MINISTER INAUGURATES TOURIST TRAIN IN WEST SUMATRA

Padang Panjang, West Sumatra Province, Feb. 22 (ANTARA) - Transportation Minister Jusman Syafii Djamal inaugurated the operation of tourist train serving Padang Panjang-Sawahlunto route in West Sumatra, here on Saturday.

"Hopefully the operation of this tourist train could help boost the local people's economy," the minister said.
The newly-launched 'Danau Singkarak' train, which has seven coaches and one locomotive, is expected to help attract more tourists to the province.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by among others Roni Wahyudi, a director of state railway company PT KAI, the culture and tourism ministry's Marketing Director General Sapta Nirwandar, West Sumatra Governor Gamawan Fauzi, and Padang Panjang Mayor Suir Syam.
"Tourist objects in West Sumatra are well liked by both domestic and international tourists," Governor Gamawan Fauzi said.
Among tourist objects in the province are the Padang Museum, which houses objects of cultural and historical interest,
the beach of Bungus Bay and its white sands, the Bung Hatta
botanical garden covering 70,000 ha with a rare collection of flora and fauna in Solok, Jam Gadang or clocktower in Bukittinggi, Kota Gadang, which is renowned for its fine silver filigree and hand embroidery, and "Ngarai" ('canyon') Sianok which lies at the outskirt of Bukitinggi.