Padang West SumatraPadang Beach

Padang, meaning field, with a population of over 900,000 people is in Western Sumatra on the coast of the Indian Ocean. Padang is the Regional capital of West Sumatra, the 3rd largest city in Sumatra.

Originally a port for traders of gold, spices and timber. With a lot of trade with China many Chinese immigrated to Padang so the town has an amazing China Town with many restaurants and spice shops.

Off the coast from Padang are many beautiful islands which can be visited for snorkeling, fishing or just relaxing on the white sandy beaches. A ferry can be caught to the island of Cubadak or Pulau Cubadak or to the Mentawai Islands including Siberut Island.

Surfing tours start and finish from Padang with a number of different companies operating tours. See our surfing page for more information.

The most famous food dish from Padang is the beef randang (check out the recipe here).