Lifestyle and Travel: Indonesian tourist spots

Hearing the name Sabang, who doesn't know? Places that are located in the western tip of Indonesia, we often know from the song Sabang to Merauke. However, actually Sabang is not the name of an island, but a city that is on Pulau Weh. Yes, Sabang is located on Pulau Weh. An island known for its strategic location and natural scenery.

Weh Island is a volcanic island. No wonder even at the edge of the sea, still found typical volcanic rocks that are easily found. This also affects the fertility of the soil. Some intact green forest cover can be found in the western part of the island. When driving towards an iconic destination on Weh Island, namely KM 0 - the symbol of the outer border of the Republic of Indonesia, visitors can find tropical forests. Often on the road, a group of long-tailed monkeys are on the road to relax.

Longing towards the sea, between the seascapes there is a bay, where at the deepest end of the bay lies the city of Sabang. From the height point, visitors can see the beauty of this bay.

Located in this bay there is Rubiah island, - said its name is taken from the name of the tomb of a woman, Cut Nyak Rubiah who is buried on this island, there are coral reefs that make Weh Island become one of the famous underwater destinations.

Access to Rubiah Island is from Iboih Beach or whose local name is "Teupin Layeu". It only takes about 5-10 minutes by motorboat from Iboih to Rubiah Island.

In Iboih, visitors can play water on the beach and stay at existing guest houses. If you are lucky, some eco-friendly lodgings provide a pavilion that juts into the sea. When you open your eyes in the morning, the sea view is directly in front of your eyes.

The main destinations in Iboih are generally those who want to dive or scuba diving. But there are also just to enjoy the beauty of nature and try culinary.

For those who want to dive, you don't need to worry, there are several dive operators here that you can contact. One advantage of diving tours on Pulau Weh is its close location. The sea around Rubiah Island and other small islands around it, has a variety of different types of fish and beautiful coral reefs.

Even if you don't intend to dive, by snorkeling you can observe the beauty of the sea from the surface of the sea. Guaranteed, you can find a collection of fish (schooling fish) that swim around the coral reef. Meanwhile, the cost of renting snorkeling equipment averages around Rp. 40,000. While the one-time dive costs around IDR 400,000 (or Eur 25 for foreign tourists).

The waters around Iboih Beach and Rubiah Island are indeed for tourism. Massive fishing activities are prohibited, because it is feared that it will damage coral reefs, which at the end will have an impact on the potential underwater of this place. No wonder the underwater waters in this place are touted as one of the best in Sumatra.

Another more challenging dive point, - more than 30 meters, is below KM0 and the west coast of Pulau Weh. It is said that according to a local diver, the topography of the sea at this location is steep in shape which can be dived to a depth of 100 meters. This location is recommended for licensed divers later due to difficulty and risk of diving.

Don't forget to maintain ethics while you are in this location. Visitors are expected to remain dressed politely to respect local culture. To protect nature you are also asked not to litter.

To get to Pulau Weh, you can use a ro-ro (ferry) boat or you can use a fast boat from Banda Aceh. With a fast boat from Ule-Lhe Port, Banda Aceh going to Balohan Port, Sabang takes around 45 minutes. As an alternative, in addition to ships, heading to Sabang also available direct flights from Medan.