KherkhofCEMETERY
(Dutch Cemetery; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Teuku Umar; h8am-6pm)
The Kherkhof is the last resting place of more than 2000 Dutch and Indonesian soldiers who died fighting the Acehnese. The entrance is around 50m west of the Tsunami Museum. Tablets set into the walls by the entrance gate are inscribed with the names of the dead soldiers and the plain white crosses in the eastern part of the cemetery have replaced the gravestones destroyed by the tsunami.
REMEMBERING THE TSUNAMI
On December 26, 2004, an immense tsunami swept inland in Aceh, killing 170,000 people and altering the physical and emotional landscape of the province forever. In spite of the extensive rebuilding that has removed most signs of physical damage, stark reminders of the devastation remain in the form of many memorials that both honour those killed and allow visitors to comprehend the full horror of what transpired.
For many residents of the province the tsunami is a sensitive subject as many lost loved ones. However, if interest is expressed in a delicate manner, no offence is taken.
oTsunami MuseumMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Iskandar Muda; h9am-4.15pm Sat-Thu, noon-2pm Fri )F
A visit to this hard-hitting museum commences with a walk through a dark, dripping tunnel that symbolises the tsunami waves, with plaintive, terrified voices and the sound of rushing water all around you. This is followed by a powerful set of images of the devastation projected from tombstone-like receptacles, and a circular chamber engraved with the names of the lost. Upstairs a very graphic short film is aired, along with photographs of rebuilding, loss, hopefulness, displacement and reunited families.
Other displays explain how earthquakes and tsunamis are created and how Aceh’s landscapes were altered by this one (look out for ‘before’ and ‘after’ scale models of the city).
Mass GravesCEMETERY, MEMORIAL
There are four mass graves around Banda Aceh where the dead in the province were buried, post-tsunami. The largest site is Lambaro, located on the road to the airport, where 46,000 unidentified bodies were buried. Other grave sites include Meuraxa, Lhok Nga and Darusalam, where another 54,000 bodies were interred. Families who wish to mourn their unlocated loved ones choose one of the mass graves based on geographic proximity; they have no other evidence of where to offer their prayers.
Lampulo BoatLANDMARK
The most famous of the tsunami sights is the boat in the house in Lampulo, and the 2500-tonne power-generator vessel that was carried 4km inland by a wave.
4Sleeping
There is very little in the way of budget accommodation here; the cheapies on Jl Khairil Anwar don’t seem to accept foreign guests. Shoestringers may find themselves racing straight through Banda Aceh and out to the mellower prices of Pulau Weh.
oHotel SeiHOTEL$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0651-21866; www.seihotelaceh.com; Jl Tanoh Abe 71, Kampung Mulia; d 550,000Rp; aW)
This new lemon-yellow hotel down a quiet side street is one of Banda Aceh’s swankiest options. Expect compact rooms with reliable wi-fi, the arctic chill of the air-con, a pleasant respite from the outdoors, as well as friendly but erratic service and a seemingly deserted but actually decent restaurant.
Linda’s HomestayHOMESTAY$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0823 6436 4130, 0811 680 305; http://lindas-homestay.blogspot.com; Jl Mata Lorong Rahmat 3, Lambneu Barat; r 350,000-400,000Rp; aW)
Staying in the home of hospitable Linda, 4km out of town, is a good way of experiencing local life and many travellers rave about her. Linda cooks up a storm of Acehnese food and her sons are on hand to give you a tour of the city. However, some travellers report misunderstandings about prices and ensuing bad feelings.
Hotel Rumoh PMIHOTEL$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0651-33292; Jl Nyak Adam Kamil II 1, Kampong Ateuk Mungjing; r 300,000Rp; aW)
This hotel in a residential area southwest of the centre is a 15-minute walk to the Tsunami Museum. Rooms could use some sprucing up, but on the whole they are clean and pleasantly chilly, the staff are friendly and helpful, and pickup from the airport or ferry can be arranged in advance. A stopover rather than a place to linger.
Hotel MedanHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0651-21501; www.hotel-medan.com; Jl Ahmad Yani 17; r incl breakfast 330,000-550,000Rp; aiW)
We’re in two minds about this business-class hotel. On the one hand, the central location is very handy and the tiled rooms are clean and comfortable. On the other, the furniture is aged, the wi-fi unpredictable, breakfast choices are limited, rooms facing the road noisy and it’s overpriced for what it is.
