Weh Island

Weh Island (Pulau Weh), also known as Sabang after its main town, is a small active volcanic island off the northern tip of Sumatra, part of Aceh province. It is famous for its clear turquoise waters, excellent diving and snorkeling, beautiful beaches, and relaxed island atmosphere, and is a popular getaway from Banda Aceh.

The island has a colonial and wartime history: the Dutch built a coal-bunkering depot at Sabang's natural harbor starting in 1894, and Japanese forces invaded in 1942 ahead of the Malaya campaign. Dutch-era oil-storage tunnels still honeycomb the surrounding hills, and the rusted bow of a 1940s cargo ship rests in the bay. Recreational diving around the island dates to the 1980s, when local pioneers first surveyed and established the dive sites still used today. The Indonesian government has designated roughly 60 square kilometers of the surrounding land and sea as a protected wildlife area, and because the reefs here largely escaped the blast- and cyanide-fishing that damaged much of coastal Indonesia in the 20th century, what divers see today has been growing undisturbed since the 1970s.

Fast ferries from Banda Aceh's Ulee Lheue port run to Weh Island (around 45 minutes). Also accessible by slower ferries (around 2 hours).

The Kilometre Zero monument. Iboih Beach and Gapang Beach — the main tourist areas. Rubiah Island marine park.

Diving — the waters around Weh have healthy coral reefs, abundant marine life (turtles, reef sharks, rays). Snorkeling just off the beaches. Hiking to the island's viewpoints. Relaxing at the beach bungalows.

Simple bungalows at Iboih, mid-range beach resorts at Gapang, and budget hotels in Sabang town.

Banda Aceh (45 minutes by ferry). Lhoknga for surfing. Takengon for Gayo coffee country.