Bukittinggi is a laid-back mountain town in the Minangkabau highlands of West Sumatra, sitting at about 930 metres above sea level. It has been popular with travellers since the 1970s and remains the most convenient base for exploring the surrounding highlands.
The town centres on a clock tower built by the Dutch in 1926, with the Ngarai Sianok canyon — a dramatic, sheer-walled gorge covered in tropical vegetation — right at its doorstep. Fort de Kock, also Dutch-era, offers views over the town and the volcanoes beyond. The market, Pasar Atas, is one of the liveliest in Sumatra and a good place to try Minangkabau food, which is the original rendang cuisine.