Pulau Weh is a tiny tropical volcanic rock off the coast of northwest Sumatra. It’s covered in volcanoes, beaches and palm trees with dozens of tale less cats and wild pigs running around the villages. It is best known for fantastic diving and considered off the beaten track in oppose to its famous distant sister Bali.
While waiting for our slow ferry in Banda Aceh port, local driver Awe chats me up. With a usual ‘hello, where do you go’ comes out a conversation about tsunami museum. I known nothing about this place before coming and was struck with disastrous information which kept me half awake most of nights in Pulau Weh.
Twelve years ago, Banda Aceh was hit by the deadliest tsunami and the third biggest earthquake ever recorded by a seismograph. The whole city was washed away and took life of more then 170,000 people. Awe lost twenty family members and was the only one left alive.
The ferry was approaching now and I kept looking distantly with a fear ‘you’re so lucky Awe. –Not much of a luck to be left on my own right’- he half smiled.
Ferry took just over two hours and cost 27,000IDR ($2/£1.60), you also have an option of a fast boat but that will shoot up to 75,000IDR.
The main backpacker area is located in the village of Iboih, around a forty minute drive from the port in Sabang. Taxi will cost around 100,000 and tuk tuk 80,000.
Iboih turned out to be much smaller then I expected, with only a few little restaurants and three dive shops. It also appeared much quieter but that was mainly because of Ramadan. Whole village is a string of bungalows perched over the ocean and in the rocks above it, all linked by a small, rocky path with occasional steps. Cheapest accommodation we found was Fatimas bungalows, with a seafront cabin going for 75,000 ($6/£4.50). It was a great choice for our budget and had incredible view. Only downside was wild monkeys and enormous wind at night, that kept me awake only because of a recent story. So if you skip reading that, you should have no problems:)
Our favourite place to eat was Dee Dee’s, they have a wide menu and everything is cooked from fresh. It is a bit more expensive than mainland but still easily affordable. Make sure to try their curry, vegetable omelette and seafood salad. These are heavenly great. Dishes range from 15,000 to 40,000.
Nightlife is non-existent here, as it’s a staunch Muslim area and alcohol is theoretically illegal, which makes it a perfect detox retreat.
Pulau Weh has great diving and snorkelling. Going price is $24 per tank, or if you’re not a qualified diver opt for a snorkelling option and (rent fins and snorkel for 30,000 a day) head to nearby Coral Garden.
There isn’t much else to do than eating, sleeping and snorkelling. Motorbike can be easily arranged for 100,000 if you want to go around the island, petrol is cheap as well, costing 10,000/L. There is a point zero, which is 6km north from Iboih, unfortunately, we ran out of gas 2km left and never made there. Bummer.
Somehow, we easily spent six days lazing around and were happy to move forward to the next stop- Bukit Lawang.
Slow ferry back to Banda Aceh runs 8am and 1:30pm.
Happy days, will write soon.
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