DAY 9
This is a good morning to catch up on some sleep, lounge in a hammock, read a book, or perfect that tan before the trip home.

We will have boat excursions to explore the mangrove forests, see the world-famous surfing breaks, and visit some more remote Mentawai coastal settlements before evening when we depart by boat back to Padang. (Overnight: berths in cabins aboard overnight boat)

DAY 10
We arrive in Padang at dawn and enjoy a hearty Western breakfast at Batang Arau Hotel.

After a thorough clean up (Ahh! Hot showers!!), we travel by minibus to the cool Sumatran highlands.

Scenery en route is absolutely gorgeous - rice fields, jungle canyons, plunging waterfalls, and steaming volcanoes.

We arrive in Bukkittingi and check into our comfortable hotel for two nights.

A free afternoon to trot around the town's charming streets by horse and buggy, shop for extraordinary antiques and souvenirs, and take in the scenic wonders of this high Minangkabau center of art and culture. (Overnight: Bukkittingi hotel)