Welcome to Aceh
Sumatra's northernmost province, Aceh is both a fiercely proud and prosperous region. It's blessed with rainforests that feature incredible biodiversity, as well as pristine islands popular with beach-goers, divers and surfers alike. However, over the years, this western tip of the Indonesian archipelago has grabbed headlines for all the wrong reasons. Earthquakes, tsunamis, civil war and sharia law are the main associations people have with Sumatra’s northernmost state. With the reconstruction from the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami long completed, post-tsunami Aceh is slowly healing the social wounds incurred by the natural disaster and the previous civil war. Still, while the guns have been laid down and a degree of autonomy has been granted to the province, there are occasional blips on the road to peace, and a prevailing belief in the rest of Sumatra that the people of Aceh are keen to spread their conservative Islamic ways across the whole country.
Top experiences in Aceh
Travel guides
Starting at $45.49
Aceh activities
4 Day Jungle Adventure including 2 day trek
This trek combines the best of nature and wildlife Day 1. Private car pickup from airport or Medan accommodation (accommodation at your cost) today. Drive to 4 -5 hours to Bukit Lawang. Settle into your guest house. Rest of the day at your leisure to explore the local village, river and national park information centre if you like. Bukit Lawang guest house accommodation. Day 2. Trek to Camp 1 Adi Black (approx 5-6hrs trekking) Head off on your Orangutan jungle trek to do some animal spotting. Look out for orangutans, monkeys, gibbons and more…. After lunch head deeper into the jungle leaving the tourists behind. The terrain you will be trekking on will be extremely steep in parts, but the views spectacular, with plenty of stops to help you to acclimatize and adjust to the local conditions. Gunung Leuser National Park is mostly mountainous, covering a million hectares, straddling the borders of North Sumatra and Aceh provinces. You will have time to relax and bathe in the Landak River before your evening dinner. You will be amazed at the delicious food your guides are able to cook up in the middle of the jungle! Your tent for the night will be a simple bamboo frame, covered with a plastic tarp. (lunch and dinner included) Adi Black jungle camp. Day 3. Trek to Batu Kapal. This morning after a hearty jungle breakfast pack up camp and continue your trek to Batu Kapal through the national park and along the Landak River. Today you will be walking through this shallow river, traversing the river a number of times, so please make sure you have your river sandals handy. Arrive mid afternoon at Batu Kapal to settle into your guest house. Time to relax or explore the local surrounds and swim in the river. At dusk option to go on a nature walk and participate in the Batu Kapal Conservation wildlife monitoring program, animal and bird spotting and record your findings. Batu Kapal guesthouse accommodation (breakast) Day 4. Early rise this morning for a dawn walk along the river to see what animals and birds you can spot in this jungle paradise before transferring to your Medan accommodation (accommodation at your cost) or flight.
4 Days 3 Nights Discover Banda Aceh
Day 1: Arrival Banda AcehUpon arrival at the airport, you will be greeted by our friendly and experienced guide, who will then transfer you to your hotel in Banda Aceh for accommodation. Overnight at The Pade Hotel or other similarDay 2: Banda Aceh After breakfast at the hotel, embark on a full day of sightseeing around the city of Aceh, where you will see many points of interest relating to the tsunami of 2004. First up will be the Tsunami Museum, which features many engaging and poignant exhibits. Next, PLTD Apung is a 12,000-ton merchant vessel that was lifted by the tsunami and carried 5km inland, where it now remains as a staggering example of nature’s destructive power. Thereafter, you will head to Pasar Aceh; a large and sprawling market where you can see the vitality of modern-day Aceh in all its glory. The market is located close to the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, which miraculously survived the tsunami and remains both a spiritually important and beautiful building to this day. Following a trip to the fascinating Museum Negeri Banda Aceh, we’ll finish the tour by journeying to the house of Cut Nyak Dhien - a famous warrior from Aceh’s war for independence; and then finally to Lhoknga Beach, where you can enjoy sunset on the picturesque white sands. Overnight at The Pade Hotel or other similarDay 3: Banda Aceh Following breakfast at the hotel, begin a full day of sightseeing, starting with Ie Suum Hot Water; a natural hot spring where you can enjoy an indulgent soak in the steaming sulfurous waters located in the village of Ie Suum, in the Mesjid Raya sub-district of Aceh. Next, it’s on to Jackie Chan Village, also known as the Indonesia-China friendship village. This scenic village was built from scratch by actor Jackie Chan who, along with other actors from Hong Kong, helped fund the rebuilding of the community in the wake of the 2004 tsunami. Our next stop will be Indra Patra Fortress in Ladong Village, constructed during the first Hindu kingdom in Aceh before the arrival of Islam in Aceh, around 7th century AD. The nearby Inong Balee Fortress was once home to the very first woman admiral in the world. Her troops were made up of women widowed by the Portuguese, tasked with delivering vengeance to the invaders. Remnants of a string of forts can be seen perched on a steep cliff overlooking the bay of Malahayati harbor. The final stop on today’s tour, Lhok Mee Beach is famous for its white sands, blue seascapes and picturesque surroundings. After the sun has set, transfer to your hotel for accommodation. Overnight at The Pade Hotel or other similarDay 4: Banda Aceh Departure to AirportAfter breakfast at your Hotel, transfer to Sultan Iskandar Muda airport for flights to your onward destination.
5 Days 4 Nights Weh Delights
Day 1: Arrival Banda AcehUpon arrival at the airport, you will be greeted by our friendly and experienced guide, who will then transfer you to your hotel in Banda Aceh for accommodation.Overnight at The Pade HotelDay 2: Banda Aceh After breakfast at the hotel, embark on a full day of sightseeing around the city of Aceh, where you will see many points of interest relating to the tsunami of 2004. First up will be the Tsunami Museum, which features many engaging and poignant exhibits. Next, ‘PLTD Apung is a 12,000-ton merchant vessel that was lifted by the tsunami and carried 5km inland, where it now remains as a staggering example of nature’s destructive power. Another illustration of the events from 2004 is the sight of a fisherman’s boat perched on the roof of a house. This extraordinary scene gives a good impression of the human cost of the disaster. Thereafter, you will head to Pasar Aceh; a large and sprawling market where you can see the vitality of modern-day Aceh in all its glory. The market is located close to the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, which miraculously survived the tsunami and remains both a beautiful and spiritually important building to this day. Following a trip to the fascinating Museum Negeri Banda Aceh, we’ll finish the tour by journeying to the house of Cut Nyak Dhien - a famous warrior from Aceh’s war for independence; and then finally to Lhoknga Beach, where you can enjoy sunset on the picturesque white sands.Overnight at The Pade HotelDay 3: Pulau Weh After breakfast in your hotel, pick up and transfer to Banda Aceh’s Ulee Lheu; a ferry port on the mainland for a short cruise to Weh Island; a place renowned for its world-class snorkelling and diving. Upon arrival at Balohan, proceed to your hotel for accommodation. Rest of the day at leisureOvernight at Casa NemoDay 4: Pulau WehEnjoy breakfast at the Hotel, then the rest of the day is free at own leisure.Overnight at Casa NemoDay 5: Pulau Weh – Departure Banda AcehAfter enjoying breakfast at the hotel, drive back to the port at Balohan for a short cruise back to Ulee Lheu in Banda Aceh. Upon arrival, transfer to Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport for flights to your onward destination.
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