Sabang or also known as Pulau Weh is the outermost island in the west of Indonesia. Many think that the island with the most beautiful beaches and underwater is only in the eastern part of Indonesia. Very wrong! Weh Island is no less beautiful than other islands in eastern Indonesia.
If you want a vacation to Pulau Weh, read it first complete guide and how to get to Pulau Weh or Sabang.
How to get to Sabang or Pulau Weh
Of course, the closest starting point is Banda Aceh. After arriving at the airport, you can take DAMRI, rent a car or motorbike rickshaw to get to the airport Ulee Lheu Pelabuhan Harbor,
The following is the estimated cost required to rent a vehicle from the airport or bus station to Ulee Lheu Harbor:
- Airport (Banda Aceh) to Ulee Lheu Harbor: IDR 100,000/car or IDR 70,000/motor rickshaw.
- Bus station to Ulee Lheu Harbor: IDR 60,000/car or IDR 30,000/motor rickshaw
- From the airport you can go to the city by using the Damri bus for Rp. 25,000 then continue with a motorized tricycle or motorcycle taxi.
At Ulee Lheu Harbor, this is the crossing point to Sabang. There are two ways to get to Pulau Weh from Banda Aceh, namely by fast boat and ferry.
The following is the schedule and price for the boat heading from Banda Aceh to Pulau Weh:
- Fast boat from Ulee Lheu Port (Banda Aceh) to Balohan Port (Sabang/Weh Island). The travel time is approximately 45 minutes and the ticket price is IDR 85,000 one way. Departure schedule is 10:00 and 16:00.
- On the other hand, from Sabang to Banda Aceh, the fast boat departure schedule is at 10.00 and 14.30.
- Slow boats or ferries from Ulee Lheu Port (Banda Aceh) to Balohan Port (Sabang/Weh Island). The travel time is approximately 90 minutes and the ticket price is IDR 25,000. Departure schedule at 7.30, 10.00, and 14.30.
- On the other hand, from Sabang to Banda Aceh, slow boat departures are at 8.00, 10.00 and 14.30.
Some other costs:
- Balohan – Iboih: IDR 50,000
- Balohan – Sumur Tiga Beach: IDR 25,000 – 30,000
- Motorbike rental: IDR 60,000 – 100,000/day
Also read: A complete guide to a vacation to Wakatobi Island (Wangi-wangi, Kaledupa, and Tomia)
Recommended Lodging on Weh . Island
My friends and I stayed at Iboih Inn. The place is nice with a beautiful view. Each bungalow has a hammock for relaxing. The rooms are clean and comfortable. You can hang out also near the pier. Sometimes there is a herd of monkeys running up the tree. The breakfast is also delicious.
Click here to check the latest Iboih Inn prices
Besides Iboih Inn there are also homestays around but I don’t know what the conditions are. If you want to stay at Sumur Tiga Beach, try checking Freddies or Casa Nemo Resort and Spa through several hotel applications such as Traveloka or Booking.com.
If you want to dive, you can also use operators such as Rubiah Tirta Divers and Dolphins.
Itinerary for vacation to Sabang/Weh Island
In total, my group and I spent 3 days 2 nights for this Sabang or Pulau Weh trip. Please read the itinerary maybe it can be an example.
Day 1: Banda Aceh – Pulau Weh
I arrived in Banda Aceh by bus from Medan. However, I still have to wait for friends who depart by plane from Jakarta. The time they arrived was very close to the ship’s departure time. We rushed to the port in a rental car, luckily we caught up.
Even though we were the last passengers at least we didn’t miss the ship. For 45 minutes by boat, we finally arrived at Balohan Harbor. The weather is a bit cloudy. The sun was not visible.
We still have to use the car for 45 minutes to reach Iboih Beach. It finally rained. The winding path makes me a little drunk. Finally arrived at the inn, Iboih Inn. Today just relax and rest. I hope the weather is sunny tomorrow.
Also read: The experience of climbing Mount Kerinci in Sumatra
Day 2: Snorkeling at Rubiah Island
The first thing I do when I wake up is look out the window. Well..Still cloudy. I lazily showered, had breakfast, and prepared snorkeling equipment while waiting for other friends.
Today’s event is snorkeling, cool. We crossed to Rubiah Island. It only took 5 minutes to arrive. At that time the weather immediately changed 180 degrees! Suddenly the sun came out and it was very bright. It feels so good.
I immediately plunged into the water and swam around the pier. It’s just that I didn’t see much coral. Maybe the snorkeling spot is wrong or maybe if you go to Pulau Weh it is better to dive.
After a cool snorkel, we cleaned up and had lunch. Then we visited tourist spots around like 0 kilometer monument in Sabang, Gapang Beach, Sumur Tiga Beach, and Aneuk Laot Lake.
Read also: Experience seeing orangutans in person in Bukit Lawang, Sumatra
Day 3: Back to Banda Aceh
Time to return to Banda Aceh. Before ending the trip, we took the time to go around the city of Banda Aceh. For posts anywhere in Banda Aceh, wait.
Hopefully complete guide to Weh Island or Sabang this can be useful for you and your friends.
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