Danau Maninjau (Lake Maninjau) is a pretty mountain lake to the west of Bukittinggi and north of Padang, West Sumatra. It is a deep caldera lake and comes with good hiking opportunities and accommodation.
Danau Maninjau is around 17kms long by eight kilometers wide and is up to 160m deep in places. It is nice and cool around the lake, with a nominal altitude of 460m above sea level, and there are plenty of interesting destinations around the shores to relax and go boating.
The lake is easy to get to from Bukittinggi and Padang and there are many villages where basic accommodation can be had. Of these, Maninjau and Bayur villages have the best facilities for visitors. Activities at Danau Maninjau include swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, and paragliding.
Getting There & Away
Danau Maninjau is 38kms west of Bukittinggi, or a 90-minute journey via pretty scenery and dozens of tight switchbacks. The bus journey from Padang, the main city in the region, takes around 2 hours, 30 minutes. Flight time from Jakarta to Minangkabau International Airport, Padang, is 1 hour, 30 minutes.
Things to Do
Danau Maninjau Attractions
- Maninjau Lake
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Simply hiking around the caldera rim and admiring the lake is the best part.
- Maninjau village
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This is the first village you reach bukittinggi and padang and it has the best range of accommodation and tourist amenities.
Side trips from Danau Maninjau
- Bukittinggi
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If coming from padang, bukittinggi, to the east of danau maninjau, is worth a visit for its atmosphere and old buildings.
Events
- Fun Fly in Lake Maninjau
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An annual may event in maninjau featuring a paragliding competition and contestants from all over the world.