Pantai Air Manis is one of Padang's better-known beaches, south of the city centre and close enough for a half-day outing. The shore is broad and low-key rather than polished, with fishing boats, views toward Mount Padang and water that is usually calmer than the open ocean beaches further out.
The reason many Indonesian visitors know the beach is the legend of Malin Kundang, the ungrateful son said to have been turned to stone after rejecting his mother. A rock formation on the sand is linked to the story, giving the beach a bit of folklore as well as sea air. Come for a wander and the local scene, not for resort-style beach perfection.