We got picked up by minibus from the other side of the river at about 3pm, and taken to Binjai. There we waited on the side of a very busy road, in a ladies front room/ office/ garage type place for about 45 minutes. We were picked up the bus at about 5pm, and no of course it was not a sleeper bus like we had been promised. So we settled down for a long 12 hours in normal bus seats. When we eventually arrived in Banda aceh it was about 6am and chucking it down with rain.
We got a taxi to our hotel which I had booked online as they promised good wifi in the room. When we arrived at 6.45am, they would not let us check in till 10am, so we went off to get some breakfast in the rain and then made our way back to the hotel. The plan was to spend the day writing the blog and stay out of the rain. So at 10am we headed back and got checked in, suffice to say the wifi was shocking, so we spent most of the day watching crappy tv.
We got a taxi to our hotel which I had booked online as they promised good wifi in the room. When we arrived at 6.45am, they would not let us check in till 10am, so we went off to get some breakfast in the rain and then made our way back to the hotel. The plan was to spend the day writing the blog and stay out of the rain. So at 10am we headed back and got checked in, suffice to say the wifi was shocking, so we spent most of the day watching crappy tv.
Banda Aceh is the provincial capital and largest city in the province of Aceh, Indonesia. Banda Aceh came to worldwide attention on the 26 December 2004, the day the Indian ocean earthquake struck off the western coast of Sumatra. Banda Aceh was the closest major city to the earthquake's epicentre, and suffered further damage when a tsunami struck shortly afterward. It was the worst hit area out of all the locations hit. 167,000 people died and many more were injured. The tsunami resulted from an earthquake of magnitude 9.3 and struck at about 6:58am. The epicenter was about 155 miles off the coast of Banda Aceh. Most of the city was wiped out and all of the cities "tourist attractions" are tsunami memorial sites. We are planning to come back to Banda Aceh after we have been to Palau Weh, as we have to renew our visa here.
The following morning we were on the ferry at 8am, and on the island by 8.45am, and it was still raining, torrentially. We jumped in a taxi and headed 40 minutes to the top of the island. It was originally connected to the Sumatran mainland and became separated by sea after the volcano's last eruption many years ago. The island is in the Andaman Sea. The largest city on the island, Sabang, is the northernmost outpost of Indonesia.
Weh Island is a part of Aceh, Aceh is a special province where Sharia law has been applied exclusively for the province. However, there are some Christians and Buddists on the island. They are mostly Javanese, Batak and Chinese. The island is supposedly "dry" and there is no sunbathing in bikinis, in fact you are advised to swim in shorts and a vest.
The island is known for its ecosystem; the Indonesian government has declared 60 square kilometres of inland and sea around the island as a wildlife protection area. Coral reef areas around the island are known for their large variety of fish species. One of the best places to snorkel off the coast is Ibioh Beach, so it was there we were headed. We took a taxi to the "town" Ibioh, and then had to wait in a cafe for a boat to come and collect us. Because we had booked a room and it was still raining really hard, they said it would be better to get the boat.
This video was taken just as we landed at the restaurant for our accommodation.
The following morning we were on the ferry at 8am, and on the island by 8.45am, and it was still raining, torrentially. We jumped in a taxi and headed 40 minutes to the top of the island. It was originally connected to the Sumatran mainland and became separated by sea after the volcano's last eruption many years ago. The island is in the Andaman Sea. The largest city on the island, Sabang, is the northernmost outpost of Indonesia.
Weh Island is a part of Aceh, Aceh is a special province where Sharia law has been applied exclusively for the province. However, there are some Christians and Buddists on the island. They are mostly Javanese, Batak and Chinese. The island is supposedly "dry" and there is no sunbathing in bikinis, in fact you are advised to swim in shorts and a vest.
The island is known for its ecosystem; the Indonesian government has declared 60 square kilometres of inland and sea around the island as a wildlife protection area. Coral reef areas around the island are known for their large variety of fish species. One of the best places to snorkel off the coast is Ibioh Beach, so it was there we were headed. We took a taxi to the "town" Ibioh, and then had to wait in a cafe for a boat to come and collect us. Because we had booked a room and it was still raining really hard, they said it would be better to get the boat.
This video was taken just as we landed at the restaurant for our accommodation.
