Bukittinggi Travel Guide

Bukittinggi is located about 2 hours north-east by road from the international airport. The only way to get there is by car. But all the roads are good and smooth.

by chartered minivan

Known by the locals as "Travel" is cheapest way to get there. The approximate price is about $Rp 25,000/person for one way. The vehicle is a Colt T-300 minivan with a capacity of 7 seats. Keep in mind that the bus driver usually waits until the chair occupation is about 75%. Once the car is "full", the minivan will depart and take the passengers to their destination.

by bus

DAMRI is the bus operator that goes to Padang (price $Rp 17.500) from there you can continue to Bukittinggi by minivan ("travel")for the price $Rp 15,000. Not recommended for those who don't want to stop at Padang.

by taxi

At BIM(Bandara International Minangkabau)-International Airport of Padang, there's an official desk where you can order a taxi. The trip price is fixed and you can't bargain. This is the better and faster way of getting a taxi. A taxi trip to Bukittinggi is $Rp 185,000. You pay 50% of the cost to the driver when getting in and the other 50% at arrival(January 2006). Recommended for small groups up to 4 people.

in town

These places can be reached by walk

• Fort de Kock and Zoo
• House of first Vice President of Indonesia
• Great Clock (Jam Gadang)
• Ngarai Sianok (Valley Sianok)
• Traditional Dances shows in a building close to Jam Gadang

Dances

Dances are performed for 90 minutes every day from 9 pm to 10:30 pm. Each group has its own schedule. Ticket price is Rp 40,000/person. If you want to buy a souvenirs or CDs about their performance, wait until the show finish because every dancer will offer you a souvenirs. The prices are, for CD about $Rp 100,000, for the traditional flute about $Rp 50,000. It's more expensive because you can get with half price in the town.

Around the town

There are 2 tours, that every tour agency will provide, a tour by Minangkabau and another tour by Maninjau. Both tours are rich in scenic view.

Minangkabau tour will visit these places in east area of Bukittinggi:

• The King's palace in Pagaruyung
• Balimbing village with old century traditional house that is more than 350

years

• Handcraft in Pandai Sikek
• Traditional coffee toasters

Maninjau Tour will visit places in west area of Bukittinggi:

• lake Maninjau
• Puncak Lawang, a place where you can see a panoramic of lake Maninjau
• The "44 turns", the number of road curves on the mountain from where you can see a panoramic of lake Maninjau.

Each tour requires at least 6 hours and usually held from 9 am to 3 pm(include stop at some restaurants). In 2006, the price is ranging from Rp 100,000/pp to Rp 125,000/pp or Rp 450,000/car for up to 6 people. Hire a car is highly recommended if you're in a group more than 4 people. Car's price include driver, fuel, entry ticket, and parking fee. Tips isn't compulsary, lunch invitation is more than enough. For your note, most of the places require ticket and will charge parking fee. One tour will require about Rp 40,000 only for parking and ticket entry.

Another option to get a budget tour is by hire a car and arrange with the driver to visit places in Minangkabau tour and Lake Maninjau. Depart earlier, at 8 am if possible so you can visit all those places in one day. The tour will be finish around 6 pm. You will totally tired, exhausted, but happy and pleased.

Buy

Bukittinggi's council have been depeloping a shopping mall next to Jam Gadang from January 2006. But there are 2 markets named Pasar Atas (Upper Market) and Pasar Bawah (Below Market). Pasar Bawah is for fruit and vegetables trade whereas Pasar Atas is for souvenirs and clothes trade. Most of the prices in each kiosk is similar and you can bargain up to 50%. One wholesale shop located in the middle of Pasar Atas, sell souvenirs with the lowest price. One pair of women slippers is about Rp 7,000 and one key holder is about Rp 2,000 - Rp 5,000. Most of the souvenirs sold here have low quality. Souvenirs for a better quality can be found in Pandai Sikek. One men shirt is about Rp 35,000 and a pair of leather woman slippers is about Rp 35,000.

Poeple in Bukittinggi like dry, spicy and sweet snack foods very much. They make snacks with different taste, shape from one ingredients that make the foods here are special. For example, from cassava they can make spicy long shape cassava chips, tasty cubes cassava chips, and sweet round shape cassava chips. And still much more like shreded dry eelfish, spicy potato chips, sweet potate chips, etc. They're can be found in Pasar Atas with low price but they're not fresh. On the way back to Padang, there're many food shops that sell these snack foods with a better quality.

Eat

There's small fish named Ikan Belibis in Lake Singkarak that we can't find elsewhere. Locals cook it in deep fry or in a sour soup together with vegetable. One portion of fried Belibis is about Rp 5,000, you can eat all the fish with its head and bones. Most of the restaurants available in Bukittinggi serve Padang cuisine which is creamy, spicy and hot. Average price is about Rp 15,000 per person for one meal. All the foods are stayed overnight and heaten up, so it's not recommended for those who like fresh food. After dark, there're many hawkers near Jam Gadang that sell fresh food such as nasi goreng(fried rice), boiled noddle, and beef pancake. One portion is about Rp 7,500 - Rp 10,000 pp.

Bring anti diarhea medicine is highly recommended in case you get diarhea during your food adventure.

Sleep

The top hotels in the city are the Novotel and Pusako Hotel. Small budget hotels are easy to find Many locals offer accomodation in their which are like family owned hotels that provide "feel at home" atmosphere. The prices span from Rp 80,000 - Rp 200,000/one room without air conditioner. Breakfast is included. There are no lifts in these small hotels so just be prepared if your room is on the third floor. Room cleaning isn't provided everyday, so don't hesitate to ask the hotel manager if you want a daily cleaning service. There is a backpacker hostel near Fort de Kock which provides rooms from Rp 40,000 to Rp 80,000 without hot water. This is a very cheap offer because the rooms equiped with hard mattress only

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