18 | THE STRAITS TIMES | THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018 | | THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018 | THE STRAITS TIMES | 19

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Visit the ‘Grand Canyon Explore Harau Valley 4 of West ’ 5 Located 50km from Bukit- On our third day, we arrived at tinggi, the rock walls at this valley Ngarai Sianok, on the outskirts of tower over the small huts at its base. Bukittingi, in time to witness the Grimy, dark streaks run down the rays of the morning sun fi ltering side of the cliffs — where waterfalls through the shroud of mist, form when there is heavy rain. 5 things to do in gradually revealing the “Grand Small commercial activities have Canyon of ” — a sprung up with the gradual infl ux of valley of steep, vertical walls with tourists. The villagers have opened a river meandering through the stores selling souvenirs and plants, verdant vegetation below. and offer activities such as ziplining After admiring the breathtaking and treetop walk. scenery, we followed the signs at Opt for a homestay to experience the park for the Japanese bunkers. rural life as you trek through paddy Bukittinggi Built during World War ll, fi elds, take a refreshing dip in this network of tunnels offers a waterfalls and get lulled to sleep by WHILE it is a lesser-known tourist destination, West glimpse into ’s eerie the sound of croaking frogs. Getting there Czaraim Carreon Sumatra is an exciting place to visit and offers plenty past. Then, thousands of Indo- Those who are keen to wander off On Feb 9, AirAsia launched to do and see — from whitewater rafting and historical nesians were enslaved by the the beaten track will discover that its daily direct fl ight from explores the West buildings, to its very own Grand Canyon. Japanese, made to exacavate the West Sumatra is well worth the trip. Singapore to Padang. After an hour-long fl ight to Padang, the capital of tunnels with little food and rest During my stay, some locals Bukittinggi is a three-hour Sumatran city, which West Sumatra, and a three-hour drive, I arrived at until they died from exhaustion. whipped out their phones to take drive north of Padang. Bukittinggi (which means “high hill” in Indonesian), a We made our way carefully pictures of our tour group, and offers a good dose of city of over 117,000 people that is known for its beautiful through the dimly lit caves, others coyly asked if they could Guidelines landscapes. its walls now reinforced with take photos with us. ■ When in Bukittinggi, stay at: culture and adventure My companions and I wasted no time and embarked concrete and widened to accom- Unused as many seemed to be 1. Aie Angek Cottage (Jalan on our weekend of non-stop fun and adventure. Here modate tourists, as well as cavi- to seeing tourists, the people went Raya Padang Panjang — Bukit are fi ve things to do in and around the city: ties that were once armouries, out of their way to provide us with Tinggi Km 6, Nagari Aie bunkers and prison cells. an enjoyable experience, prodding Angek): This hotel sits on A word of caution: Monkeys us to return with, hopefully, friends the slope between Mount Go whitewater rafting greet you at every turn at Ngarai in tow. Singgalang and Mount 1 Rafting was the fi rst activity Sianok. While they are relatively Merapi, offering breathtaking we wanted to cross off our bucket harmless, secure your belong- Above: The Pagaruyung with its distinguished roof The writer’s trip was sponsored sunrises and chilly weather all list. We slipped into appropriate ings and do not hold any food. structure. Top: Towering rock walls at Harau Valley. by AirAsia. day. attire and set off for the start 2. Novotel Bukittinggi (Jalan point along Sungei Batang Anai, Laras Datuk Bandaro, Bukit a 15-minute drive from our guest Cangang Kayu Ramang, house in Bukittinggi. while and exhilarating experience. See the ‘most beautiful “the most beautiful village in the Guguk Panjang, Bukittinggi Our thrilling journey down the From the river, we saw villag- 2 village in the world’ world”. City): This hotel is perfect foamy rapids began with a steep ers — some barely old enough to As we sat outside a nondescript Beautiful as the village was, for those who want to stay plunge, leaving us drenched be left unsupervised — engaging provision shop at the town of the claim was a long shot. at the heart of the city, almost immediately. in their daily morning routine of Pariangan Nagari Literisasi in Nevertheless, the proclamation just a few minutes away We paid close attention to bathing along the banks. Bukittinggi, we drank in the sight — albeit unoffi cial — refl ected from attractions like Ngarai our guide’s cues — paddling We made it to the end point, of picturesque rice terraces and the pride of the villagers in their Sianok and Jam Gadang. forward when he shouted about 2km away, in 45 minutes. observed fi eld workers in knee- home town. “Maju”(“forward” in Indonesian) Waiting for us were fresh coco- deep waters. Be sure to try the crispy banana ■ Have some Indonesian and crouching low when he nuts. Back at our guest house, Despite being engaged in back- snack sprinkled with cheese and rupiah (S$1 = 10,400 rupiah) yelled “duck” to avoid hanging nasi padang dishes were spread breaking work, they smiled for chocolate shavings (below), sold on hand before travelling to branches. across the carpeted fl oor prepared our cameras and even proffered a by the provision shop overlook- Padang, as it is di cult to The speed of the current, the by the family that runs it. What a peace sign, eager to be the subject ing the rice terraces. locate money changers in boulders that sometimes caused welcome! of our photos. A combination of sweet and Bukittinggi. Above: Rafting on Sungei Batang Anai. Above right: The rice terraces the raft to spin 360 degrees and the Info: Lubuk Alung Adventure The improvised billboard savoury fl avours, it is sure to of Pariangan Nagari Literisasi. PHOTOS: CZARAIM CARREON, JONATHAN OOI sustained yelling made it a worth- (www.lubukalungadventure.com/) behind us proclaimed this as delight your taste buds.

Discover the history of the Minangkabau 3 people The Istana Pagaruyung Palace in town, about an hour’s drive from Bukittinggi, is an architectural marvel. Boasting a traditional Minang- kabau architec- tural style, it has a dramatic curved roof structure with multi- tiered, upswept gables. Get a tour guide, as we did, so you can learn about the palace’s history and its signifi cance in local culture. We learnt about the indige- nous , who have lived in West Sumatra since the 16th century. Interestingly, they have the largest matrilineal society in the world — with clan titles, inheritance and property passed from mother to daughter. The original palace was built in the 17th century with timber masonry instead of concrete, and designed to withstand the impact of earthquakes, which are common in West Sumatra. Ironically, this made it suscep- tible to lightning and fi re. Indeed, the palace has been destroyed several times — in 1804, 1966 and Early Bird 2018/19 Southeast Asia Cruises: Sapphire Princess 2007. Free Gratuities for 1st & 2nd guests | Balcony & above: 3rd & 4th guests cruise for FREE In 2007, a replica of the original Specials: palace was built using modern concrete structures. In a bid to ward off the curse believed to have plagued the palace — which caused it to be reconstructed multiple times — it now stands 40m south of its original location. Today, it is a Minangkabau cultural centre, displaying the 15 per cent of Minang artefacts that were salvaged from the fi res. Fun fact: Singapore’s fi rst president Yusof Ishak and the composer of the national anthem, Zubir Said, were both Minangkabaus.