History
There are some interesting legends surrounding the foundation and
naming of “High Hill” Bukittinggi. The city has its origins in five
villages which served as the basis for a marketplace. The city was known
as Fort de Kock during colonial times in reference to the Dutch outpost
established here in 1825 during the Padri War. The fort was founded by
Captain Bauer at the top of Jirek hill and later named after the then
Lieutenant Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, Hendrik Merkus de
Kock. The first road connecting the region with the west coast was built
between 1833 and 1841 via the Anai Gorge, easing troop movements,
cutting the costs of transportation and providing an economic stimulus
for the agricultural economy. In 1856 a teacher-training college
(Kweekschool) was founded in the city, the first in Sumatra, as part of a
policy to provide educational opportunities to the indigenous
population. A rail line connecting the city with Payakumbuh and Padang
was constructed between 1891 and 1894. During the Japanese occupation of
Indonesia in World War II, the city was the headquarters for the
Japanese 25th Army, the force which occupied Sumatra. The headquarters
was moved to the city in April 1943 from Singapore, and remained until
the Japanese surrender in August 1945.
During the Indonesian National Revolution, the city was the
headquarters for the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia
(PDRI) from December 19, 1948 to July 13, 1949. During the second
'Police Action' Dutch forces invaded and occupied the city on December
22, 1948, having earlier bombed it in preparation. The city was
surrendered to Republican officials in December 1949 after the Dutch
government recognized Indonesian sovereignty. The city was officially
renamed Bukittinggi in 1949, replacing its colonial name. From 1950
until 1957, Bukittinggi was the capital city of a province called
Central Sumatra, which encompassed West Sumatra, Riau and Jambi. In
February 1958, during a revolt in Sumatra against the Indonesian
government, rebels proclaimed the Revolutionary Government of the
Republic of Indonesia (PRRI) in Bukittinggi. The Indonesian government
had recaptured the town by May the same year.
See
In town
Bukittinggi is a small town, so these places are within walking distance with each other (15-30 minute walk).
- Sianok Canyon (Ngarai Sianok) and the Japanese Caves
(Lubang Japang), a network of underground bunkers and tunnels built by
the Japanese during World War II. There is a two-story observation tower
that overlooks the Sianok Canyon. Ticket price: Rp. 4.000 (Aug 2012).
The tunnel entrance fee is another Rp. 6.000 (Aug 2012). During dusk you
can observe megabats flying from the gorges to the forest in order to
feed from the fruits on the trees. This is also a good place to get in
contact with guides for tours such as to Lake Maninjau (see below) or
jungle/hiking trips through the Canyon.
- Fort de Kock. A fort built by the Dutch (nothing is left, only a water reservoir is on top of the hill) and Bundo Kanduang Park.
The park includes a quite nice zoo with several birds and a couple of
(rather sad) Orang Utans, elephants (with three legs chained to the
ground), bears, a Tapir and others, as well as a replica Rumah Gadang
(traditional house), used as a museum of Minangkabau culture (many
curiosities, such as stuffed animals with two heads and six legs, model
houses and traditional dresses, foreign currencies... entrance Fee an
extra Rp. 1000 as of Aug 2012). The Dutch hilltop outpost Fort de Kock
is connected to the zoo by the Limpapeh pedestrian overpass. Ticket
price: Rp. 8.000 (Aug 2012), camera Rp. 100.000 (June 2008 - as of 2012
there was no sign of a camera fee).
- House of Bung Hatta (the first Vice President of Indonesia).
- Clock Tower (Jam Gadang = Great Clock)
There are horse carriages waiting around the Jam Gadang area. Please
be cautioned that the rides are very costly, therefore please ask for
their rates first.
Around town
There are two tours that hotels and tour agencies try to push, a tour to Minangkabau and another tour to Maninjau.
The
Minangkabau tour will visit these places in east area of Bukittinggi:
- The King's palace in Pagaruyung
- Balimbing village with old century traditional house that is more than 350 years old
- Handcraft in Pandai Sikek, such as kain songket (traditional woven clothes), ukiran kayu or bamboo (handmade crafting)
- Traditional coffee toasters
- Bika, traditional sweet made from coconut, rice flour and palm
sugar, located in Koto Baru, betweeen Padang Panjang-Bukittinggi.
The
Maninjau Tour will visit places in west area of Bukittinggi:
- Lake Maninjau
- Puncak Lawang, a place where you can see a panoramic of Lake Maninjau
- The "44 turns", forty-four numbered(!) hairpin bends up the mountain from where you can see a panoramic of lake Maninjau.
Eat
People in Bukittinggi like dry, spicy, and sweet snack foods. They
make snacks with different tastes and shapes from ingredients that make
the foods here special. For example, from cassava they can make spicy
long cassava chips, tasty cubed cassava chips, and sweet round cassava
chips. The many others include shredded dry eel, spicy potato chips,
sweet potato chips, etc. They can be found in Pasar Atas at low prices,
but they are not fresh. On the way back to Padang there are many food
shops that sell these snacks of better quality.
