West Sumatra- Adventure Travel

With Air Asia flying into Padang and flights from Jakarta daily it is easier than ever to discover the vast beauty of West Sumatra and while everyone else hot foots it to Bali on the heels of Eat Pray Love why not take a trip into the real Indonesia. Experience the breath taking locations from islands to mountains and partake of the food that is famous Indonesia wide, the truly authentic Indonesian Makasan Padang.

Situated along the Pacific Rim West Sumatra has a tropical equatorial climate that yields lush green rice terraces and misty mountains, rivers that rush through jungle scenery, verdant flora and a clear fresh air that allows visitors to really breathe. With the Mentawai Islands just off the coast it is tempting to head straight off to the jungle to surf but to discover the homeland of the Minangkabau is to step back into a timeless land of rural splendor.

Padang

This pretty university town is laid back with tree-lined avenues, pretty Dutch colonial buildings and an enchanting Chinese quarter. Along the river the working harbor is lively with craft and along the beachfront the Taman Buddy Cultural Centre has recently re-opened after the destruction caused by the 2009 earthquake. Any day spent in Padang can be pleasantly wiled away by water drinking cool fresh coconuts and unearthing Padang's gentile charm is part of the magic of Sumatra Barat.

Padang food deserves it reputation as the most flavorsome cuisine of Indonesia with redang, beef or buffalo, simmered in coconut milk, its most famous dish. Other dishes include eggs wrapped in a fish pancake, banana leaf cooked lake fish and sweet rice in coconut milk. Fruits are plentiful here and the fresh tamarillos, in abundance after harvest season in July, are juiced and drunk fresh with sweetened milk or just ice. There is also a local hot milk specialty that is flavored with fresh squeezed ginger juice, tiny pearls of agar and green beans that makes the perfect nightcap after a day on the road.

Pandang cuisine has no menu, dishes are served with steaming plates of rice, spicy sambals of fresh chilies and bitter gourds and as many sauces as you need to compliment your chosen dishes. Vegetables are often served free as are the rice and the sambal and you pay for what you eat for the meat, fish and poultry dishes, cheap eats if you happen to be an accompanying vegetarian!

Maninjau

From the city of Pandang it is a decent three-hour bus ride along the coast past attractive scenery followed by a gentle ascent into the hills to reach the expansive lake town of Maninjau. Nestled in a volcanic crater the lakes' placid surface stretches almost twenty kilometers and at only about half as wide the perspective it gives, showcasing in various lights of day the dramatic rise of the crater rim, creates a Shangri-La effect. Small lakeside hamlets hug the shores, some with small guests house perched at waters edge, others with more up market resorts and all modern amenities, including quite surprisingly wi-fi. Although the vibe is quiet and restful there is much to be done for the more active with trekking, hiking and cycling options available from most guesthouses and all the hotels.

Sunset on the lake is a superb time to be lazing in a boat before enjoying a "home" cooked meal of the banana leaf wrapped lake fish and a cool drink.

Maninjau is a perfect three-day chill out location, and although you may be tempted to stay longer the challenge of Bukittinggi awaits.

Bukittinggi.

From Maninjau travel the hairpin rod, where 44 sharp turns are counted but none of the less acute. Monkeys lurk on the roadsides, but without the opportunistic avarice of their Balinese cousins and at each breathtaking bend a view that demands a photo stop beckons as you climb higher and higher. Road etiquette is good and oncoming, down-coming and approaching drivers use their horns to warn of their presence. Bukittinggi captures the sort of atmosphere people tell you disappeared years ago, with mountain peaks and a huge clock in the centre of town it retains the old colonial feel of a hill station and with tours, local markets and trekking trails it is easy to slip into adventure mode and shake off the pressure of modern living to just take a hike into the hills and think a bit more simply.

West Sumatra is a destination for those who wish have a vacation that provokes a little bit more stirring of the sturdy human spirit. It can be slightly challenging, but if you are feeling a little jaded by the beach and the bars why not take the initiative and find out for yourself what none of the tourist brochures are selling.

The Sumatran Earthquake of 2009

In September 2009 West Sumatra was rocked by a strong earthquake that left many areas devastated, and, due to its location on the Pacific Rim, it will always remain vulnerable to seismic activity. Much has been done to rebuild and repair and visitors to the area are advised to avail themselves of earthquake safety information. It is also possible to assist in the rebuilding efforts by visiting http://idepfoundation.org/newsletter/padang-quake/