Houses in Banten ©paulzpicz/Flick

Banten was once an important seaport center, its power was similar to the Mataram Empire of Central Java, but today is only a fishing village with a bright past. Serang is the capital of the Banten Province. Old Banten is one of the most famous historical sites and lies at only 10 kilometers from Serang.

Many archaeological remains keep the memories of the Islamic Banten Kingdom of the 16^th-18^th century. We are going to present some famous historical and cultural tourist attractions in Banten.

The Dutch landed first at Banten for commercial purposes. Only a few relics remained that are showing the grateness of the Banten Kingdom, but you will still found the remains of the strong Muslim kingdoms, of the Surosowan and the Kaiba palaces, The Great Mosque of Banten (1599), a Dutch fort and an ancient Chinese temple. Old Banten was once the capital of the Republic of Indonesia.

Fishing boats resting ©Bambang Suryobroto/Flick

The Surosowaan palace

The Keraton Surosowan or the Surosowaan is an important historical attraction in Banten and it was built during the reign of Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin (1525 – 1552). Most of the buildings have been completely or partially destroyed. The best preserved building is the fort wall that is surrounding the remains of the monuments. The old maps attest that in the past the palace was surrounded by a moat. It is said that in those days it was used by small vessels and on the channels they could even reach the sea.

The Archaeological Site of Old Banten

The Tasikardi Lake is located near the village of Margasana in the Kramatwatu district and belongs to the Archaeological Site of Old Banten. It is about 5 hectares and in the middle of the lake is a square shaped island. The water of the Tasikardi was used to irrigate the rice fields and was also fed the water network of the Surosawan Palace.

The Speelwijk Fort

The Speelwijk Fort is an other historical tourist attraction in Banten and it is located at Kampung Pamarican, near the Banten Bay. It was a fortress of the Banten Sultanate until the Dutch occupied it.

The Speelwijk Fort ©sektordua/Flick

The Bojong Tower

The Bojong Tower is an 18 storey, 75.7 meter high lighthouse built by the Dutch in 1885 near Anyer Kidul. Lies on the line of the famous Daendles mail trail of ome thousand kilometers, which connected Anyer and Panarukan in East Java from 1811.

The traditional communities of Badu

The traditional communities of Badu are living in the Leba regency on a land of 5101 hectares. It is and interesting cultural tourist attraction. Their area consists of two parts: the area of the outer and the inner Badu ethnic groups, where the natives live in harmony with nature, resisting to the modern way of life.

Folk art communities

Taman Jaya is the residence of a wood carver community, and it is located in the neighborhood of the Ujung Kulon National Park.

The Regency of Rangkasbitung Lebak is the center of souvenirs made of opal (batu kali maya) and onyx.

Bumi Jaya in the Serang Regency is famous of its various export-quality works of pottery.

Houses in Banten ©paulzpicz/Flick

Shopping and fun

It is worth exploring Indonesia’s richest shopping malls in Tangerang and Cilegon.
There are 11 golf and a speedway tracks in the vicinity of Banten. The luxury category here means 18 holes and first-class service.

Accommodation in Lampung ©grahamhills/Flick

The ancient Chinese travel literature refers to a southern region of Sumatra, which they call as Lamphung, or the place where the southern winds blow.

The Lampung Province in Indonesia is mostly flat, the highest mountains there are the Gunung Pesagi, the Tanggamas, the Seminiung, the Sekincau and the Raya, all of them being dormant volcanoes.

Bandar Lampung is the provincial capital and originally consisted of two cities: Tanjungkarang and the harbor of Teluk Betung.

They where covered in volcanic ash during the famous eruption of the Krakatau. After the reconstruction of the two cities they were united.

Approaching the Lampung Province

Internal flights come to the Lampung Province in Indonesia every day from the city of Jakarta. The Rajabasa bus station is one of the busiest stations in Sumatra, buses are arriving and departing almost constantly. The trip from the city of Jakarta takes 8 hours, this also including the ferry trip for crossing the Sunda Strait between Merak in Java and Bakaheuni in Sumatra. From Palembang are arriving three trains during a day.

