Overview
After an hour’s elbow grease from the urban amount of Padang to its northeastern outskirts, the route splits.
Lake Singkarak lies to the left in addition to Sawahlunto to the right, some 95 kilometers from Padang.
Sawahlunto is known every bit the town of the ‘black pearl’ harking dorsum to the once-abundant coal which was the town’s prominent product.
Today, approaching the town ane finds deserted runway roads, stepped rice fields, in addition to the familiar Minangkabau rumah gadang upsweeping roofs dotting the wayside betwixt the busy town of Solok in addition to Koto Sungai Lasi in addition to on to the town of Sawahlunto, a repose cluster of heritage charm on the slopes of Muara Bungo’s valleys, prepare amidst rainforests. The town is quite small, but at that topographic point is a lot to discover.
It was William Hendrik de Greeve, a Dutch Geologist, who discovered the site inwards the early on 19th century, in addition to found it rich inwards coal deposits, known every bit the Black Pearl. And thence Dutch first investments inwards coal mining was made hither starting fourth dimension inwards the 19th century, edifice infrastructure, world facilities , offices, hotels, housing areas, in addition to stores, to handle in addition to carry this precious mineral resource. Transportation networks were besides developed, connecting Sawahlunto amongst Muaro Kalaban, Pulau Aie, Padang Panjang, Bukittinggi, Solok in addition to and thence to Padang, investing no less than 20 ane K k Dutch Guilders at that time. History noted that coal mining inwards Sawahlunto was launched on 1 Dec 1888, in addition to became famous every bit the Ombilin mines.
As a small-scale town that built itself on the success of the coal mining industry, Sawahlunto today has acquire an attractive tourist finish that offers nostalgic traces of an former mining town. The heritage hotel built to cater Dutch scientists in addition to geologists even thence stands gallantly amidst other century-old buildings.
Get There
When travelling from exterior West Sumatra, it is recommended that you lot come upwards to Padang first. Please refer to HOW TO GET THERE inwards the Padang article.
You tin give-up the ghost yesteryear motorbus or a rented motorcar to Sawahlunto from Padang or Bukittinggi. The distance to the repose town is 95 kilometers, or about 2 hours yesteryear motorcar from bustling downtown Padang. Follow the route to the town of Solok, in addition to hold the trip on the trans-Sumatra route heading S to Java.
After to a greater extent than or less twenty kilometers from Solok, at that topographic point is a crossroad at Muaro Kalaban. Pay attending to the route sign in addition to direction. Follow the management to Sawahlunto, in addition to you lot volition overstep a winding route amongst lines of trees that sometimes discourage most travelers to Sawahlunto. Do non worry virtually the unsettling route every bit it volition eventually accept you lot to the destination.
If you lot are in Bukittinggi surface area 138 kilometers from Sawahlunto, accept the route to Batusangkar in addition to and thence follow the same management every bit you lot discovery the crossroad inwards Muaro Kalaban. From Batusangkar, the town of Sawahlunto is virtually xl kilometers.
Taxi from Padang to Sawahlunto is about IDR 200,000 to 250,000 (price is dependent area to change). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 world motorbus from Padang is IDR 8,000 in addition to a grouping tour to Sawahlunto inwards ane of the tour operators inwards Padang is about IDR 20,000 per person.
In Sawahlunto, at that topographic point is daily trip to Muaro Kalaban yesteryear an former prepare every bit a tourist attraction. It volition cost you lot IDR 75,000. The maximum rider charge is 12 persons chugging along for about v kilometers to accept ane on a nostalgic trip on the former railway lines.
To Do
Rumah Walikota, the Mayor’s residence, is ane of the heritage buildings inwards town. It was built inwards 1920 in addition to used to live the residence of the town’s mayor.
Pek Sin Kek House is besides a precious rock amidst Sawahlunto’s heritage buildings. Pek Sin Kek is the advert of a Chinese merchant who had successfully built his concern in addition to reputation inwards Sawahlunto inwards the early on 20th century. His solid was ane time converted into a theatre, in addition to thence a Minangkabau Community Center, in addition to besides an Ice Factory. Now, the edifice is owned yesteryear a Chinese household unit of measurement from Cirebon, West Java who has converted it into a souvenir store in addition to a heritage house.
The town’s Cultural Center Building was ane time called the rumah bola, or bowling solid every bit it used to live a house to play bowling in addition to puddle during the Dutch era. Built inwards 1910, the other advert for the edifice was the “Gluck Auf” or the Societeit. It was a middle for Dutch workers for their leisure activities after a long 24-hour interval working the coal mine. Once rented to the Mandiri Bank inwards the early 2000s, the edifice is straightaway restored in addition to conserved every bit a heritage property of Sawahlunto.
The Railway Museum is at that topographic point to explicate the history of the trains inwards West Sumatra. The evolution of the railway from Sawahlunto to Padang began on July 6th, 1889. The role of the evolution was to effectively carry coal from Sawahlunto to Emmahaven seaport, straightaway called the Teluk Bayur seaport. The railway started its evolution inwards 1889 upwards to 1894, connecting Sawahlunto, Muaro Kalaban, Pulau Aie, Padang Panjang, Bukittinggi, Solok in addition to Padang.