There's small fish named Ikan Bilih (Bilis) or "ikan Danau" in
Lake Singkarak that is not found elsewhere. Locals deep fry it or cook
it in
a sour soup with vegetable. One portion of fried Bilih is about Rp.
5.000 and you eat the whole fish, head and bones and all.
Most of the restaurants in Bukittinggi serve Padang cuisine which is
creamy, spicy, and hot. An average price is about Rp. 15.000 per person
for one meal. The food unsold is kept overnight and reheated the next
day, so it is not recommended for those who like fresh food.
After dark, there are many hawkers near Jam Gadang selling fresh
foods such as nasi goreng (fried rice), mie rebus (boiled noddles), Roti
Bakar (bun with scrambeled eggs), and martabak mesir (beef pancake).
One portion is about Rp. 7.500 - Rp. 10.000 pp.
Do try the local dessert delicacy known as "Martabak Bandung".
The same dish is widely known in Malaysia as "Apam Balek" but the
Malaysian version is limited to only one flavour i.e. nuts with a
mixture of corn. Here in Bukittinggi or other parts of Indonesia, there
are no less then 50 flavours of Martabak Bandung to choose from such as
chocolate, cheese, strawberry, jackfruit, honey, banana, durian, etc. It
should not be confused with "Martabak Mesir" which is a delicacy from
the Middle East.
Anti-diarrhea medicine is highly recommended in case you get diarrhea during your food adventure.
- D and J's (formerly Apache Cafe), near Fort de Cock, ☎ +6285278812345. Great,
reasonably priced food and friendly staff that speak very good english.
They can also arrange tours and give information on transport.
- Simpang Raya, Sudirman St No 8, ☎ (+62)752 22163, . Traditional Minangkabau Food.
- Turret Cafe and Restaurant, Ayani St. 140., ☎ (+62)752 625956 Open: 7-23. Traditional Minangkabau and European Food. Main dishes: 10000-60000.
- Bedudal Cafe, Jln. A. Yani No 95/105 (just before the pedestrian bridge, on the left). Stock
up on western food like pancakes, sandwiches, steaks and pizza in this
friendly cafe. They also offer Indonesian dishes as well as fruit
juices, beer, soft drinks - all reasonably priced and excellent quality.
Also the home base of the friendly tour guides of Lite'n'easy
who will provide you with all sorts of tourist info and organize tours,
treks or just transportation. English spoken. Wifi available. Dishes from Rp. 12.000.
Drink
Sikotang or Sarobat
Sikotang or Sarobat is one of the most famous drinks in Minangkabau. The beverage is made from red ginger (
Zingiber sp) and spices such as cinnamon bark (
Cinnamomum sp), nutmeg/"pala" (
Myristica fragrans),
etc. Sikotang is usually mixed with egg, bread, green beans (kacang
padi/kacang ijo), and cane or palm sugar. Such a hot drink is useful for
keeping your body warm during a cold highland night like in Padang
Panjang, Batusangkar and Bukittinggi. Price Rp. 5.000 - 15.000.
Daun Kawa (Coffee leaves)
Daun kawa is made from roasted dry leaves of the coffee tree. The
dried leaves are boiled in hot water and put into sections of bamboo and
drunk from a "cawan tampuruang" (coconut shell). It can be found in
Bukittinggi, Payakumbuh and Batusangkar. Please ask anyone, especially
people over age 40. They will show you where a good place is to taste
Daun Kawa! Price Rp. 5.000 - 15.000 in 2009.
Jus Pinang (Pinang Juice)
Juice of Pinang (betel nut, the Areca catechu seed) is a bitter
tasting drink available in Padang, Bukittingi, and other areas that is
believed to have an effect on sexual stamina. Pinang has a biological
effect as a stimulant like tobacco, coffee, and tea. Its chemical
contents are arecolin, arecain, tannin, and flavonoids. Just try it and
feel the difference! For beginners, don't drink more than one pinang
seed. Price Rp. 5.000 - 15.000 in 2009.
Teh Talua (egg tea)
This is a special Minangkabau drink made from egg mixed with hot tea
and lemon. Please taste it. You will never forget the experience! Price
Rp. 5.000 - 15.000 in 2009
Fruit Juices
There are a variety of fruit juices ranging from Alpokat (avocado
juice), Sirsak (soursop), Jeruk (orange), wortel (carrot) etc. The list
is endless. Prices range from Rp. 4.000 - 10.000.
Kopi Luwak ("Civet Cat" Coffee)
Enjoy one of world's most prestigious coffees, Kopi Luwak, in Batang
Palupuah Kampong, Bukittinggi. The coffee is made from coffee beans that
have passed through a civet cat before roasting.
Alcoholic Drinks
The Minangkabau also have traditional alcoholic beverages such as
tuak. Tuak is made from fermented nira, a liquid collected by cutting
the fruit branch of aren or enau tree (
Arenga pinnata). However, it is quite difficult to find in Bukittinggi now because alcoholic beverages are haram - forbidden - for Muslims).