Pariaman

Pariaman is a coastal city in West Sumatra, about 40 km north of Padang. It's known for its beaches and the annual Tabuik festival (an Islamic memorial event with cultural processions).

From Padang, take a bus or angkot (1 hour north).

Gandoriah Beach (also spelled Gondoriah), a white/greyish-sand beach near the city center with a promenade and small offshore islands visible from shore. Pantai Kata, a short ride from the city center, has calm, clear water suited to swimming and a colorful rock-formation photo spot. The Tabuik festival, held annually around the 10th of Muharram in the Islamic calendar, commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Husain with elaborate processions and is one of West Sumatra's most distinctive cultural events.

Attend the Tabuik festival if visiting during Muharram. Relax at Gandoriah or Pantai Kata beaches.

Seafood and Padang cuisine, plus sala lauak (fried fish-and-spice fritters), a Pariaman specialty commonly sold along the beachfront.

Padang (1 hour south). Bukittinggi (2 hours east). The Mentawai Islands (ferries from Padang).