Paragliding (paralayang) at Puncak Lawang, Padang

As the cold breeze brushes my face, I ask Imam where are we heading.
The road was winding, that’s for sure.

Imam is very proud of Padang, an honest lad and trustworthy as my Pak Darul often said “In sha Allah, semua selamat sampai” and yes, Imam took care of us well, too well in fact as we grew fond of him almost immediately (tambah-tambah si narsis Ed Junaidi  *wink*). Told us everything we need to know, from Pekan Baru to Padang; suggesting authentic local delicacies, off the beaten road destination, while trying to fit our impossible wish-list into the 6 days trip. Not doable but we were happy. Mind you, we detoured a lot (like, really a. lot.). If you have Imam as your trusty guide, you are as good as to throw away the itinerary; he knows every nook and cranny of the road, nothing escape his sharp and alert eyes. All we did was exclaim and hold our breath and he’ll slam the car break asking whether we would want to stop or U-turn to… where ever (sumpah best hokkay). Before heading to the famous Kelok 44 and Danau Maninjau, he insisted to take us to Puncak Lawang which… was not in our itinerary. Not until he describe that Puncak Lawang is where you can view the whole town and of course the danau (crater lake) itself I realized this is the place famous for paragliding. OK, ternyata Imam cekap tapi Lily tidak sebabnya tak bawak duit yang cukup for paragliding ride *boo hoo*.

#TravelTips 1 : Preferably to use own transport as I did not notice any public transportation up here

#TravelTips 2 : Bring a jacket and raincoats, it is both chilly and rained when we were there. Come prepared.

Oh yah! There, they call it paralayang, I find this cute (tak tau kenapa *cheeky smile*).

#TravelTips 3 : Upon reaching Puncak Lawang, I realised that I should have brought extra cash to experience paragliding overlooking Danau Maninjau. How cool is that, right!

#TravelTips 4 : Prepare or remind to have your friend or supir to pick you up at the drop place. Going up to Puncak Lawang for your bike or bags is not a smart idea *wink*.

The view up here is breathtaking, you’ll see friends, couples and families enjoying picnic, sipping a cup of hot bandrek in this chilly weather. I would too if I knew how beautiful and whimsical this place is. Other than paragliding, there’s trekking and ziplining for outdoor freak (like moi), I guess there’s something for everyone here.

#TravelTips 5 : Picnic. Picnic. Picnic. Got the hint? *smile* 

#TravelTips 6 : GoPro dilupa jangan.

#TravelTips 7 : Surau is located on the leftside, just behind the cafe.

#TravelTips 8 : Space out your itinerary when traveling to Padang and remember to have fun! Lots of it!