"Padang" Top 5 Page for this destination Padang by mansionion

Padang Travel Guide: 72 reviews and 166 photos

Mention Padang and what comes to mind is definitely its famous spicy local food - Nasi Padang or Makanan Padang (Padang food). Eventhough this is quite misleading since "Padang Food" is actually referring to the cuisine of the local Minangkabau people, it is commonly called Padang cuisine since Padang is the largest city of the West Sumatra region - the land of the Minangkabau. However, there's more to Padang then its spicy food.

Historically, Padang has been an important trade centre since the 16th century when pepper was cultivated here and traded with traders from India, Portugal and the Netherlands. The lucrative spice trade and other local produce resulted in Padang being colonialised by the Dutch and British later on. During WW2, it was occupied by the Japanese before later on together with regions in Sumatra became part of the independant Indonesian Republic.

The spicy food of Padang

The name Padang literally means "field" which is derived from its location - it is located on the coastal plain between the Indian Ocean and the Bukit Barisan mountains at the mouth of the Padang River. Padang's Teluk Bayur harbor is said to be the largest and busiest harbor on the West Coast of Sumatra. Hence, it is not suprising that Padang is a bustling port city and an important transport hub for journey to Indonesian islands on the Indian Ocean and the Minangkabau highland.

Modern day Padang, it is the capital and largest city of the West Sumatra region. It is a suprisingly clean city with a newly open modern airport outside of the city centre. Padang city centre is characterised with its traditional architecture - the "buffalo horn" roofs which symbolising the Minangkabau culture and architecture. There are also some well preserved colonial architecture in and around the city.

Apart from being the centre of administration and culture, Padang is also the educational centre where few universities are located. It is the seat of the Andalas University, the oldest university in Sumatra and the first state university outside of Java.

Pros and Cons

In a nutshell:More than just nasi padang - it's the birthplace of Minang's culture.

Last visit to Padang: Nov 2008
Intro Updated Jul 21, 2009
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Reviews (12)

Padang from the air Things to Do (9)

If you are flying into Padang, take a peek on the view of the Indian Ocean when the plane is approaching Padang. The... more travel advice

Local Delicacies Shopping (1)

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Garuda Indonesia Transportation (2)

I took Garuda Indonesia from Jakarta to Padang. Overall, I am satisfied with the flight - no delay and good in flight... more travel advice

Padang Food Things to Do (9)

Visit to Padang is incomplete without trying out the authentic Padang food. Padang food is famous all over Indonesia... more travel advice

Comments (5)

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boocik04 Sep 24, 2007 at 6:21 PM

great tips on padang! my ancestors were from here so it's an honour to see a good review of the place :-)
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i-s-a Feb 13, 2007 at 7:51 PM

i love the folklore...thanks for sharing. also noticed similarities in indonesian language with our own.
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SLLiew Jan 24, 2007 at 8:25 PM

Cool page of Padang. Have not been there, so real eye opener. Enjoyed your selective pictures and well written tips.
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Wild_Orchid Aug 1, 2006 at 8:55 PM

a good tip-always be grateful to your mother! :)
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muddybok Jun 6, 2006 at 8:13 AM

And 1st to reach/comment here.