Padang, West Sumatra—Indonesia’s Undiscovered Gem

Having previously experienced Indonesia via a 1988 backpacking romp through Bali’s early-stage wildness and a 1998 trek across tribal Irian Jaya, I knew of Indonesia’s diversity with its incredible 17,000 islands. Sumatra, the world’s sixth-largest island, eluded me until I landed in West Sumatra, a region overlooked by most travelers, to experience its priority of preserving and celebrating nature. Although I surely hit plenty of hotspots, highlights included observing and partaking in the daily life of West Sumatrans on its tropical Indian Ocean coastline, remote islands, and up in its much cooler highlands.

Get to Know the West Sumatrans in Indonesia

West Sumatrans are highly social, enjoy music, and love to sing and share meals together. Like all Indonesians, they are earnest people of prayer. Here, life comes to visit you, as does the amazing cuisine. I’ve been traveling to Southeast Asia for 35 years and have always experienced stomach issues, but not once did I experience any digestive dilemmas in this part of the country, even though I ate mostly local and tried every variety of spicy foods. Palm and coconut oils make their way into most recipes. Food safety, like manners and goodwill, is a priority here.

The region’s ever-present, often-stunning mosques and women wearing hijabs serve as a reminder that Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim country. Religion here, however, is not a source of tension, at least from a visitor’s perspective.

From backpacking pads to bucolic five-star hotels, the country’s combination of islands, hundreds of miles of mainland coastline, and mountainous highlands means never running out of interesting options. Engaging in meaningful conversations with locals is simple and fun here. If you do need a conversation starter, this one comes in handy: Did you know that Eddie Van Halen’s mother was Indonesian?

The view from Padang’s Iconic Siti Nurbaya Bridge Photo: Bruce Northam

West Sumatra’s Charms

Australians and Europeans, particularly, are more familiar with West Sumatra’s charms, while Americans tend to be in the dark about this destination. Here, a very affordable guide or fixer helps enhance your experience. As it goes with Islam, there’s very little boozing going on in West Sumatra, but the guys surely dig their cigarettes.

Many parts of Sumatra’s coastline and interior are primarily mountainous, which creates endless winding rural roads. West Sumatra is an incredibly diverse land, both culturally and geographically. All journeys here originate from Padang, West Sumatra’s urban center and transport hub.

Padang – A Diamond in the Rough

A bit of a diamond-in-the-rough but still captivating, Padang, on Sumatra, Indonesia’s west coast, is a university town, an undiscovered foodie haven, and an ace basecamp for adventures in the surrounding jungles, fishing villages, tropical beaches, scenic restaurants, and nearby islands.

Unlike what most people would think about a Muslim country, West Sumatra sustains a matriarchal society. Money and property transfer from mothers to daughters. The dudes’ main job here is keeping everyone safe—and cutting hair. I stayed in a woman-owned hotel in Padang.

Downtown Padang Beach’s main drag boasts a great place for sunsets sinking behind offshore islands and into the Indian Ocean. Padang’s populace loves sunsets and heads to the beach every evening for the occasion. Padang’s three-mile-long sunset strip might be a tad worn. But, it showcases Indonesia’s enduring charm and energy. Here, there’s plenty to do, and most of it is affordable.

Padang’s Cuisine

Indonesians from other parts of the country rave about Padang’s cuisine. The sprawling Padang Market displays endless displays of the base seasonings for Padang cooking: green and red chili, turmeric paste, mashed ginger and garlic, smashed onion, and more. The marketplace sits adjacent to Padang’s 375-year-old Dutch-colonial old town, where plenty of more fun hides.

Lamun Ombak (“thinking about waves”) is a family style. Here, plates of offerings like the famed spicy coconut-milk-stewed beef rendang are placed on your table so you can choose what you like, similar to a pay-what-you-eat buffet style, but only for your table. The lineup includes many varieties of meat and fish, vegetables, and, of course, chicken satay. Most Indonesians eat with their hands.

The iconic Siti Nurbaya Bridge provides an ideal place to start comprehending this river-flanking city. Batnarrow, an intriguing riverside restaurant and beer garden in a repurposed Dutch colonial factory, is a must. Later at night, it morphs into a DJ-hosted club scene. The live music venue, Angel’s Wing, features sensational local bands.

