Padang is the capital of West Sumatra and the main gateway to the Minangkabau highlands. Most travellers pass through on the way to or from the Mentawai Islands or the hill towns of Bukittinggi and Lake Maninjau, but the city rewards a longer look.
The Adityawarman Museum, near the bus station, is housed in a traditional Minangkabau-style building with its distinctive upswept roofline and has a good collection of cultural artefacts and ceremonial objects. The Taman Budaya cultural centre hosts traditional dance performances on Sundays. Down by the waterfront, Padang's Chinatown (Pondok) has old shophouses and excellent street food, and Pantai Padang beach is the place for sunsets and informal seafood dinners.
The city is also the home of Padang food — the original nasi padang restaurants serve dozens of small dishes at your table, and you pay only for what you eat. It is one of Indonesia's great regional cuisines and worth the trip on its own. Try RM Sederhana for the authentic Padang experience.