Visiting Bukit Tinggi, Indonesia

Bukit Tinggi is one of the larger cities in West Sumatra, Indonesia, with a population of over 91,000 people and an area of 25.24 km². It is situated in the Minangkabau highlands, 90 km by road from the West Sumatra capital city of Padang.

It is a city popular with tourists due to the climate and central location. Attractions within the city include:

· Ngarai Sianok (Sianok Canyon)

· Lobang Jepang (Japanese Caves) – a network of underground bunkers & tunnels built by the Japanese during World War II

· Jam Gadang – a large clock tower built by the Dutch in 1926.

· Pasar Atas and Pasar Bawah – traditional markets in downtown.

· Taman Bundo Kanduang park. The park includes a replica Rumah Gadang (literally: big house, with the distinctive Minangkabau roof architecture) used as a museum of Minangkabau culture, and a zoo. The

· Dutch hilltop outpost Fort de Kock is connected to the zoo by the

· Limpapeh pedestrian overpass.

Notable nearby destinations include Lake Maninjau and the Harau Valley. Lembah Harau/ Harau Valley located on 50 Kota region district, West Sumatra province. It is not to far from the capital city of 50 Kota region district, Tanjung Pati, and even from Payakumbuh city is about a half hours.

Lake Maninjau is a caldera lake in West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located 16 km to the west of Bukti Tinggi.

Lake Maninjau has an area of 99.5 km², being approximately 16 km long and 7 km wide. The average depth is 105 m, with a maximum depth of 165 m. The natural outlet for excess water is the Antokan river, located on the west side of the lake. It is the only lake in Sumatra which has a natural outlet to the west coast. Since 1983 this water has been used to generate hydroelectric power for West Sumatra.

Most of the people who live around Lake Maninjau are ethnically Minangkabau. entrance Lembah Anai Water Falls, on the way to Bukit Tinggi

Main entrance to Lembah Anai Waterfall

Lembah Anai Water Falls, on the way to Bukittinggi

The road from Bukit Tinggi offers some spectacular views of the blue lake and surrounding hills. On the way down there are terraced rice fields

Meninjau Lake

In the centre of Bukit Tinggi is a clock tower called Jam Gadang. Built in 1926 the clock was a gift from the queen of Holland. When first built the tower had a domed top though when Indonesia gained independence the top was changed with the symbol of the buffulo horns, the symbol of the Minangkabau people