Ranau Lake in Lampung ©nilamss/Flick

Turist attractions in the Lampung Province

The Memorial and the Museum of Krakatau

If you are traveling to the Lampung Province in Indonesia you should visit the memorial of the eruption of the Krakatau Volcano and the Krakatau museum in Bandar Lampung.

The Island of Krakatau

The Island of Krakatau is populated and it is located on the southern part of the Lampung Bay. It can be reached by boat from the fishing village of Canti that lies near Kalinda in the southern part of Lampung. The boat trip takes three hours. The Anak Krakatau (or the child of Krakatau) Volcano is still growing. It emerged from the sea for the first time in 1928, after 45 years of the eruption of the large original volcano, which took place in 1883.

The Anak Krakatau Volcano ©buitenzorger/Flick

Various ancient artifacts

In the Lampung Province in Indonesia lies the archeological site of Pugung, in the village of Pugung Raharjo, at 40 km to north-east from Bandar Lampung you can see megaliths and some artifacts from the ancient times besides the artifact groups from the classical Hindu-Buddhist era.

The Merak Belantung Beach

The Merak Belantung Beach is located at 40 km to the south from Bandar Lampung, on the way to the harbor of Bekauheni and it is and ideal place for bathing and surfing. On this beautiful beach of the Lampung Province you will find villas that are available for rent.

Accommodation in Lampung ©grahamhills/Flick

Marlborough Fort in Bengkulu ©a_rabin/Flick

The seaside seat of the Bengkulu Province was formerly known as Bencoolen.

This is the place where Sir Stamford Raffl first came to Indonesia and the remains of the ​British influence can still be found in the area.

The main product of the region is the pepper, the coffee, the nutmeg and the sugar cane. The most exciting natural attraction is the huge exotic flower of Rafflesia arnoldii.

The Bengkulu Province can be reached very easily on the land, on the sea and through the air transport.

Regular buses are going towards the province from the city of Medan, Padang and Jakarta. Internal shipping services with departures from Jakarta, Padang and Medan also stop in the Bengkulu Baai harbor. There are three flight arrivals and departures a day.

Bengkulu Airport ©sbamueller/Flick

The Tikus Island

The Tikus Island is an excellent place for fishing and snorkeling. The visitors are transported here with motor boats from the old harbour of Bengkulu.

The Marlborough Fort

The Marlborough Fort, also known as the British Fort or the Raffles Fort was built between the years 1714 and 1719, and it is famous of the fact that it was the second strongest English fortress in Asia (the first was the George Fort in Madras, India). Since the completion of the restoration it can be visited by the public.

Marlborough Fort in Bengkulu ©a_rabin/Flick

The Enggano Island

The Enggano Island is covered with dense rainforest, and has a large number of buffalos, pigs and cattles. The natives lived here in almost complete isolation for many centuries, therefor they have a still living traditional culture today. One of the most popular form of traditional art is the Enganno dance. The island can be reached from the harbor of Baai or the harbor of Bintuhan.

The Bukit Kaba volcano

The crater of the Bukit Kaba volcano is located at 104 km from Bengkulu and at 19 km from Curup at a height of 1937 m above sea level. It has two huge sulfur calderas with 12 active craters. If you spend some days in this great resting place you will enjoy the  wonderful panoramic view and the cool mountain air. In Suban, next to Curup hot springs await those who come for relaxation.

Hotel in Bengkulu ©sbamueller/Flick

The residence of Soekarno

The first President of Indonesia was exiled by the Dutch in 1938 to Bengkulu. Its former location of detention is today a museum containing his books, clothes, photos, and his bike as well. The museum can be visited in weekdays between 8 am and 11 am and on Saturday between 8 am and 12 am.

