One of the poets who visited West Sumatra for the first time depicted this province as one of the remaining heavens on earth. West Sumatra is indeed very rich in stunning natural scenic panorama, including a number of unique stalactite caves. There are also several beautiful lakes, nature reserves and eighteen mountains, three of which are active volcanoes: Mount Merapi, Mount Talang and Mount Tandikat in the area. With such a rich environment, West Sumatra has become for many years a popular destination for domestic and foreign tourists. In general the tourist destinations in the province spread out at three different main areas: Padang and its vicinity with their beautiful sea and beaches ; the cool Bukittinggi, famous for its plentiful assortment of delicious meals and snacks as well as home for a number of natural scenic beauties; and finally, the Tanah Datar area which is home for the old Minangkabau cultural heritage.