5Eating
Pasar Malam RekMARKET$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Jl Ahmad Yani & Jl Khairil Anwar; dishes from 10,000Rp; h5-10pm)
The square at the junction of Jl Ahmad Yani and Jl Khairil Anwar is the setting for the Pasar Malam Rek, Banda Aceh’s lively night food market featuring noodle and sate stalls.
Rumah Makan Spesifik AcehINDONESIAN$
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl T Hasan Dek; mains from 30,000Rp; h11am-10pm)
An excellent introduction to Acehnese cuisine, with such delights as asam keeng (hot and sour soup), mie aceh (spicy noodle dish), udang goreng kunyit (turmeric shrimp), and curried fish.
oLa PiazzaITALIAN$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Iskandar Muda 308 & 309; mains from 40,000Rp; h11am-11pm; Wv)
Authentic Italian food is on the menu at this outpost belonging to Freddie on Pulau Weh. You’re not limited to pasta and pizza, though; the seafood dishes are also one of their strong points. Romance your sweetie by candlelight at this garden restaurant on the 3rd floor. Discreetly open all day during Ramadan.
Restauran BundaINDONESIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Pante Pirak 7-9; meals around 70,000Rp; h11am-10pm; a)
Think bright lights, a shiny canteen and uniformed waiters piling endless plates of sublime masakan minang (basically the same as Padang food) dishes onto your table and you get this popular ‘posh warung’ style restaurant. It also does a takeaway service – ideal if you have a long bus ride ahead.
Country SteakhouseSTEAK$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0651-24213; off Jl Sri Ratu Safiatuddin 45B; mains 25,000-130,000Rp; hnoon-10pm; aW)
Well hidden down an alley, this wood-panelled restaurant used to feed the international aid workers. It’s now added a few Indonesian standards to the menu that features New Zealand steaks, snapper and hand-cut chips; specify how you want your steak or be prepared for the default (‘well done’). Also has beer and Australian red wine.
6Drinking
Because of sharia law, alcohol is not available as openly here as elsewhere in Indonesia, but a few of the more expensive restaurants and hotels discreetly serve beer.
Warung Kopi SolongCAFE
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Teuku Iskandar 13-14; h9am-7pm; W)
Aceh’s most famous coffee house has been doing business since 1974. It’s an excellent place to try kopi sanger (coffee with condensed milk) – with the coffee strained through a sock! You can buy 250g and 500g bags of finely ground, locally grown Ulee Kareng robusta coffee to take away. Noodle dishes and other snacks available. Take a taxi.
8Information
There are lots of ATMs around town, mainly on Jl Panglima Polem and Jl Sri Ratu Safiatuddin.
Post OfficePOST OFFICE
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl H Bendahara 33; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri)
A short walk from the centre.
Regional Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION
(Dinas Parawisata; GOOGLE MAP ; %0651-852020; www.bandaacehtourism.com; Jl Chik Kuta Karang 3)
The staff are exceptionally friendly and sometimes have free copies of an excellent guidebook to the province. On the 1st floor of a government building.
Rumah Sakit Dr Zainoel AbidinHOSPITAL
(%0651-34565; Jl Daud Beureuch 108)
One of the best hospitals in town. Located just east of the centre.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Ban
da Aceh’s Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport is 16km southeast of the centre.
Boat
Boats serving Pulau Weh depart from the port at Uleh-leh, 5km northwest of Banda Aceh’s city centre.
Bus
Terminal Bus Bathoh ( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Mohammed Hasan) is located 2km south of the city centre. Large buses to Medan aside, most accommodation can arrange for the relevant minibus to pick you up.
TRANSPORT FROM BANDA ACEH
AIR
Destination Airline Frequency
Jakarta Garuda 2 daily
Kuala Lumpur AirAsia daily
Kutacane Susi Air 2 weekly
Medan Garuda, Lion Air 3 daily
Penang Firefly, Malaysia Airlines 3 weekly
BUS
Destination Fare (Rp) Duration (hr) Frequency
Ketambe/Kutacane 220,000 15-18 daily
Medan 210,000 12 hourly until 10pm
Singkil 230,000 15 daily
8Getting Around
Taxis from the airport to the city centre charge around 100,000Rp. A taxi from the airport to the Uleh-leh port will cost around 130,000Rp.
