‘The Moving Paradise’

BY NURDIN HASAN

Banda Aceh, TAG – Sabang is a municipality in Indonesia’s Aceh province. It’s a beautiful island located to the north of provincial capital Banda Aceh. The name of tourism hilly area surrounded by Malacca Strait and Indian Ocean often used interchangeably. Some stated it’s a “part of paradise on earth”.

Strictly speaking, the local citizens and Acehnese people prefer to call this famous island for its snorkeling and diving as ‘Sabang’, while among tourists it’s best known as Weh Island or ‘Pulau Weh’ in Indonesian language. The islanders are very friendly and open to visitors, especially foreign tourists.

‘Weh’ in Acehnese language means ‘moving’. Some believed the northern tip a part area moved from its mainland Sumatra long time ago. It’s proved if you see the shape of Sabang and some parts of northern tip Sumatra Island’s land seemed like an ever fused.

Sabang also best known as the western part of Indonesia territory. So that’s why in the country, there’s a patriotic idiom saying ‘from Sabang to Merauke”, the eastern region in Papua province. There is a patriotic song namely ‘Dari Sabang Sampai Merauke’ taught to elementary school’s students in Indonesia.

In Sabang, there’s a small airport, but currently reserved only for Indonesian Air Force base and the military uses as the western country defense. Domestic and international tourists who want to get to the island use ferry from Banda Aceh’s Ulee Lheue small seaport.

It just takes 45 minutes to get to Balohan pier in Sabang using fast ferry from Ulee Lheue that serve twice a day. From the port, you can directly go to some beautiful white beaches to be regaled. You can enjoy diving and snorkeling in Rubiah Sea Garden or Gapang, Iboih and other attractive beaches. There are also a fasinating waterfall and Aneuk Laot or “the Child of Sea” lake in the island. In the evening, tourists can enjoy the sunset.

Sometimes, it’s clear visibility and slow currents that allowed international and local tourists to immortalize the moments by taking pictures under the sea garder. On the sunny and gorgeous day, they can relish lion, ribbon and jack fishes, octopuses, turtles and many other fishes playing in the midst of beautiful coral reefs.

Tourists often visit the Zero Kilometer Monument, a sign of Indonesian border in the west of the archipelago. Here you can play with wild monkeys. Every visitor will get a certificate from local tourism office in this attractive  island.[]