Soerkano ©a_rabin/Flick

Lighthouse of the Lengkuas Island ©j3ffm4n/Flick

The Bangka Belitung province is an archipelago with an area of ​​nearly 82 thousand square kilometers, of which 16 thousand km2 is land, 65 thousand km2 is water and the rest is sea cliff. The two biggest island of the archipelago are Bangka and Belitung that are surrounded by 254 small islands with a total coastline length of 1200 km. A province has seven districts.

Bangka is the largest tin producer of Indonesia but is also famous for the white pepper that is grown here. Because of the ecosystem of the archipelago, the proportion of land and sea areas, Bangka Belitung is perfect location for a seaside retreat including diving, fishing and sailing.

Real natural environment

The Belitung Island has remained in a natural and uneffected condition, so visitors should be prepared to adaptation, self-sufficiency and an adventurous trip. You should equip yourself with a swimsuit, diving equipment, medications, toiletry kit, sun glasses, sun cream before you leave from home.

Small island in Bangka Belitung ©j3ffm4n/Flick

The city of Tanjung Pandan

In Tanjung Pandan is the headquarter of the Babel Province and it is surrounded by a small wetland, but you will also find high plateau with an average height of 150-200 meters. The area is the second-largest tin deposits of Indonesia.

The town of Manggar and the surrounding beaches

The town of Manggar is located at about 90 km from Tanjung Pandan and its most important economic activity is the tin mining. There are many beautiful a places in the area that the tourist should visit, as the Serdang coast, the Burung Mandi beach, the Malang Lepau beach, the Pengepangan beach, the Tirta Surya natural swimming pool, the Paya Lake and the Kwan In Chinese Church.

Bankga Belitung in the morning ©Moonstar Simanjuntak/Flick

The Matras and Parai Tenggiri Beach lies in the northeastern part of Bangka at 48 km from Pangkal Pinang and at 12 km from Sungai Liat. The Matras beach is approximately 3 km long and nearly 30 meters wide. The Parai beach is surrounded by cliffs and is an ideal place for relaxing and swimming. The local fishermen pull out their boat there at the end of a fishing day transforming the area into a picturesque fishing village.

The Remodong beach on the west coast of North Bangka is great place to watch the sunset. The tourism infrastructure is well developed here as well.

The Menumbung Hill

The Menumbung Hill (355 m) is the highest mountin of the area of Mentok in the North West of Bangka area and is one of the key places of the Indonesian history. The Duch built there a guest house in 1932 where president Soekarno and vice president Hatta were held captive from the February until the July of the year 1949.

The lighthouse of the Lengkuas Island ©j3ffm4n/Flick

Temple in Jambi ©elonoir/Flick

The Jambi Province in Indonesia has an area of ​​5.343.700 hectares, it is divided in 9 regencies and has a provincial capital. It has a varied topography, the eastern part is mostly plain, the western part has many mountains. The latter is particularly true in the Kerinci Regency.

The rich natural resources and the biodiversity is represented by four national parks and each has a unique flora and fauna.

In the following we will present the most important tourist attractions of the Jambi Province.

View of Jambi from Mount Kerinci ©paulzpicz/Flick

Workshops

The Batik and Handicraft Workshop lies at one and a half kilometers of the city center of Jambi. It is the center of the traditional batik and the braided works of women and the center of agate masonry in Jambi Province.

The Seblat National Park

The Seblat National Park in Kerinci lies at the Bukit Barisan mountain range and has an area of almost one and a half million acres. It is the homeland of many types of animals: elephants, Sumatran tigers, Sumatran rhinos, tapirs, leopards, deers, wild goats, monkeys, crocodiles, birds and reptiles.

Mount Kerinci

Mount Kerinci in Jambi Province is the highest mountain in Sumatra and is very popular among climbers.  Kersik Tuo near Kayu Aro is a village at the foot of the mouintain and is the base of the climbers. The climbing season lasts from January to October. The simplest way to get there is to go from Padang , the capital of West Sumatra to Sungai Penuh (Kerinci regency) that is 278 km, 7-8 hours drive. Another route leads from Padang directly to Keresik Tuo that is 211 km, 5-6 hour trip.

Mount Kerinci in Jambi ©sutrebor/Flick

The Kerinci Lake

The Kerinci Lake is located at about 20 km from Sungai Penuh that is the center of the Kerinci  regency. It is very popular among tourists because of the beautiful panorama. Along the lake you will find hotels and restaurants.

The Bukit Duabelas Nature Reserve

The Bukit Duabelas Nature Reserve is located in the Pauh district of Jambi Province at 60 km from Bangko, the center of the Sarolangun Bangko Regency. It has an area of ​​28 703 hectares, and is the home of deers, monkeys, bears, wild boars, elephants, snakes, iguanas and many kinds of birds. Small lakes and streams are found in the area, the latter flow into the Batanghari River. In the area of the nature reserve lives the kubu (anak dalam) ethnic group with around one thousand souls.

The Muara Jambi Temple

The Muara Jambi Temple is located at 30 km to north-east from Jambi at the bank of the Batanghari River. On the island of Sumatra it is considered to be one of the richest archaeological sites. The eight temple-like building structures remind us of Buddhist architecture. They were probably built in the 14^th century. In 1982 a 32 cm tall bronze women figure was found at Koto Kandis. It is probably the representation of goddess Lakshmi as she holds a lotus bud in her right hand, an oil candle holder in her left hand. Beside of its famous archaeological curiosities the river bank is a famous resort and trip place as well.

Temple in Jambi ©elonoir/Flick

Ampera bridge in Palembang, South Sumatra ©oyi kresnamurti/Flick

One of the most important kingdoms of the Indonesian history, the Buddhist Sriwijaya Empire flourished along the Musi River in South Sumatra for over a thousand years ago.

It is located at the south of the mighty Bukit Barisan mountain, in the southern edge of the South China Sea that is one of the busiest in the world, close to the shipping lane linking the Far East with Europe.

We could say many more this of this land, but today we will present you the most important tourist attractions of South Sumatra.

Natural attractions in South Sumatra

The Ranau Lake is located at 125 kilometers from Baturaja. Hills and valleys are surrounding the ​​the lake with a 8×16 km area at the foot of the Seminung Hill.

Ranau Lake ©nilamss/Flick

The Curup Tenang waterfall lies at a two hours drive from Palembang. There are a series of waterfalls and rivers in the area. A waterfall has a height of 90 meters and a deep water basin.

The Putri Padang cave is located next to the Windu village, at 35 kilometers from Baturaja. It is 156 meters long and 8-20 meters wide, with a maximum height of 20 meters. This stalagmite cave is an interesting tourist attraction and also has a brook that flows into the Ogan River.

The Sembilang National Park is a 45 000 hectare wild reserve. This famous tourist attraction of South Sumatra has various birds, two types of Sumatran crocodiles and you will also find here the eastern humpback dolphin.

From the Dempo Hill you have a beautiful view of the Pagar Alam tea plantations. The Dempo is the highest peak in South Sumatra. From Palembangyou can get there in six hours by car (295 km).

Tea plantation near the Dempo Mountain ©a_rabin/Flick

Special buildings in South Sumatra

The Limas traditional houses were built near the river, but with the back to the water so the family life can be undisturbed. These very ornate wooden buildings are staying on stilts, they are 15-20 meters wide and 30-60 meters long. The columns, the door and window frames are richly carved.

The Regional Museum is one of the most important tourist attractions of South Sumatra. It is located at five kilometers from the airport. It is worth visiting, it has an exhibition with more than two thousand archeological artifacts.

Other tourist attractions in South Sumatra

Megaliths can be found around the village of Tanjung Aro that lies at 67 km from the city of Lahad and and at the village of Tinggi Hari located at 11 km from Lahatt. In Tebing Tinggiben can be seen a huge miller stone.

The Ampera bridge connects the two halves of the city of Palembang. Every good Palembang sightseeing includes a boat trip. The crowded floating market, the  moments of the traditional life will be unforgettable experience for visitors.

Ampera bridge in Palembang, South Sumatra ©oyi kresnamurti/Flick

Natuna Islands in Indonesia © a_rabin/Flick

The Riau Archipelago or the Riau Islands were part of the Riau Regency until 2004, but then it was split off and formed a separate province. The center of the Riau Archipelago is Tanjung Pinang and includes more than 3000 beautiful islands. We already presented the western side of the Riau Archipelago, which includes the majority of the population, but today we would like to present the Tudjuh Archipelago covering the Western part of the Riau Archipelago, which is formed by four separate areas: the Anambas Islands, the Natuna Islands, the Tambelan Islands and the Badas Islands. The latters were recently added to Riau.

The Anambas Islands

The Anambas Islands lie in the South China Sea between Malaysia and Borneo. The most famous island of the archipelago are: Pulau Bawah, Matak, Siantan (Terempa), Mubur, Jermaja and Kiabu (Airabu). The Anambas Archipelago is famous of two things: natural gas and a spectacular coastline. The Matak Island now serves as a base for offshore oil exploration. The island is surrounded by colorful coral reefs and the water in full of colored fishes. The Anamas Islands is a perfect detination for those who love snorkeling and scuba diving.

Anambas Islands in Indonesia © a_rabin/Flick

The Natuna Islands

The Natuna Archipelago is part of the huge Riau Archipelago and administratively is divided into three parts: North Natuna, Middle Natuna and South Natuna. It has 272 islands with many birds, a stunning landscape and beautiful coral reefs. It is also popular among surfers.

Natuna Islands in Indonesia © a_rabin/Flick

The Tambelan Islands

The Tambelan Island is located at 200 km from Tanjung Pinang. It has only six villages and they are far from each other. The population consists of 4,000 people. Therefore the natural environment in untouched and the landscape is stunning. One of the most interesting natural attractions are the egg-laying turtles. Because of the small number of inhabitants, there are more turtles on the island than men. The egg-laying sites of the Island is also guarded by the locals.

Tambelan from the ship window ©Irayani Queencyputri/Flick

The Badas Islands

The Badas Islands are also known as the Badas Eilanden, Kepulauan Badas, Pulau-pulau Badas, Saint Esprit Islands and Watas Eilanden. This Archipelago was recently attached to the other members of the Tudjuh Archipelago. The Anakawur Island lies in the southernmost part of the Badas Islands. The eastsouthest island of the archipelago is the Pejamu island that has a very dense forest. The biggest island of the group is the Kephalang Island and this is also the northernmost one. None of them are characterized by sandy beaches, but allof them have at least one beautiful beach for those who would like to enjoy the sand and the stunning water.

Bintan Regency ©modery/Flick

The Riau Archipelago, with its center at Tanjung Pinang, has many potential tourist attractions as beautiful beaches or other cultural places.

The archipelago lies at the junction of the oldest and busiest maritime trade routes. It is an ideal business or commercial destination. In the past the Riau Archipelago was inhabited by the so called sea gypsies, they were wandering in the rich mangrove forests and on its waterways. Besides of this in the 16^th century the Sultan of Malakka found refuge from the Portuguese army there.

Some of the Riau Islands are located very close to the Island of Sumatra, and some of them lie a little more far to the east. Because it has so many tourist attractions, we would like to present you only a part of it, the Western Riau Islands.