The room that we booked was quite expensive we thought, but it was the cheapest we could find online. But when we arrived it was tiny, and quite a way from the sea, so when it stopped raining about 3pm that afternoon we went a wandering. We soon found Olala's Bungalows, they are really cute huts right down over the sea, and much cheaper too. We were pretty soon lugging all our stuff down there. We soon knew that we made the right choice when the sun came out for about an hour and we got these pictures from the balcony
The first few days we snorkelled quite a bit even though it was really overcast, but we were really hanging on for a sunny day because it makes so much different to the visibility.
The weather was really to bad to rent a motorbike, so there were quite a few walks up and down the Ibioh main road.
And even though the weather was bad you can see how beautiful the island is.
On one of our little wanders we came across this beast laying in the sun.
In the end we snorkelled for about 7 days, and saw the most amazing things. The water was so clear, but the visibility was affected by the weather. We saw so many different fish that i dont know the names of, but i do know we saw a Lion Fish, and i was pretty chuffed by that. I obviously as always went a bit overboard with the photos and the videoing, so rather than explain here are the video highlights and a few select pictures.
For those of you really on the ball, no we have not bought a new underwater camera. It is in fact a miracle, the camera that broke took one look at this water and decided it would indeed take some pictures, so result!
The first few days we snorkelled quite a bit even though it was really overcast, but we were really hanging on for a sunny day because it makes so much different to the visibility.
The weather was really to bad to rent a motorbike, so there were quite a few walks up and down the Ibioh main road.
And even though the weather was bad you can see how beautiful the island is.
On one of our little wanders we came across this beast laying in the sun.
In the end we snorkelled for about 7 days, and saw the most amazing things. The water was so clear, but the visibility was affected by the weather. We saw so many different fish that i dont know the names of, but i do know we saw a Lion Fish, and i was pretty chuffed by that. I obviously as always went a bit overboard with the photos and the videoing, so rather than explain here are the video highlights and a few select pictures.
For those of you really on the ball, no we have not bought a new underwater camera. It is in fact a miracle, the camera that broke took one look at this water and decided it would indeed take some pictures, so result!
The range and amount of fish was amazing, and I am still amazed by the different shapes and colours that you see down there. There is not that much coral around the island anymore, and you can see a lot of it broken on the floor. But you can also see new coral growing, so hopefully this area will continue to be a great snorkelling spot. We spent so much time in the water in by the end of the week we were looking a little pruny.
There is really little else to do on the island, so we were either in the sea, on the balcony or in Olala's restaurant, who definitely serves the best Nasi Goreng, Fried Chicken and Rostis I have had for ages.
I can't believe a month has nearly passed already so on Monday we are heading back to Banda Aceh to extend our visa for one month. This could take 5 days or more, so tomorrow we are catching the 8am ferry.
There are a quite a few places that we have been on our travels that I would love to go back to and Palau Weh is definitely one of those places. Its really peaceful, serene and beautiful, sometimes the weather could do with a bit of help. But the rain is very tropical about the and it keeps all the jungle looking lush and green. There were loads of monkeys about as well, one morning we woke up to see one dangling his legs off our roof, and they made a right racket at night.
Onwards and upwards then, next stop Banda Aceh, and visa extension which I am really hoping is going to be straight forward................
There is really little else to do on the island, so we were either in the sea, on the balcony or in Olala's restaurant, who definitely serves the best Nasi Goreng, Fried Chicken and Rostis I have had for ages.
I can't believe a month has nearly passed already so on Monday we are heading back to Banda Aceh to extend our visa for one month. This could take 5 days or more, so tomorrow we are catching the 8am ferry.
There are a quite a few places that we have been on our travels that I would love to go back to and Palau Weh is definitely one of those places. Its really peaceful, serene and beautiful, sometimes the weather could do with a bit of help. But the rain is very tropical about the and it keeps all the jungle looking lush and green. There were loads of monkeys about as well, one morning we woke up to see one dangling his legs off our roof, and they made a right racket at night.
Onwards and upwards then, next stop Banda Aceh, and visa extension which I am really hoping is going to be straight forward................
2 comments:
Another fantastic blog!..fishes are lovely but think the Lion Fish should be renamed Spider Fish lol
Good luck with getting your Visas renewed. lots of love mum xxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks, yes lion fish pretty scary. Visas all sorted x x
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