A few have hailed Weh Island as possibly the next big thing, especially for scuba divers. While I wouldn't argue that it doesn't have the potential, I very much doubt that it will get as out of hand as, say, Koh Tao in Thailand. Other places, like Koh Tao, as well as Bali, Phuket and so on, simply have too much invested in them for Weh to get much attention, unless something drastic changes.
So, for now, Pulau Weh will remain one of those off-the-map destinations that few people know about. If you're a diver, Weh should almost certainly be high on your list of destinations. It's probably not as good as Sumbawa - Komodo, but it's close, and the diving style is much more relaxing that your typical Komodo live-aboard. For more information about the diving around Pulau Weh, see my complete guide at SEA Undersea by following the link
If you're not a diver, then there's not much to do on Weh except sit on an almost deserted beach soaking up some sun, or swimming in clear blue waters over healthy reefs. I'm sure there are some to whom that would appeal! If you're considering Pulau Weh for a sun, sea and sand holiday, there are a few things you should know before you decide:
Accommodations on the island tend toward the rustic - no air conditioning, pools or much in the way of amenities. There are a couple of more posh resorts, but most of the places to stay are simple bungalows.
Due to the conservative nature of Aceh province, alcohol is in very limited supply. Some of the resorts stock beer, but many of the locally run restaurants do not. Harder stuff than beer is very difficult to come by. If you like to party, Pulau Weh really isn't for you.
Be prepared for a slower pace of life, especially in restaurants. If a large group of diners shows up at once, they may take hours to all get served. There are, on the whole, so few visitors to Weh that most places are run by just one or two people.
The main city on the island is Sabang, and in fact many Acehnese refer to Pulau Weh as Sabang. There isn't much to the little town, and it doesn't even have any hotels that cater to international guests. Since the main resort areas are on the other side of the island, chances are you won't have any reason to go into Sabang, unless you desperately need access to an ATM. The only ones on the island are in the city.
Although the island does have a small airfield near the main city of Sabang, it is currently used only for military flights. So, the only way to get to Pulau Weh is by boat from Banda Aceh. Ferries leave from the harbor on the western side of Banda Aceh, about 30 minutes from the airport or 10 minutes from the center of town.
The crowd getting off the high-speed ferry from Pulau Weh There are generally two high speed ferries a day between Banda Aceh and Pulau Weh.
There are just a few hotels and resorts on Pulau Weh that can be booked on-line. All that we can find are listed below. Note that, of these, only the Iboih Inn is one the 'main' beach of Iboih, near the most popular scuba diving sites. Casa Nemo and Rasa Seni are located on the east coast, while the Pade Dive Resort is on the far west coast.
Casa Nemo Beach Resort Iboih Inn The Pade Dive Resort
Most of the developed beach areas of Weh have a small selection of simple places where you can eat. There seems to be very few fancy places, and it often seemed like everywhere I went had more or less the same menu of Indonesian foods along with simple western dishes like sandwiches and breakfast. However, some places did a better job than others, so it was a matter of trying various restaurants until we found one that hit the spot for us.
Lying just six degrees north of the equator, Pulau Weh has a typical, relatively constant year-round climate. While September to January are the wettest months, there's a good chance of rain at any time of year.
Historical Weather Patterns for Pulau Weh Average Monthly Highs & Lows (°C) Average monthly rainfall data is not available.
The coast of Pulau Weh is lined with small beaches, few of which are more than a hundred yards long or so. Most of them feature the requisite white sand and nearby amenities such as food stalls or boat rentals.
Gapang Beach on Pulau Weh The most developed beach areas, relatively speaking, are Gapang and Iboih on the long finger of land forming the western side of the deep bay, opposite the main town of Sabang.
Like many of the islands that make up Indonesia, Pulau Weh has volcanic origins and still hosts and active vent. There are three distinct fields of small vents crossing the mountains in the center of the island in a line from the ferry harbor in the southeast to the base of the bay where Gapang and Iboih beaches are located in the northwest. There is also a fourth vent field underwater south of Gapang beach.
The waterfall near Pria Laot village makes a nice little escape from the beaches. The waterfall itself is not exceptionally spectacular, but the various scenery you walk through to get there makes it a very interesting outing.
The waterfall near the village of Pria Laot The access to the waterfall is off the main road about a 10 minute drive south of Gapang. If you're driving yourself, the access road is easy to spot, since it's right next to the stream, which the main road crosses.
