Pacu Itiak – Sumatra Flying Duck Race

Pacu Itiak (Flying Duck Race) is a single-day traditional animal sport held in lush rural areas surrounding Payakumbuh City, in West Sumatra. In this one-of-a-kind competition, young female ducks are released at a starting point and race through the air toward a marked finish line, with distances ranging from 800 to 1,600 metres along dirt tracks and rice paddies.
Races are held weekly on weekends throughout the year, with a pause during the holy month of Ramadan.

Google Maps location of the main event activities can be found here.

Beyond the fun and spectacle of the ducks flying over the rice fields, Pacu Itiak serves a deeper purpose for the local communities, helping build stronger bonds between villages and sustain the region's long-standing duck-breeding tradition.
The tradition's most popular highlights include:

• The Aerial Release: Handlers release dozens of young female ducks together at the starting point; the birds glide low over rice paddies toward the finish line while handlers run, shout, and wave to steer them.
• Bill Numbering & Judging: Each competing duck has its bill inked with a number, and judges verify bills at the finish to declare winners in classes of 800, 1,000, 1,200, and 1,600 metres (the long-distance “pacuan boko bebas” category).
• Traditional Music & Parades: Race days are accompanied by Minangkabau music and parade activities that turn a simple competition into a village celebration.
• Gulai Itik Lado Hijau: Food stalls serve Payakumbuh’s legendary green-chili duck curry, the dish most closely tied to the festival’s duck-farming heritage.
• SAKU TABA Monthly Festival: Held on the last Sunday of each month at Sawah Padang Aua Kuniang, this city-backed programme pairs pacu itik races with traditional dance, silek (Minang martial art), randai theatre, and dozens of local small-business stalls.
• Village Circuit Atmosphere: With roughly eleven rotating venues across Payakumbuh and Limapuluh Kota, every race day unfolds in a different rural nagari, giving spectators fresh landscapes and fiercely loyal local crowds.

The tradition is attributed to Minangkabau duck herders of Kanagarian Aur Kuning, who are said to have first raced their birds in the late 1920s as entertainment after long days of farm work.

Only local female Manila ducks aged four to six months may take part, with bills numbered for identification. In 2023, Pacu Itiak was officially recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Indonesia.

 

The tradition is attributed to Minangkabau duck herders of Kanagarian Aur Kuning, who are said to have first raced their birds in the late 1920s to relieve the boredom of farm work. Races are staged across a rotating circuit of roughly eleven traditional arenas (gelanggang) managed by PORTI (Persatuan Olahraga Itiak Terbang) across Payakumbuh and neighbouring Limapuluh Kota. Key permanent arenas include Gelanggang Tunggua Kubang (in Kapalo Koto Ampangan, Payakumbuh Selatan) and Gelanggang Aur Kuning / Sawah Padang, and since 2026 the city has anchored the tradition with a monthly cultural festival on the last Sunday of each month (pasbana.com).

The tradition is also practised and promoted as a tourist attraction in nearby Bukittinggi, though the Payakumbuh–Limapuluh Kota area remains its historical heartland (20.detik.com). Only local female Manila ducks aged four to six months, with bills numbered for identification, may take part. In 2023, Pacu Itiak was officially recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Indonesia.

Pacu Itiak carries no admission fee. Weekly races rotate across rice-field and roadside venues around Payakumbuh, and spectators simply gather along the track edges for free. The best access point is the monthly SAKU TABA cultural festival at Sawah Padang Aua Kuniang (Kelurahan Sapaku) in Payakumbuh, held on the last Sunday of each month; it combines the race with food stalls, craft vendors, and performances, making it the most predictable single outing for visitors.

Because weekly races shift continuously across rural circuits rather than staying in one stadium, knowing the specific arenas (gelanggang) is essential for visitors. The events are organized across an established rotation of traditional tracks managed by PORTI (Persatuan Olahraga Itiak Terbang) throughout Payakumbuh and the surrounding Limapuluh Kota Regency.

The primary permanent and recurring venues where you are most likely to catch a race include:

• Gelanggang Aur Kuning / Sawah Padang: [-0.2292, 100.6300] (Kelurahan Sawah Padang Aua Kuniang) – The core arena that hosts the monthly SAKU TABA festival and frequent weekend races.
• Gelanggang Tunggua Kubang: [-0.2450, 100.6400] (Kelurahan Kapalo Koto Ampangan, Payakumbuh Selatan) – A prominent permanent racing circuit framed by southern hills and rice paddies.
• Rotating Village Circuits: Roughly eleven traditional nagari tracks across the region that take turns hosting weekend competitions.

Because race dates and venues shift with the weekly circuit, visitors should confirm the current schedule locally rather than rely on published calendars. Two practical workarounds work well: check the official Payakumbuh tourism office channels (disparpora.payakumbuhkota.go.id) shortly before travel for the next venue, or ask at guesthouses in Payakumbuh, where owners usually know which nagari is hosting the coming Sunday’s race. Payakumbuh sits roughly two hours by road from Minangkabau International Airport (Padang), with regular minibuses and ride-hailing options; a rented scooter or private car is the most flexible way to reach rice-paddy venues outside the city centre. Arrive in the morning, as races and festival programmes typically run through the morning and early afternoon, and bring sun protection and cash for food stalls, since card payment is rarely accepted at village venues.