Aceh

Aceh is a special territory (daerah istimewa) of Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Its current official name is Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam; past spellings of its name include Acheh, Atjeh and Achin.

Aceh was the closest point of land to the epicenter of the massive 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, which triggered Tsunamis that devastated much of the western coast of the region, including the capital city of Banda Aceh. Over 170,000 persons were listed as dead or missing, with a further 500,000 plus being made homeless.

Aceh region has a strategic position as the gate of trading and cultural traffic, which has been connecting East and West since the past centuries. It is known as a transit place of Chinese, European, Indian and Arab merchants. This relationship made Aceh region as the first entrance of culture and religion into the Southeast-Asian archipelago.

Aceh is known for its political independence and fierce resistance to control by outsiders, including the former Dutch colonists and, until recently, the central government of Indonesia.

Aceh has substantial natural resources, including coal, oil and gas. Aceh's main income earners are petroleum and natural gas, fertilizer, estate produce and agriculture.

Weh Island

The Weh Island lies at the western end of Sumatra, just ten sea miles off the Aceh mainland, with Breuh and Nasi not far away. Of the three, We Island is the most important.

The island's capital, Sabang, has a popula¬tion of more than 25,000 people and occupies about 200 square kilometers of land. Sabang has a small airport called Cot Bak U / Malikulsaleh, which links the town with Banda Aceh's Blang Bin¬tang Airport. Ferry boats regularly ply the nar¬row strait between the port and Uleelheue, on the mainland. A 32-kilometer long road skirts the shoreline, linking 118 villages in two districts with the island's capital.

Hills overlook beautiful Sabang Bay. There are a number of scenic beaches in the vicinity, such as pantai Kasiah and Anoe Ham. About 6.4 kilometers out at sea is the Rubiah island Marine Port a wonderful submarine world of colorful corals and fishes. Aneuk Laot Lake is a scenic lake in the hills from which Sabang derives its clean water supply. '

Pulau Breuh, can be reached by boat from We island. Sumur Tira and the Air Putih baths are the most popular tourist sites on the island.

North Aceh

On the road from Banda Aceh to Medan, near the border at Pidie, is a resort named Batte-iliek, which is highly popular among vacationers, many of whom come to bathe.

About 18 kilometers east of Lhokseumawe are the remains of the old Islamic kingdom of Samudera Pasai, the first Islamic state in In¬donesia. Here lies the grave of Malikulsaleh, the kingdom's first ruler. Among the graves of successive rulers is that of Queen Nahrisyah. Her tombstone is engraved with Arabic calligraphy.

Ujung Blang, near Lhokseumawe is a very popular resort and is much visited during holidays. Further south, towards Takengon, 22 kilometers away from Bireun, is Kreung SIm¬po pool, a riverside resort in natural surroun¬dings, filled with cool water coming from the North Aceh hinterland. Cot Panglima is a mountain resort on the Bireun-Takengon road. Located at an altitude of 1,200 meters above sea level, the air here is cool and crisp. The night temperature average 16° and the daytime temperature 23° Celsius.

The Lhokseumawe Industrial Zone is located near the town Lhokseumawe and is . among the biggest in Indonesia. Here are located Indonesia's biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, the Asean and the Iskandar Muda urea fertilizer industries. Not far away is the scenicBlang Kolam waterfall.

Central Aceh

Central Aceh is a regency in the Specfal Region of Aceh. It is home to the Gayo ethnic population, one of the ethnic groups of Aceh which prefer to live in the central highlands of the Bukit Barisan mountain range, deep in the hinterland.
On the average, the Central Aceh regency is blessed with a cool highland climate, and the soil is fertile. Central Aceh is one of Sumatra's foremost producers of high quality coffee.

The Gayo people who inhabit this land have their own language and forms of artistic ex¬pression. Islam is believed to have made its en¬try into this region somewhere in the 12th cen¬tury, and even today, the Gayo are known to be devout Moslems, as is the majority of the population of Aceh.

Takengon is a town on the shore of scenic

Lake Laut Tawar(the "fresh water sea"). The town is 319 kilometers away from Banda Aceh over Bireuen. Before World War II, horses were the only means to reach Takengon, and even at present they are stilI the major means of transportation among some of the vilIagers in the area. Being located at an altitude of about 1,200 meters high above sea level, the air around Takengon is cool - around 20° Celsius. The trip to Bireuen is pleasant. Even in the middle of the day, cool breezes sweep away the stuffy air inside the car while traveling the 218-kilometer distance from Ban¬da Aceh. It takes four hours to navigate the 101 kilometers from Bireuen to Takengon, due to the many curves and the narrow path road.