Where to Stay: Pangeran Beach Hotel

The Pangeran Beach Hotel is Ideal for Exploring Padang Photo: Bruce Northam

I stayed at the pleasant and comfortable six-story Pangeran Beach Hotel. The huge lobby features two restaurants where you can indulge in Padang’s world-renowned cuisine—one restaurant and lounge offers an international menu and quality live entertainment nightly. The lounge hosts acoustic duos showcasing the locals’ beautiful voices. Here, talented chefs transform locally sourced ingredients into regional and western-style favorites; Padang’s sprawling open-air market is down the street.

The hotel, ideally located to explore Padang, has 181 rooms with five different room and suite types, many overlooking the Indian Ocean and its fabulous sunsets. I sensed this lively family-style hotel is a rock of the community, where locals and visitors meet to discuss business or laugh about life. A large outdoor pool with a poolside café separates you from their Indian Ocean beachfront. The always helpful staff glows with genuine Minangkabau hospitality, and the hotel is an ideal retreat to access the radiant culture and natural marvels of the wider region. The hotel’s world-class offerings include transportation options, fitness and business centers, and a convention hall with adjacent meeting rooms. This safe and charming getaway lets tradition meet wellness.

Celebrations Abound in Indonesia

Indonesians love to celebrate myriad occasions and dress brightly for them. Tenunan Pandai Siket Yunarts AR is a traditional Minangkabau cotton-silk weaving center where you can witness the hand-woven thread-by-thread process. Family run for 40 years, you’ll find all varieties of colorful textiles and outfits at this treasure.

Surrounded by jungle, Indian Oceanside Padang sits within convenient striking distance from endless low-key rural attractions on both land and sea.

The beaches known as Air Manis sit perched on a hillside just outside of downtown Padang where the gorgeous waterfront Marawa Beach Club takes center stage. A Minangkabau-style open-air structure provides shade while families swim in the club’s two pools. This is the place for shared sunsets, happy hour, and a fantastic menu that’s 60 percent Indo-style and 40 percent international (featuring spaghetti Bolognese). The bar menu includes fancy mocktails and beer. There’s also a stage for bands and DJs.

Batu Busuk, a green tourism village, is a riverside jungle getaway that’s 10 minutes outside downtown Padang. I enjoyed the ultimate ATV jaunt riding uphill alongside a disused three-mile-long cement Dutch colonial hydro-power plant viaduct up to the community-run Padang Janiah’s glamping cabins and rustic restaurant. The contrast between the now-antique Dutch industrial ruins and Mother Nature’s finest is a treat.

Day Trips Outside Padang

Sungai Pinang, One of Many Charming Fishing Villages Outside Padang Photo: Bruce Northam

A southbound coastal day trip on winding roads leads to Sungai Pinang, a fishing village with an education camp for kids. Here, gibbons call from the forest while teams of men manage basketball-court-sized fishing nets on land. The coastal route includes frequent oceanside beach stopovers, snack huts, homestay options, restaurants, more fishing villages, and the trendy Pandan View restaurant and resort.

The journey continued with a longboat ride to Cubadak Island Retreat, highlighting this as a great day trip option from Padang. There are also overnight campsites. Activities include chilling out solo or in the beach-shack restaurant, paddleboarding, snorkeling, and trekking. My favorite experience there was my guide Bayu giving his dog Cuba (Kooba) an entertaining and well-received floating-in-the-ocean scrub.

Mainland West Sumatra is about the Minangkabau culture. And the Mandeh group of islands is a superb place to be immersed in it. The adventure took on a new vibe with a scenic longboat cruise through a mangrove-lined channel. The cruise led to Kapo Kapo—a lively fishing village of 35 families offering charming and welcoming homestay options. Amid the village is a patch of perfectly trimmed grass. I was surprised to learn it was munched down by cows, not a lawnmower.

Padang and its immediate surroundings make getting the most out of a vacation that blends urban and natural wonders a cinch.

For more information, visit Indonesia.Travel. Consider hiring an affordable guide to enhance and simplify your experience—Bayu Kumbara is a pro!

Click Here for Discounted Accommodations in West Sumatra, Indonesia