The standout is Lake Maninjau, a 17-kilometre-long crater lake about two hours west by bus down forty-four numbered hairpin bends. The lake is hot, deep, and ringed by fish farms; you can rent a motorbike at the bottom and circle the rim in a half-day. Stay overnight if you can — sunsets on Maninjau are one of West Sumatra's quiet glories.
Closer to town, Batusangkar and the rebuilt Pagaruyung Palace give a primer on Minangkabau royal history; the original burned down after a lightning strike in 2007 but the replica is a fine piece of Minang carpentry. The active volcano Mount Marapi is a doable but tough overnight climb from the village of Koto Baru, about an hour south. And the larger city of Padang, on the coast, is the gateway to the Mentawai Islands and a separate destination in its own right.
