main road to Alahan Panjang about 70 kilometers or two hours drive from Padang. You must drive up to Lake Dibawah and you have to drive down to Lake Diatas.

Prior to the site, find the real beauty of tea plantation and can be witnessed a group of the young ladies plucking the tea leaf excitedly at the plantation in the right and left of main road.

The lake an altitude of about 1000 meter above sea level and are in the late afternoon usually covered by thick mist.

Talang Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:28:00 -0700

Talang Lake tourism object that located in Lembang Jaya districts is state ± 2 Km of the twin lakes (Diatas Lake and Dibawah Lake). The Lakes that located about 1.400 m of sea level is state between the cool and fresh hills with fruits and vegetables fields.

The nature lover who likes to hiking, the small lake with about 1,9 Ha width, that actually is one of the two of Mount Talang Purba crater, can reach by foot from Alahan Panjang or the twin lakes in one hour walking.

Payakumbuh

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:25:00 -0700

Payakumbuh, 26 kms away Bukittinggi is known for the Galamai, a kind of Sweetmeat, and for traditional horse race. The area also a large number of grand traditional houses which can be found especially at Koto Nan Ampek, Taram and Koto Nan Gadang.

Harau Valley

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:25:00 -0700

Further on road, near Suliki is the renowed Harau Valley, located at the distance of 14 kms from Payakumbuh. This green valley enclosed by perpendicular grand walls of many colour as 100-200 meters high. Three water falls - Sarasah Bunta, Sarasah Murai, and Sarasah Aka Barayun - disgorge their water down the cliffs onto the valley. This valley is a nature and wildlife reserve.

Kelok Nona

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:24:00 -0700

The old main road that linked Riau to West Sumatra has a number of accident prone areas, including some deadly bends. The 185km road linking Payakumbuh, West Sumatra and Pekanbaru, Riau, takes about 4.5 hours at above average speeds without stopping or about five hours at normal speed. Among the bends which are particularly well known among drivers are the Kelok Sembilan and the Kelok Nona. While the Kelok Sembilan is famous for its view and difficulty level, the Kelok Nona is famous for the many different versions of the mysterious story associated with it.

Just at the Kelok Nona bend is a grave which appears to be a Chinese grave. According to the story, which has spread from one person to another, a young Chinese girl is buried there. It's hard to say exactly when the even took place. But one version of the story is that in the 1950's when the Payakumbuh-Pekanbaru road was still in very poor condition, a Chinese girl and her father were traveling in a private car together with their driver. The car broke down and the father decided to travel 125 kms to Pekanbaru to buy spare parts. This would have taken more than a day because he would have to wait in line with other ferry passengers to cross Rantau Berangin and Lake Bingkuang.

According to this version of the story, while waiting for her father to return, the girls was raped by the driver. Unable to bear the shame, she decided to take her life. Because of the difficulties in communication at that time, the girl was buried on the spot. The white grave stone has attracted the attention of anyone traveling among this road.

But now the Kelok Nona remains only as a memory, since the stretch of road from the Lubang Kalam tunnel to Rantau Berangin and Mangilang has been obliterated, due to the construction of the Kota Panjang hydroelectric dam. The entire Tanjung Balit area and all of its dzzying bends has now been submerged in water.

Kelok 9

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:22:00 -0700

Palupuh

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:20:00 -0700

Palupuh is about 32 kms on the north of Bukittinggi on the way to Rimbo Panti Preserve.
The giant flower (Rafflesia Arnoldi) can be found in this area. The name taken from an English Governor General, Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles and DR. Joseph Arnold who found this flower at 20 May 1818 in South Bengkulu. Diameter of this flower is 40-50 cms, with red colour and make this province more colourful and attractive.

Roots Bridge in Painan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:19:00 -0700

The most unique travel object in West Sumatra is Roots Bridge in Painan, about 54 kms from Padang or 17 kms from Painan the capital town of Pesisir Selatan regency.