The Island Pulau Weh

Pulau Weh, better known as Sabang by the people of Indonesia, is a tiny tropical island paradise 15 kilometres to the northwest of Sumatra and part of Aceh province, hosting a huge selection of breathtaking sceneries both above and below the ocean. Volcanic mountains are covered with dense jungle, brown beaches are lined with swaying palms and the largest city on the island, Sabang, is the northern most outpost of Indonesia. All in all, Pulau Weh offers some of the finest diving and snorkelling in the Indian Ocean, yet this island is still very much undeveloped and untouched.

Weh or Pulau Weh is surrounded by a wildlife protection area with a rich ecosystem and is known for ecotourism. The island hosts an amazing range of marine life, so most travelers spend their days under water and while bubbling through beautifull coral gardens and deep canyons experiencing one of their finest adventures. Whale Sharks, Manta Rays, Requiem Sharks, Turtles, Dolphins, Barracuda, Morays, Lionfish or Stingrays as well as varieties of nudibranch, pipefish, frogfish or triggerfish you can spot there daily – and this is just a little choice. For the real marine life enthusiasts there also is the opportunity for seeing some of the rarer species like Frog fish, Sea-horses or Golden and Zebra morays. Including a host of vertical walls, canyon and caves it’s a diver’s dream with biodiversity at its best! And the shipwrecks sites and stunning landscapes are only a few more reasons why Pulau Weh is one of the best secret sites in Southeast Asia for divers, snorkellers and hammock swingers.

There are close to 20 dive sites around the island, most around Iboih and Gapang. But the streches of sand at this tourist beaches in the northwestern part of the island are generally short and rocky. So EcoTravel’s pickout is the Santai Sumur Tiga at the east coast with a pretty strech of brown-sand beach, a coral reef and also the opportunity for diving. “Freddies” ecoresort with wooden bungalows and apartments directly at the beach is a little hidden paradise for those content with diving, snorceling and relaxing. The atmosphere is quite laid-back and the delicious food is cooked by Freddie, the South African owner, himself. From Santai Sumur Tiga it’s only a 20 minutes walk to Sabang, the little maintownship of this island with its colonial charme. It’s also easy to explore the hilly island by motorbike, because there are only three main roads. So nobody can get lost, but you can take home a lot of unforgettable memories from this adventure, also above water – rich vegetation of primary rainforest, little villages, views on lake Aneuk Loat and a waterfall or the monument of the famous spot “Kilometer 0”, the startpoint of the Indonesia road infrastructure.

Note: The standard of accommodation and service on Pulau Weh cannot be compared with hotels in Bali or other tourist regions in Southeast Asia. A stay on Pulau Weh is recommended for divers, adventure travellers and travellers interested in the local culture!