BUKITTINGGI CITY

Bukittinggi City

Bukittinggi Cuty is your first destination on your visit to West Sumatra. This city is known as a tourism townin West Sumatera, because it has a lot of tourism places with the great number of tourist visits every traffic year . From the city of Padang, you could go to Bukittinggi with a tour bus trip, which can be easy found in at Minangkabau International Airport. You would travel for 70 minutes at a cost of approximately Rp. 50.000, - only. Here is a map of Bukittinggi that you can learn.

Jam Gadang At Bukitinggi

Bukittinggi, maybe you have known about this place. But as information to you, Bukittinggi is one place that located in West Sumatera region. There have beautiful atmosphere and also cool temperature, so in the morning, evening or night, you still enjoying your activity to walk there. Moreover, you will feel easy to come at there. At this time, about transportation problem not difficult. Even, you can make use car rent if you need him. Before, if you ask about interest place at there, I feel you will enjoy when you have been at there. Because with friendly temperature, atmosphere, and also people that always smile if you say “Hello” at there, you will comfort.

But if you like walk, Jam Gadang could become one place that must to visit when you stay at there. In realty, Jam Gadang become one favorite place that often visited by many people from inside or other area."Jam" means "clock" in Indonesian. "Gadang" is means "big". So, Jam Gadang can be understand as Big Clock. Jam Gadang was built in 1926 by Yazid Sutan Gigi Ameh. The clock itself was a gift from Queen of Holland to The Controleur. During the Dutch occupation, on top of the roof was a hen. When the Japanese occupied, they changed the hen into the form a shrine. And when Indonesia became independent, people rebuilt the roof top into the form of Minangkabau (West Sumatera) traditional houses (Rumah Gadang). Since then "Jam Gadang" became the icon of Bukittingi.

This structure is by 26 meter of height build on a 13x4 meter square. The diameter of the clock itself is 80cm.

In around Jam Gadang you can find various souvenirs seller that can you make as collection or maybe gift for your friends. But if you like adventure while enjoying beautiful nature, you can try to Merapi or Singgalang Mount that located at Padang Panjang. Whatever that you’ll do there, sure will feel comfort with uniqueness atmosphere at there. And, if you feel difficult, you can make use a guide, or shy to ask with people there. Because many immigrants as well as tourist that visit there, so you will feel not alone.

If you want to get new atmosphere and also new experience, Bukittinggi can become one of target places that could visited. The uniqueness, if you want enjoying while walk round Bukittinggi area, you can find original culture from society at there. Because society at there until now still to kept their culture, like wedding party, meeting, and more. The rich culture made society held the value of togetherness as well as familiarity in high esteem.

About hotels, you have many choices where you’ll be rest. If you want to get best hotel, may you must try Novotel. But if you want hotels that not too expensive, don’t worry to find him.

Lubang Japang (Japanese Hole) in Bukittinggi

"Lubang Jepang" or Japanese holes is a tunnel, the Japanese army built it around the second world war in Bukittinggi, West Sumatera, Indonesia. It have a length of approximately 1400 m (725 m because it is partially closed in 2004, 2 m wide and height about 3 m. Meanwhile, to enter and exit the tunnel there are 3 main door and 6 emergency door. There are 3 doors in the main road of Sianok Canyon, in
the Panorama Park and on the side of the Bung Hatta Palace ( Triarga Building).
For now only one door that is used for the public, the doors located in Panorama Park, while the 2 doors and 6 doors emergency closed.

In Lubang Japang alley there are some that ramify. Previously, the alleys used for various purposes, such as meeting place, a place to eat, sleep rooms, military barracks and detention space. There are 12 rooms that are used for military barracks; 12 room for the bed; 6 rooms for ammunition, 2 rooms for food, 1 room for romusha and the room for the hearing. The spaces of any room is still well and can be visited by the tourists until now .

In Lubang Japang, you can still be found various types of equipment that leave by Japanese army, that used to torment the prisoners during the second world war. Equipment is stored in one of the lane that is estimated as a place of torture.

Other Interesting Objects Around Lubang Japang
After you have finished around the Lubang Japang, you can take tired-sit while sitting in the tourism object Panorama Park with a view of the natural beauty of the Sianok Canyon that spread wide in front of the eye. Accidental, Lubang Japang
one is in the same location with the tourism object Bukittinggi City named Taman Panorama or Panorama Park.
Not far from Lubang Japang, there is a Museum of Indonesia Struggle. In this place, you will see evidence of the people the history of resistance against the imperialist West Sumatra. The struggle of a nation trip, which expresed in various media, whether photos, objects and document. You does not need to use the vehicle to go to this place. Simply walk from Panorama Park, only about 100m.

How to Go to Lubang Japang
We assume you just stop at Minangkabau International Airport in Padang. To reach this location, you must go to Bukittinggi city. From the city of Padang to Bukittinggi, travel can be more or less for 2 hours by using general transport, with the cost around Rp. 15,000-Rp 20,000 per person (March 2008). After reaching the Bukittinggi city, travel can proceed with use city transportation to the location Lubang Japang. To anticipate your transportation, the tourists are encouraged
to use the travel service, private cars or hire car which can be directly to the tourism object location. Entrance ticket price is Rp. 5.000, - for children, and Rp. 8000, - for adults.

How to Find Food and Lodging
Due to the location of Lubang Japang in the center of Bukittinggi City, the tourists from outside area who want to stay overnight in hotels in the area of the city. You can select the hotel according to your ability. Ranging between Rp.75.000 .- until Rp.300.000, - for one night, until the class Rp.1.500.000, - a night there. You will not distress to get it. Again, you can just live walk from Lubang Japang only about 300 m.

For the food, the tourists are pampered by the variety of cuisine. Kapau Rice become one of the menu is interesting to try that are in the Pasar Lereng (on the side of the main traditional market) in Bukittinggi. One portion with enough money around Rp.10.000. After completed the Lubang Japang, you can do shopping in the Pasar Atas. Here you will find a variety of unique souvenirs of the regions of West Sumatra.