During the ikon depik season, Lake Laut Tawar is normally blanketed by fog and the air gets cooler. When rain begins to fall, the little fishes surface at the lakeside and the fishing begins, which the Gayo do by using either nets or the more traditional scoops. Depik do not grow bigger than a child's little finger. After they are caught, the little fishes are laid out in the sun to dry, then fried for consumption. Small as they are, they are an important source of animal protein for the Gayo people.

Lake Laut Tawar is about 60 square kilometers large, located at a height of about 1,225 meters above sea level, and is very scenic. Motorboats can be hired for excursions. A number of caves dot the lake's surroundings and the steep cliffs are most suitable for scaling.

Takengon can be reached in about two and a half hours from Lhokseumawe, on the east coast. The distance between the two towns is 150 kilometers. Cheap public buses are available. During World War II, the Japanese built an airstrip near Takengon for their defense purposes. After the war, however, it fell into disuse and the people gratefully con¬verted it into a coffee garden.

Didong is a traditional dance that is very popular among the Gayo people. It is presumed to have evolved since before the arrival of Islam.

Lukup is a village 20 kilometers from Takengon in which the original traditions of the Gayo pe

Nineteen kilometers before Takengon are the hot water springs and pools of Simpang Halek, and 50 kilometers to the south of Takengon is the Linge Isaq Hunting Park, a 80,000 hectare tract of wild inhabited by various species of wildlife, especially wild boar and deer. Villagers in the park's surroundings often organize traditional horse races.

East Aceh

The eastern parts of Aceh consist mainly of fertile lowlands, with a number of towns along the coast flourishing, due mainly to the presence of good highways which connect this part of the province with neighboring North Sumatra. A railroad system built by the Dutch colonial government in the late 19th century to link towns along the east coast, connects Banda Aceh with Medan and other towns and cities in North Sumatra. Although old, the railroad is still useful, mainly for the transpor¬tation of goods.

Between Lhokseumawe and Langsa is scenic Kuala Heukahbeach, and not far away, near the mouth of the Krueng Peureula river, is the former site of the ancient kingdom of Peureula, or Perlak, which bloomed around the lith century.
Among the relics of that distant past are the ,NuruI Ala Graveyard, the holy grave of Kutu Geudang, Krueng Hill, and Kuala' Langsa.

Southeast Aceh

Going from Takengon to the southeast over a distance of 165 kilometers past the villages Isese and Rikit Gaib, the traveler arrives at Slang Kejeren. This is the upstream region of the Alas River, inside the Gunung Leuser Na donal Park, the largest in Indonesia.

The wealth of the park's flora and fauna make it a frequent site for research on primates, birds, insects and for environmental studies. Basic lodging facilities are available at the Ketambe post. Another way to reach this na¬tional park is through Kutacane, the capital of the Southeast Aceh regency.
Lawe Gurab Park is 9,200 hectares large and is only 35 kilometers from Kutacane. About 40 kilometers from Kutacane-Blang Ke¬jeren is a hot water spring set in impressively scenic surroundings.

Along the road between Kutacane and Blang Kejeren, the Alas Rivercuts through the Gunung Leuser National Park as it rushes downstream. The area is especially popular among the young and adventurous. The sharp bends and the many rapids make the river in this area highly challenging to white-water rafters.

South of Kutacane is the border between the provinces Aceh and North Sumatr:l. This area is known as the Karo region. Here, Chris¬tian churches begin to make their appearance, and there are quite a number of them.

West & South Aceh

Traveling over land from West to South Aceh means skirting the province's southwestern coastline. The distance from Ban¬da Aceh over Meulaboh to Tapak Tuan is ap¬proximately 616 kilometers.

The journey from the provincial capital to Meulaboh, spanning a length of 245 kilometers, can be made by public bus. The route, however, is not quite as easy to negotiate as it may seem. There are many twists and turns along this stretch, and the road goes up and down steep hills. The passage is just wide enough to let one small bus at a time to pass, and just making way for another passing vehicle wi~h t~e ravine gaping at the side of the road is quite a frightening experience.

Five rivers must be crossed before one reaches Meulaboh, four of those crossings ¬those at Lam Beuso, Karongan, Arongan and Suak Timah -located near villages. Stalls offering refreshments and people vending fruits made good use of the situation by touting their wares to travelers.

