Payakumbuh and 50 Koto Regency

A picturesque village and market place. Fine basketry is available here. It is 35 km from Bukkittingi and a little further up is the most dramatic view on the Harau Valley.

Harau Valley

Along the Harau Valley road you see lovely countryside. Steep granite walls shelter the fertile valley. A 150-metre high waterfall, falls down into a basin. The Harau Valley is a nature and wildlife reserve , where tapirs, siamangs, boars wild goats and tigers still roam. The Harau Valley is 15 km from Payakumbuh.

Ngalau Indah Caves

Situated on the road from Bukkittingi to Payakumbuh these caves extend deep into the mountainside. The domain of thousands of bats, which you won’t see but only hear squeaking and you will sense  them as they fly close over your head.
At the main entrance there is a stone showing the outline of an elephant. The coolness and the moisture in the air are refreshing after the tropical heat outside. The path through these caves leads to the top of the mountain, offering you  a panoramic view. The ride up the hill, in itself,  is worth making, because of the exquisite views along the way.