It's likely that many people around the world hadn't ever heard of Banda Aceh until the tsunami struck on 26 December 2004. The seaside port town was the closest large population center to the epicenter of the earthquake and bore the brunt of the resulting tsunami. Between 130,000 and 150,000 people of Aceh province were killed by the earthquake and wave. There are still some signs left over from the catastrophe on display around the city, as reminders of what happened. These places make up some of Banda Aceh's most popular tourist attractions.
- Tsunami Museum
- The Tsunami Museum is part memorial and part museum displaying images and other artifacts from the tsunami.
- Fishing Boat on House
- Among the more curious sights resulting from the tsunami was this fishing boat that came to rest on top of a house, about a kilometer from where it was docked.
- Apung 1
- The electrical generating ship Apung 1 was carried two to three kilometers inland by the force of the tsunami wave. It still sits where it landed.