Labi labi are the main form of transport around town and cost 2500Rp. The labi labi terminal ( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Diponegoro) is that special breed of Indonesian mayhem. For Uleh-leh (10,000Rp, 35 minutes), take the blue labi labi signed ‘Uleh-leh.’ You can also reach Lhok Nga and Lampu’uk (16,000Rp).
From the bus terminal, a becak into town will cost around 25,000Rp. A becak around town should cost between 10,000Rp and 20,000Rp, depending on your destination. A becak to Uleh-leh from the city centre is 30,000Rp and a taxi 60,000Rp.
Pulau Weh
%0652 / Pop 25,000
A tiny tropical rock off the tip of Sumatra, Pulau Weh is a small slice of beach and jungle that rewards travellers who’ve journeyed up through the turbulent greater mainland below. After you’ve hiked around the mainland’s jungles, volcanoes and lakes, it’s time to jump into the languid waters of the Indian Ocean. Snorkellers and divers bubble through the great walls of swaying sea fans, deep canyons and rock pinnacles, ogling the dazzling kaleidoscope of marine life, including manta rays and whale sharks. Both figuratively and geographically, Pulau Weh is the cherry on top for many visitors to Sumatra.
Pulau Weh is shaped roughly like a horseshoe. On the northeastern leg is the port town of Sabang, where most of Weh’s population lives. The primary tourist beaches are Gapang and Iboih, which are about 20km heading towards the northwestern leg. In the bendy-palms and sandy-toes stakes, Iboih probably just outclasses Gapang, but for the best beaches of all, pack a towel and head to Pantai Sumur Tiga near Sabang and Long Beach, a little way north of Iboih.
2Activities
Most travellers come to Weh for the diving and snorkelling, which is considered some of the best in the Indian Ocean. On an average day, you’re likely to spot morays, lionfish and stingrays. During plankton blooms, whale sharks come to graze. Unlike at other dive sites, the coral fields take a back seat to the sea life and landscapes. There are close to 20 dive sites around the island, most in and around Iboih and Gapang, where dive operators are based.
Snorkelling gear can be hired almost anywhere for around 30,000Rp per day.
8Getting There & Away
Air
The small, new Maimun Saleh Airport , 2km south of Sabang, is connected to Medan by Garuda Indonesia on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, departing Medan at 8.50am and returning from Sabang at 10.40am.
Boat
Slow car ferries and express passenger ferries ply the route between Uleh-leh, 5km northwest of Banda Aceh on the mainland, and Balohan port, around 8km south of Sabang on Pulau Weh. You should get to the port at least 45 minutes before departure to get a ticket. Ferry service is weather pending.
Car ferries (economy/air-con 25,000/50,000, two hours) leave Pulau Weh daily at 8am, returning from Uleh Leh on the mainland at 11am. On Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, there’s an additional service from Pulau Weh at 1.30pm, returning from Uleh Leh at 4pm.
The Express Ferry (%0651-43791, 0652-332 4800; business/executive/VIP 125,000/150,000/165,000Rp) departs Banda Aceh for Pulau Weh at 9.30am and 4pm daily (45 minutes to one hour). Services from Pulau Weh to Banda Aceh depart at 8am and 2.30pm daily.
8Getting Around
From the Balohan port, there are regular minibuses to Sabang (25,000Rp, 15 minutes), and Gapang and Iboih (60,000Rp, 40 minutes). You can catch a minibus from Jl Perdagangan in Sabang to Gapang and Iboih (40,000Rp). Becaks and taxis charge around 80,000Rp from the port to Gapang and Iboih and around 70,000Rp from Sumur Tiga near Sabang to Gapang and Iboih.
A taxi from Sumur Tiga to the airport is 30,000Rp; from Gapang/Iboih it’s around 70,000Rp to 80,000Rp.
Many lodgings rent out motorbikes for around 100,000Rp per day.
