Harau Valley

East from Bukittinggi, the road takes you through the tapioca-growing area of Piladang, famous for keropok (tapioca crackers). Of Minangkabau’s three clans, this is the territory of the 50 Kota (50 Villages) yellow branch. Rice paddies with wallowing buffalo flank the narrow road that leads to the tiny village of Harau, the volcanoes looming behind them. Just another 3km and spectacular, vertical 100m cliffs, looks like made of painted rock, rise up to enclose the Harau Valley, 55km from Bukittinggi.