Due to the declining activities inwards the coal mining manufacture since the early on twelvemonth 2000, the prepare to Sawahlunto ceased operation. In 2005, the local regime in addition to the prepare fellowship agreed to constitute a railway museum. It is the 2nd railway museum built inwards Republic of Indonesia after the ane at Ambarawa,in Central Java.The Sawahlunto Railway Museum is straightaway component subdivision of the mining tour offered yesteryear tour operators inwards Padang.
The Grand Mosque of Sawahlunto, besides called Nurul Iman, was ane time a steam-generated ability industrial plant life of Kubang Sirakuak, built inwards 1894. When the H2O dried out inwards the nearby river, the ability industrial plant life was moved to Salak Village closed to the Batang Ombilin river. The abandoned ability industrial plant life at Kubang Sirakuak was in addition to thence converted into a weapon storehouse in addition to after the Indonesia’s revolutionary era in 1950s, the edifice was converted into a mosque, amongst the 75-meter chimney serving every bit the grand tower of the mosque today.
While inwards the town, see some of the town’s bests to consummate the heritage experience. Wisma Ombilin is the oldest hotel inwards town, in addition to it’s worth the long move all the agency to this point. Goedang Ransoem, meaning the nutrient storage, was ane time a house to render nutrient for orang rantai or the chained men or slaves working for the mine. Now, you lot tin come across the former cooking utensils used during the Dutch colonial era. Lubang Mbah Suro is a tunnel built yesteryear the Dutch to mine the abundant coal slacks. The Cooperation Building for PT BA UPO which was the ‘market’ known every bit ‘Ons Belang’ is some other site to accept in.
Ride the prepare from Sawahlunto to Muaro Kalaban. Today It is operated exclusively for tourists.
To Eat
There are quite a few Padang nutrient restaurants inwards Sawahlunto. Some of them are:
Dendeng Batokok inwards Muaro Kalaban, Silungkang
Riko-riko inwards Muaro Kalaban, Silungkang
Chimpago inwards Pasar, Lembah Segar
Ferdi inwards Pasar, Lembah Segar
Gumarang Baru inwards Pasar, Lembah Segar
Dendeng Balado inwards Silungkang
Memok inwards Silungkang
Sederhana inwards Talawi
Kito Juo inwards Talawai
Kurnia inwards Talawi
Bunda inwards Sijantang, Talawi
Early cake inwards Pasar Kecil, Lembah Segar
Sate Marno inwards Muara Kalaban, Silungkang
Try Kerupuk Jangat in addition to Kerupuk Ubi that you lot tin select dwelling in addition to tyke them every bit you lot hitting the kitchen. They are rattling delicious, amongst a petty add-on of chili glue to add together to the mouth-watering flavor.
To Buy
The route to Sawahlunto passes Silungkang village known for its creative artisans who plough colorful threads into folds of silky fabrics, named Silungkang Songket. Songket hither is sold much cheaper than that inwards the urban amount of Padang, peculiarly at last-minute shopping at souvenir stores yesteryear the airport. There is a advert you lot powerfulness desire to state during a brusk conversation amongst the locals; kampong tenun (pronounced: ter-noon). You volition probable discovery take away the procedure of mitt weaving a songket fabric, done non exclusively yesteryear women, but besides yesteryear men.
It is obvious that contacts amongst Chinese in addition to Indian traders get got enriched the diverseness of their products, which was initially made of local resources such every bit tree bark tissues in addition to fibers, which was believed to get got been learnt from the locals inwards Pattani, Thailand. Golden threads in addition to silks were afterward imported in addition to to heighten the local songket cloth to a novel meridian inwards quality. Songket besides gives out a pleasant odor from the assorted fibers used.
In 1974, a cultural exhibition held inwards DKI Jakarta presented a 234 year-old songket that was made of fine threads of maroon Mokou Bulek Soriang, amongst Pucuk Rebung motif, owned yesteryear the Den Haag Museum of Holand. Another wellknown motif from Silungkang in addition to exhibited overseas is the itiak pulang patang.
Songket is believed to originate from Southeast Asia about 1,000 years ago, specifically from Siam or Thailand. Its fame made it slow to spread in addition to found its agency to Malaysia’s Selangor, Trengganu, in addition to Kelantan, all the agency to Negara Brunei Darussalam Darussalam. The science of weaving Songket inwards Silungkang was brought yesteryear Baginda Ali of Dalimo Singkek Village from Selangor, Malaysia. From Silungkang, songket made its agency to the Pandai Sikek Village that is besides famous for its beautiful songket.
In Silungkang, the local people are besides into rattan handicrafts. Again, hither you lot tin relish watching the procedure of making baskets in addition to other forms of artistic crafts, such every bit rattan chairs, desks, tables, cabinets, to uncomplicated brooms, in addition to small-scale souvenirs.
Suiseki stones are amidst the souvenirs offered yesteryear Sawahlunto in addition to Silungkang Village. The stones are naturally formed in addition to acquire to a greater extent than beautiful after some honing process. If you lot are interested, the small-scale ones tin live overnice souvenirs for your parents or loved ones. The mid size tin live rattling expensive, reaching millions inwards Indonesian Rupiahs.
Indonesia Travel
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