Tanjung Pinang

Tanjung Pinang is a busy town on the island of Bintan, today is the center of the Riau Islands. The city museum lies on the Katamso street. The old town has traditional houses typically built on stilts and located above the water. The town is at 10 km from the airport, but is also has two harbours: Sri Bintan Pura in Tanjung Pinang and Sri Bayintan in Kijang. From Tanjung Pinang you can reach Pekanbaru and Natuna with plane.

The harbor of Tanjung Pinang ©phalinn/Flick

The Batam Archipelago

Batam Island has a strategic importance from industrial, commercial and tourist point of view. It is also close to Singapore. The Nongsa resort complex has international hotel chains with four golf courses, yacht harbor and protected forests. From Tanjung Pinang takes two hours by ferry, but from Singapore takes only half an hour.

Pulau Penyengat is one of the Western Riau Islands in the Batam Archipelago that was full of bees when it was discovered, this is why it is called “Pungent Island”. It lies at 6 km from Tanjung Pinang that is a trip of 15 minutes. It was the seat of the powerful Riau Bugis viceroys and we can still find there the memories of this illustrious past. There have been found ruins that have been forgotten for 700 years, but were recently excavated and restored. The old royal palace and the royal tombs are relics of the Sultanate of Riau. The Viceroy’s Mosque, the Mesjid Raya is still in use.

The tombs of two Riau kings ©a_rabin/Flick

The Karimun Regency

The Karimun Island in one of the most important members of the Riau Archipelago because its dynamic economic development and its proximity to Singapore. Tanjungbalai Karimun is a medium-sized city with a large Chinese community. The shops offer a variety of import goods. The city lies along the shipping route between the Strait of Malacca and Singapore and an international ferry service connects it with Malaysia and Singapore. Near the Islands of Mapor, Abang, Pompong, Balang and Tanjung Berkait are sea gardens with beautiful corals and fishes.

The Bintan Regency

The Trikora Coast lies at 40 km to the south from Tanjung Pinang, on the east part of the island. Other beautiful beaches in the area can be found on the Terkulai and Soreh Islands that can be reached in one hour by boat.

Bintan Regency ©modery/Flick

The Lingga Islands

Daiki might be a small town, but has many historical monuments dating from the era of the Lingga Kingdom of Riau. The village can be reached by motor boat from Tanjung Pinang. The Lingga Islands are characterized by a variety of unique tropical plants and marine fishes. The Daik Mountain is an interesting sight with its triple peak.

A motor boat trip around the Senayang Island can be really exciting. Real adventures await the visitors of this region, because there are many islands around Senayang, so it is easy to make some excellent trips including biking, walking, swimming, snorkeling and deep sea diving.

Muara Takus temple in Riau ©AnakMelayuRiau/Flick

Riau is an Indonesian province that includes the major area of East Sumatra.

The inhabitants of Riau are part of the Malay ethnic group, and this is the source area of the Indonesian Malay-based national language. The first Malaysian grammar book, the Bustanul Katibin was also released there in 1857.

Pekanbaru became the capital city of the province in 1959, taking over this role from Tanjung Pinang on the Island of Bintan.

Traditional houses

If you travel about 160 km along the Siak River you will find more typical, traditional-style house in the cites and in the surrounding area including Balai Dang Merdu, Balai Adat and the Taman Budaya Riau (Riau National Park). These are some beautiful tourist attractions in Riau.

Traditional house in Riau ©fitri.agung/Flick

Kerumutan Nature Reserve

The Kerumutan Nature Reserve is situated in the Kuala Kampar district. The trip from Pekanbaru to the 120,000-acre nature reserve takes 18 hours by Motor boat.

Bono on the Rokan River

Bono is a strange natural phenomenon, which can be seen on the Rokan River in the Kampar district every day.  It is a very interesting tourist attraction. At the beginnig of the tide a swelling is formed at the mouth of the river in the water. The mass of the water in growing accompanied with a rumbling noise until the height of a small tree is reached, and whirling moving up on the river. Over the time starts to become smaller and smaller until it eventually disappears.

