I

would like to share my opinion of Payakumbuh, which I believe is one of the most livable cities in the country.

Payakumbuh is known as Kota Batiah in West Sumatra and is a great place to live. I have visited this mountainous city many times and I feel so relaxed and comfortable there.

The air is so fresh and the culinary tour is really unique and delicious. You can find many kinds of food here, locally known as gelamai, bareh randang, kipang, randang baluik, randang talua and martabak talua. Besides all the yummy food, Payakumbuh has many beautiful attractions to visit.

They are the Ngalau Indah cave, Ngalau Sompik, Puncak Simarajo, Panorama Ampangan, Batang Tabik natural swimming pool, Harau Waterfall, the Ratapan Ibu Bridge, etc.

Payakumbuh has won many awards. With economic growth of 6.38 percent, which increased to 6.79 percent in 2011, Payakumbuh is one of the highest economic growth areas in West Sumatra.

Innovations in the field of sanitation, waste management, healthy traditional markets, training for street vendors and urban drainage won the city the Urban Innovation Management (IMP) award in 2012, Indonesia Green Regional Award (IGRA), Healthy Cities Wistara and various other awards.

Nazila Zoubair
Jakarta