Ombilin coal mine, Coal mine in Sawahlunto City, Indonesia

The Ombilin coal mine lies in a narrow valley of the Bukit Barisan range, among the Polan, Pari and Mato hills, about 70 km northeast of Padang. Its surviving structures include the Mbah Soero tunnel, lit and ventilated for visitors, the Ombilin Coal Mining Museum with the tools once used here, and the Tangsi Baru workers' housing, coal filtering works, railway workshops and government offices.

A Dutch engineer discovered coal deposits here in 1868, leading to the start of Southeast Asia's first large-scale commercial coal mining operation in 1876. The mine grew and shaped the region for many decades afterward.

The mining area still shows preserved colonial buildings and worker housing that shaped how Sawahlunto developed and looks today. These structures tell the story of when thousands of people worked here to extract coal.

The Mbah Soero tunnel is the main underground section open to visitors, fitted with lighting and an air supply. The mining museum at the Ombilin complex displays the company's history and the tools once used here. The site lies about 70 km northeast of Padang, in a narrow valley between the Polan, Pari and Mato hills.

The old mining grounds have been turned into a leisure park featuring a zoo, a lake, and horseback riding facilities. This blend of industrial history and modern recreation makes the place quite unusual.