Sabang
The island’s main township is a mix of traditional fishing village and old colonial-era villas. During Dutch rule, Sabang was a major coal and water depot for steamships. The town enjoyed a brief revival in the 1970s as a duty-free port, but is now a sleepy town whose inhabitants either fish or make rattan furniture.
If staying on the Sabang side of the island, visitors make a beeline for the beautiful Sumur Tiga beach, 5km east of town.
4Sleeping & Eating
oFreddiesLODGE$$
(%0813 602 5501; www.santai-sabang.com; Pantai Sumur Tiga; r 300,000Rp; aW)
This delightful cluster of breezy rooms sit above a pretty stretch of white-sand beach with a coral reef. It’s perfect for those content with snorkelling off the strategically placed pontoon and swinging in a hammock. Freddie, the South African owner, is responsible both for the delicious, varied buffet dinners (65,000Rp) and for the genuine feeling of camaraderie among the guests.
oCasa NemoBUNGALOW$$
(%0812 1735 4141; www.casanemo.com; Pantai Sumur Tiga; cottage 275,000-300,000Rp; aW)
Sitting on the balcony of your luxurious thatched beach bungalow (which in some cases comes complete with a stone bath) and looking down on a day-glow blue ocean, you’ll probably find it impossible to wipe the smile off your face.
8Information
The BRI bank (Jl Perdagangan) has an ATM, as do a couple of other banks.
ISLAND TOUR ON TWO WHEELS
Pulau Weh is a delight to explore either by motorbike or by bicycle (if you happen to have brought one along) due to its relatively compact size, light traffic and picturesque scenery.
If you start from Ipoih and follow the road all the way north through the forest reserve, you’ll reach Kilometer 0, a brash orange marker indicating the westernmost tip of Indonesia. The road itself is hilly, winding and beautiful, with an excellent chance of spotting monkeys and snakes. Head back south until you almost reach Gapang; the westbound turnoff leads to Lhong Anden, a beach ideal for sunset watching. Head back and go southeast past Gapang; just before you reach the village of Pria Laot, a rough road leads south to a waterfall that you can bathe in, and possibly spot flying foxes and monkeys. East past Pria Laot, you hit a T-junction; take the southbound branch and you pass between Gunung Kulan, the island’s highest volcano, on your right, and Gunung Merapi, a semiactive volcano which holds boiling water in its caldera and occasionally puffs smoke, on your left.
Head east along the coast and you pass some sulphurous hot springs near Kaunekai village. Carry on to Balohan port and take the less-peopled road north across the island, toward Sabang, passing Danau Anak Laut, a serene freshwater lake that supplies the island with its drinking water. Near Sabang, it’s worth seeking out the old Merbabu cemetery, where there are Dutch, French, Javanese, Acehnese and Japanese laid to rest.
If you don’t want to motorbike around the island alone, call English-speaking guide Andy (%0852 7644 9599; per person 150,000Rp) for a day-long tour.
Gapang
Occupying a sandy cove, with a great reef for snorkelling just offshore, Gapang is an appealing stretch of beach lined with shack restaurants
and simple guesthouses.
2Activities
Lumba Lumba Diving CentreDIVING
(%0811 682 787; www.lumbalumba.com; discover dive/Open Water Diver course €45/300)
The established and professional Dutch-run Lumba Lumba Diving Centre has been introducing divers to Pulau Weh’s underwater world for two decades now and is the only PADI-certified diving centre on the island. The owners Ton and Marjan Egbers maintain a helpful website with detailed descriptions of dives and need-to-know information. Highly recommended.
Monster DiversDIVING
(%0812 6960 6857; www.monsterdivers.com; discover dive/day trip incl dives €40/60)
A popular, professional new diving outfit consisting of three friendly Barcelonians and one local PADI diving instructor.
4Sleeping & Eating
Gapang is much less lively than nearby Iboih and the accommodation consists largely of basic beach huts (100,000Rp) with only one notable exception. Beachside cafes serving very standard Western and Indonesian food absorb the evening breezes and post-dive appetites.
Lumba LumbaRESORT$$
(%0811 682 787; www.lumbalumba.com; r without bathroom €13.50, with bathroom €20-32; iW)
Lonely Planet Indonesia Page 101