Indonesia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 218

little street-side restaurant opened its doors in 1967 and
is now more popular than ever for its tasty Acehnese
noodles. Choose from boiled or fried noodles, served dry or
in a soup with mushrooms, squid, shrimp (Rp18,000), crab
(Rp30,000), or any combination. Daily 10am-10.30pm.
Rasa Baru Utama Jl T Cut Ali 42. Grubby little hole in the
wall just across the street from the Mesjid Raya, popular
among locals for its super-cheap, authentic Acehnese fare,
such as kari kambing (curry goat; Rp20,000) and gulai Aceh
(Rp10,000). Daily 11am-10pm.

Known among foreigners as Pulau
Weh, it's known locally by the same
name as the principal town, Sabang,
situated on the island's northeast corner.
he main tourist areas are spread along
the beaches of Iboih and Gapang to the
northeast, as well as palm-fringed Sumur
Tiga, a short hop south of the town on
the east coast. Diving is year-round,
although conditions are optimal during
the relatively dry months from October
to April.

DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange There are many ATMs around
town, including BII (Jl Panglima Polim 50-52). Belangi at
Jl T Cut Ali 68 changes money (Mon-Sat 9am-5pm).
Hospital The state-of-the-art, German-built general
hospital (Rumah Sakit Umum Dr. Zainal Abidin) is 5km
east of the city centre at Jl Tgk Daud Beureueh 108 ( T 0651
34565).
Internet Most hotels and some restaurants have wi-fi,
while there are a few internet cafés across the river
on Jl Cut Meutiah charging Rp6000/hr.
Post o ce Near the city centre on Jl H Bendahara 33
(Mon-Thurs 8am-5pm, Fri 8am-noon & 2-5pm).

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
he bulk of Weh's allure lies offshore,
but there are a number of worthwhile
excursions out of the water. Beyond
relaxing on the island's handful of small
beaches, popular activities include
circling the island's well-kept roads by
motorbike, delving into the jungle-clad
interior to reach the island's small
semi-active volcano, swimming at the
pretty Pria Laot waterfall , or trekking
to the remote Kilometre Zero marker ,
a whitewashed, 20m monument
marking the far northwest edge of
the archipelago.

4

PULAU WEH
A tiny volcanic island 15km off the
northern tip of Sumatra and at the very
southern edge of the Andaman Sea,
PULAU WEH is one of Southeast Asia's
very best diving spots. he clear waters
around Weh include a pair of protected
areas, Pulau Weh Marine Park (26 square
kilometres) and Iboih Recreation Park
(13 square kilometres), each featuring a
kaleidoscope of reef life and a plenitude
of bigger fish. Among the larger pelagics
easily spotted here are morays, dolphins,
sharks, Napoleon (maori) wrasse,
stingrays and barracuda, while in season,
divers may also share the waters with
manta rays and whale sharks. here are
about twenty dive sites scattered
around the island, with highlights
including the calm, shallow Rubiah Sea
Garden , the gorgonian-rich caves and
arches of The Canyon , and the 134m
German-built Sophie Rickmers wreck .
Offering a refreshing respite from the
noise, congestion and chaos of mainland
Sumatra, Pulau Weh's slow island pace
tends to keep travellers around longer
than planned.

Iboih
Most backpackers make a beeline for
Iboih , the small beach on the island's
northwest shore. A laidback base for both
diving and snorkelling, its long,
spread-out bungalow strip faces directly
across from the small, jungle-covered
rock of Pulau Rubiah , about 100m
offshore. he stunning coral reefs in the
turquoise waters ringing the island are
known as the Sea Garden , and offer some
of the best snorkelling around Weh.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By ferry Fast and slow ferries connect Banda Aceh's Ulee
Lheue Harbour with Weh's Balohan Harbour, on the
southeast of the island. Plan to arrive at either port at least
45min before departure. Slow ferries (2hr; Rp22,000)
depart in each direction on Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri (2pm
from Banda Aceh; 8am from Pulau Weh), and twice on Sat,
Sun and Wed (11am & 4pm from Banda Aceh; 8am & 2pm
from Pulau Weh). Fast ferries (45min) depart in each
direction three times daily (9am, 10am & 4pm from Banda
Aceh; 8am, 2.30pm & 4.30pm from Pulau Weh). The two
fast ferry operators have ticket windows at each harbour: