Located roughly in the center of the west coast of Sumatra, Padang in West Sumatra is the provincial capital and gateway to the province. It is a pleasant city although most visitors come here for access to nearby islands and national parks.
There are plenty of places to stay in Padang if the city is your destination although the nightlife is dull with a distinct lack of bars. It has a nice beach - Padang Beach (Tapi Lauik) - which is backed by a thriving promenade. Horse-drawn carriages ply the beach and you can also surf here.
Other Padang attractions include Sweet Water Beach (Pantai Air Manis), good for surfing, and Adityawarman Museum, on Jalan Diponegoro. Taman Budaya Cultural Park is also close by, as is good shopping. Padang also comes with a slew of restaurants, many of which can be found in Chinatown.
Nearby is Bungus Bay to the south of Padang, the gorgeous surf-happy Mentawai Islands (100kms to the southwest), and Kerinci Seblat National Park to the southeast, featuring Mount Kerinci for hiking.
Getting There & Away
Padang hosts Minangkabau International Airport to the north of town with flights from all over Sumatra as well as from Jakarta (1 hour, 30 minutes). Padang is also linked by air to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Buses run from the airport to the city, taking in major hotels.
Things to Do
Padang Attractions
- Padang Beach (Tapi Lauik)
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A pleasant beach in padang which has horse-drawn carriages and a promenade with shops and cafés.
Side trips from Padang
- Batu and Mentawai islands
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Lying a few hours west and southwest of padang by boat, these laid-back islands are popular surf destinations.