Padang is located in the heart of Sumatra, surrounded by hills and on the shore of the bay, directly opposite the green island Shibrut. This is the third largest city of the island, and one of the main functions of the city is the port.Ferries from Jakarta sail and depart from here almost around the clock. Consequently, a constant flow of goods is constantly spinning in the city. Moreover, the role of the shopping town Padang carries already from the XVI century! At first, gold was sent from here, then the reserves were exhausted, and from Padan began to send coffee, salt and textiles, and from the middle of the last century, coffee and copp (coconut chips for technical raw materials).
Padang is one of the most wet cities in Indonesia, but let it bother you, because Temperatures here are the same as throughout the country - Somewhere 26 ° C is always, well, and rains on Sumatra goes equally throughout the year. Well, yes, a little more precipitation in October-November and May, but a little less in June-July-August. So that You need to go to Padang from December to May : Good weather and low prices. In summer, there are more tourists, although in general there are almost no there.
Padang is a famous transit point for Surfers traveling by Islands Batu and Mentay , as well as for tourists who are going to commit Trekking on the highlands of Western Sumatra. Beach Padanga (known as Taplau or Tapy Laoik), which is located between the streets of Samuestr and Puruich, well known for his Beautiful sunset And hundreds of food shops and restaurants - all romance and couples are "flying" for this sunset. Very beautiful!
BUT Bunghus Bay South of Padanga, it is quite suitable for swimming and boating. So, as you can see, sporting active people will quite like it.
The same, who is interested in the cultural side of Indonesia, will also be very interesting here. For example, here you can visit Museum Aditoivman (Adityawarman Museum), who specializes in the history and culture of the local ethnic group Minangkabau (Once again I am wondering the national variety of Indonesia).
By the way, only in order to learn about this people, you can go to Padang. Terribly entertaining. The art of dance is especially impressive - only men have danced in ancient times, now women. Dancing with plates with burning candles, with lamps, bells, attached to the legs impress any tourist. And if you get on traditional holidays with games - cock bats, battle and quail battle, game balls from Rotan and so on, and even more fun!
Minantkabau for the most part of Muslim, so in the city there are several mosques, and do not be surprised, having heard the sounds of the call to prayer. Nevertheless, let this people and Muslims, their vitality and beliefs have greatly influenced Hindu trends. And the magic, which still has in the village, the local residents of the holy believe in iswolves and reincarnation. Anyway. The main attraction of the city is colorful Dutch old town and Old port on the Moirlo River . Well, and also Old chinese quarter . And it is impossible not to mark Restaurants of the city.
With boats on the shores of Padanga, food arriving in numerous coastal restaurants - as you already understood, I'm talking about seafood, which is famous for the town. Many fish dishes are here cheap compared to other tourist towns, and these fish dishes are definitely worth trying if you find yourself passing or specially arrive in Padang - it is likely that this food will be the best that you have ever tried.
The fish is the most different, but usually the menu includes a tuna grill, barracuda, mahu-mahs (Cornered or Gold Mackerel) or perch. By the way, it is worth paying attention to the traditional cuisine of Minantkabau. This kitchen is famous for its sharpness. That is, the closer you are to the Padanga, the food becomes red from chili pepper. The most famous local dish - Randang , spicy stewed meat.
Soto Padang (Crispy beef in a sharp soup) - a favorite dish on ... Breakfast for locals, yes, yes, this is not oat bump with prunes. Well, SATE (beef in curry sauce with a ketap, a small rice briquette, cooked in a basket of palm or banana leaf) - a favorite dish for dinner. As you can see, tasty is really right here, and gourmet should be preparing to try the whole mountain of dishes to "task the city."
What else can I see here and for what you can go? Every year in Padang is undergoing international Dragon Boat Competition or "dragonebot". In general, this contest is held not only here, but in all Asia and not only. But you can become a witness of the spectacle and here. In fact, twenty people sit in canoe, decorated with head and tail of the dragon.
Ahead sits a drummer who sets rhythm rowing. Here and row our best to different distances. This holiday falls on the fifth day of the fifth month along the lunar calendar, in short, at the beginning of the summer. There are different sources of this holiday, someone connects it with astronomical laws (with a big bear), someone with mythology. In general, this holiday is dedicated to the beginning of the summer heat.
What else is Padang? The city is big, but here is pretty Not bad transformer infrastructure . Near the city there is a newly opened international airport, as the Harbor of Padanga is the largest and most loaded port on the west coast of the Sumatra Island, then dear, divergent from there, not bad. Railway tracks associate Padang with cities in northeast and east, which is also very convenient, especially when the roads are overloaded.
That is still nice, so this is what in Padan Almost no tourists . You will constantly feel the feeling that the locals in general people do not see - you will have a very stormy reaction, even too stormy. People are pretty friendly and friendly. You smile all, mahut and scream "Hello!". Only you will "fight back" greetings.
In general, what it is me. Few people go to Sumatra, and sorry. There are still so many places infected, new and incomprehensible. The Bali's abandoned before the failure of Bali, of course, is also beautiful, but after all the Sumatra is the bad edge of the traveler, an unpacious field for research and adventure!