In Meulaboh stands a monument-dedicated to the hero Teuku Umar who, according to in¬scription, died as a martyr on the lIth of February 1899. The remarkable thing about the monument is that it takes the form of a hat. According to local lore, Teuku Umar was shot by Dutch troops and his body was taken into the forest to be buried. Unknown by the soldiers, the resistance hero's hat fell on the ground, where people later found it. The monument presumably stands at the exact spot where that incident happened.

Further along the road is the tomb of Meurenbom Daya.. The cliffs here at the Geureutee Sea' are steep, but the view is magnificent. It is another 200 kilometers from Meulaboh to Tapaktuan, capital of the regen¬cy of South Aceh. The roads here are smooth and well-paved, and in general in a much bet¬ter state of repair that those on the Banda Aceh-Meulaboh stretch.

Tapaktuan is smaller than Meulaboh, but in terms of attractiveness it compares well with any other dty in Aceh. The modest hotel looks out on the sea and the hills beyond.

Closer to the border of the Sawang district in the South Aceh regency, there are quite a number of clean beaches with magnificent views. Visitors, however, are advised to heed the local norms of behavior. Many things are still considered taboo. Bathing in the sea, for example, is frowned upon, especially when it is done by men and women together. .

Further south along the coast is the Krueng Kluet river mouth, and a small town named Kandang. Still further to the south, about six kilometers away from Bukit Hitam ("Black Hill"), there are two waterfalls - Tuwi Lbok lee Dingin and Tingkat Tujub Bekas Tapaktuan (the "seventiered waterfall of Tapak¬tuan"). The latter is a popular holiday spot, with a natural pool. A narrow footpath leads to the top of the waterfall.

Singkil, a district about 950 square kilometers large, is inhabited by 9,000 people who live in 17 villilges scattered across the area. People going to the town have to take rafts at five different places. Ninety percent of the population are fishermen. The others are either farmers, traders or civil servants.

Simeuleu Island

The island Simeuleu on the rim of the Indian Ocean, 120 kilometers from the mainland coast at Tapaktuan and 145 kilometers from Meulaboh, is part of the Special Region of Aceh.

The capital of the island district is Sinabang, which can be reached by either aircraft or boat. The airstrip is about ten kilometers away from town, with small buses running back and forth between the two points to serve the needs of arriving and departing passengers.

Although located rather far offshore, Sinabang is busier than most other towns on the mainland's west coast, including Tapaktuan. The islanders' biggest source of income is cloves, the source of the island's relative wealth. Reachable by air or sea. Much less care is given to other crops. Paddies are often neglected.
Because of their relative prosperity, extravagance is a rather common inclination among the people of Simeuleu. After the harvest time, it not unusual for people to charter airplanes to take them to the big cities on the Sumatran mainland, where they buy up all sorts of goods, stay in luxury hotels and en¬joy city life.

Simeuleu has quite a number of villages, among them Labuhanbajau, Lasingalu, Lamayang, Nosreuheu, Leukon, Laban, Sibokoh, Sibigo and Kualabaru. Almost all the coastal villages have their charm and worth visiting. The same can be said for the islets Tapah, Simeuleucot and Lekon.More to the south are the islands Banyak, Leusan, Habi, Tuangku, Bangkaru and Ujungbatu. The waters around these islands are rich fishing grounds.

The Banyak island group in the Indian Ocean is the most southern in the South Aceh Regency. It the south of the group is the island Nias, which belongs to the province of North Sumatra.

The lack of regular transportation makes it rather difficult to visit the Banyak islands. In addition, rough weather and gales often make crossings totally impossible. In normal weather it takes about 12 hours sailing to reach the islands from Tapaktuan. From Bakongan, it is a journey of about six hours, and from Singkil about three hours by fishing boat.

In the past, the Banyak group comprised exactly 100 islands. At present, 99 are left afterone was swept off the surface of the sea dur¬ing a raging storm. Seven of the islands are classified as big, while the remaining 82 are small. Of those latter, three are inhabited by 4,102 people.

Here, too, cloves are a major source of in¬come, besides copra and fofok, which is a kind of sea shell. The products are sold in Sibolga and Gunung Sitoli, in North Sumatra.

The people on Banyak Islands are Moslems. Their language is a mixture of a number of linguistic elements and is distinct from that of Aceh. Politeness and loyalty are common traits.

The island group boasts a number of virgin potential tourist spots, among them the Gosang Seande Beach Marine Gardens, and the islands Bengkulu, Rangit, Sikandang, Bagok, Biawak, Pagisih, Sarang Ala, Pinang and Banyak

The climate in these islands is generally hot, but often tempered by rain and wind during certain months of the year.