ID · Aceh · 5.83°N 95.31°E

pulau weh

Indonesia's northernmost tip: clear water, coral reefs and laid-back Iboih.

Best time
You can dive all year. Rain is usually heaviest from around October to January, when seas can get rough and boats are sometimes cancelled.
How long
3–4 days
Getting there
Fly from KL to Banda Aceh, about 2 hours. From Ulee Lheue port in Banda Aceh, the fast boat to Balohan on Pulau Weh takes about 45 minutes, or the slow car ferry about 2 hours. Iboih is then under an hour away by road.
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ID · Acehpulau weh5.83°N 95.31°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Indonesia's northernmost tip: clear water, coral reefs and laid-back Iboih.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingPulau WehID, Aceh
KLpulau weh
≈ 768 km from KL, as the crow flies
Balohan Seaport is the most importan seport as a main gate of Weh Island. Most ships from Banda aceh aririved here. The picture was taken from a new east road of Weh.

Photo: Tj Pramono · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A small volcanic island off the northern tip of Sumatra, also called Sabang after its main town. People come for the diving and snorkelling: the reefs are full of fish and the water is often very clear. It's quiet and slow, with simple bungalows by the sea and not much to do but swim and eat.

Makan

  1. Sate guritaGrilled octopus satay, Sabang's best-known snack.Map ↗
  2. Mie AcehThick, spicy noodles, fried or in soup, often with seafood or beef.Map ↗
  3. Kopi sangerAceh takes its coffee seriously. A sanger is strong coffee with condensed milk, strained until frothy.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Iboih and Rubiah IslandSnorkel straight off the rocks at Iboih, or take a short boat ride to the reefs around Rubiah Island.Map ↗
  2. Scuba divingDive centres around Iboih and Gapang run trips to walls, pinnacles and reefs busy with fish.Map ↗
  3. Kilometre Zero monumentThe marker for the symbolic start of Indonesia, 'from Sabang to Merauke', on a forested headland.Map ↗
  4. Sumur Tiga BeachA white-sand beach on the east coast near Sabang town, good for a swim.Map ↗
  5. Banda AcehWorth a night on the way for the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque and the Aceh Tsunami Museum.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Aceh follows Islamic law. Dress modestly in towns and villages, keep swimwear for the beach, and expect little or no alcohol.
  • Boats stop in bad weather, so leave a spare day before your flight home.
  • ATMs are in Sabang town, so bring enough cash for the beach areas.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.