Padang

Padang is the regional capital of West Sumatera, a city well known for its spicy cuisine and cheerful hospitable people with a sharp business sense. Wandering the calm streets of this attractive town will take you past traditional shop-front homes, the colony port area at the mouth of the Batang Arau, its centuries-old were houses, scent of eastern spice and the busy river traffic. Also be sure to visit Chinatown and the very good provincial museum. Padang is alaso a stepping stone for visitors to the beautiful Indian Ocean beaches, the culturally rich Minang highlands and the fascinating Mentawai islands where stone age traditional still survive.