Cubadak island is located in Indonesia , West Sumatra. Padang, the capital of West Sumatra, has an international airport that offers daily flights from Jakarta, four times a week from Kuala Lumpur and twice a week from Singapore. The companies offering direct connections to Padang from Europe are: · GARUDA Indonesia/LUFTHANSA, via Frankfurt (Amsterdam) and Jakarta· SINGAPORE Airlines, via Zurich (Paris, Frankfurt, Rome), Singapore through the joint Co. Silk Air· MALAYSIAN Airlines, via Rome (Vienna, Munich), Kuala Lumpur /Singapore or Jakarta - Padang. The transfer from the airport to downtown takes 20 minutes.

Cubadak is in equatorial area so climate variability is a constant, but West Sumatra has atmospheric conditions particularly favourable due to the following elements:- The dry and wet monsoons run at a distance around 3.000 km so their influence upon the climate is marginal- Sumatra is vertically divided by a high mountain chain (1.500 - 3.800 m.) which opposes a barrier to the Eastern humid winds- Constant breezes assure a good temperature even being on the Equator- The night temperature falls from the daily 30/32° to 25/27°There are two seasons, but the periods cannot be clearly distinguished because of the above mentioned conditions:- "dry" from January to October with showers twice a week, particularly in the evening or late afternoon- "wet" in November and early December with rains nearly every day, again particularly in the evening

West Sumatra is inhabited by Minangkabau, from predominant Malaysian origin with significant Indian and Chinese influences. The Minangkabau are one of the last populations to practice a matriarchal organisation of the family and of the society, in strong contrast with the dominant religion, Islam.Other significant religions are also numerically consistent: Christian (30%) and Buddhist (8%).The official language is Indonesian. English is practically unknown and used only by the educated class. The cultural influence of the colonisers, Portugal and Holland is hardly felt.The US$ is today worth around 8.000 Indonesian Rupiah, after the big monetary crisis which hit nearly all South East Asia.

While in Indonesia, one can take advantage of fascinating trips in the vicinity, such as:
· The Batak and the Lake Toba - North Sumatra (Singapore Airlines and Silk Air): the social organisation and the Batak architecture, the orangutan reserve and the Lake Toba with its island Samosir.
· Toraja land - In Sulawesi (Garuda Indonesia or Singapore Airlines) a strange and interesting culture with an unique cult for death and funerals
· Jodjakarta and the Borobodur - The Javanese culture (Garuda Indonesia or Singapore Airlines) and the oldest Buddha temple.
· Irian Jaya - In the Indonesian Papua New Guinea (Garuda Indonesia) climbs over 5.000 m. and offers interesting anthropological discoveries.
· Malaysia (Malaysian Airlines) and the strait of Malaka
· Vietnam and Cambodia (Singapore Airlines)