Waterfall on the Rokan River in Riau ©fitri.agung/Flick

Duma in Riau

Duma was previously a small fishing village on the east coast, today is a huge oil terminal. Containers and other modern buildings are rising everywhere, but the village remained a pleasant and interesting place.

Moorish palace

In the Park of the Siak Sultanate you can see the Moorish palace of Syarif Hasyim Abdul Jalil Syarifuddin sultane that was built in 1889. The museum and the power symbols and other objects of historic importance can be seen in the museum lying at 120 km from Pekanbaru on the river.

Muara Takus temple

The Muara Takus temple is a stupa made from red brick and sand as the other similar buildings in Sumatra. You will find this tourist attraction in the village of Muara Takus in the Tigabelas Koto district. It was built probably back in the 9th century in the glourious time of the the South Sumatran Sriwijaya Empire. Excavations are still ongoing in the area to determine the exact age of the stupa and its functional purpuse. You will find it at a distance of 118 km from Pekanbaru.

Muara Takus temple in Riau ©AnakMelayuRiau/Flick

Ngarai Sianok in West Sumatra ©bleublogger/Flick

The plateau of West Sumatra is surrounded by the Bukit Barisan mountain chain. It has intact jungles with elephants, tigers, leopards and rhinos.

Most of the visitors of the country are attracted by these magnificent natural places.

Today we would like to present the most beautiful natural areas in West Sumatra that include mountains canyons and caves, majestic countryside, natural parks and reservation areas. If you will visit West Sumatra, you will surely be enchanted by nature.

Mountains and lookouts in West Sumatra

The tea plantations on the Talang Mountain are located at 35 km from Padang. The Talang with a height of 2572 meters is one of the highest mountains in the area. You have a magnificent view of the twin lakes and of the Singkarak Lake.

Mount Talang in West Sumatra ©ctrl z a.k.a rahma/Flick

The Ngalau Indah Cave lies deep in the hillside and can be reached during a trip from Bukittinggi to Payakumbuh. It is the home of thousands of bats; the entrance reminds us of an elephant’s head. The routes of the cave lead to the mountain top where we have a wide panoramic view of the beautiful natural areas of West Sumatra.

Tabea Patah is located at 30 km from Batusangkar. From the lookout at the feet of the mountains you have a beautiful view of the majestic Minangkabau countryside.

The Ngarai Sianok is a canyon at 4 km from Bukittinggi. It is a steep, colorful canyon, between 100 meters high cliffs. The Japanese made several caves and tunnels during the Second World War. A path leads to the Koto Gadang settlement that is famous for its embroideries and works of fine silver.

Ngarai Sianok in West Sumatra ©bleublogger/Flick

National parks and nature reserves

Batang Palupuah lies at 12 km from Bukittinggi and it is the hiding place of the mighty Rafflesia arnoldii flower, which is blooming once a year in November. Brochures are available at the office of the Reserve.

The Rimbo Panti Natural Reserve is located on the road to Medan, at 108 km from Bukittinggi. There are many types of monkeys and black panthers.

The Bung Hatta Arboretum lies at 15 km from Padang and it is formerly known as the Setya Mulya Botanical Garden. Here you can also see the Rafflesia arnoldii.

The Rafflesia arnoldii flower ©Antoine Hubert/Flick

The Harau Valley is a beautiful natural area in West Sumatra and is located at 15 km to north-east from Payakumbuh. This 315-acre large, richly fertile valley is surrounded by 100 -200 meter high granite walls. It is a Nature and Wildlife Reserve, it is the home of wild goats and tigers.

The Siberut National Park can be reached by scheduled ferry, which departs three times a week during the night from Padang (Muara Padang) and arrives to the Muara Siberut/Muara Sikabaluan/Muara Saibi port. The trip takes about ten hours. The express ferry departs on every Thursday morning from Padang to Tuapejat (Sipora Island), and then to the south of the island of Siberut, that is reached in only four hours.