Hearing the name Sabang, who doesn't know? This place, which is located at the western tip of Indonesia, is familiar to us from the songs from Sabang to Merauke.
However, actually Sabang is not the name of an island, but a city located on the island of Weh. Yes, Sabang is located on Pulau Weh. An island known for its strategic location and natural scenery.
Sabang is a city in Aceh, Indonesia. Located on Pulau Weh which is the gateway to the western tip of Indonesia. Sabang has an area of 156.3 square kilometers and the highest peak is 617 meters above sea level. Sabang is also directly adjacent to 3 other countries, namely Malaysia, Thailand and India. This place is also the meeting place of the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca.
Sunset in Sabang City
It is said that according to history, during the Aceh Kingdom, the Pulau Weh area was a place of expulsion or "geupeuweh" was transferred for someone who was subjected to severe punishment from the kingdom, and finally the term "geupeuweh" became the name of this island. As time passed, the pronunciation was shortened to Pulau Weh which means (separate island).
Sightings of Sabang City from an Inn
The name "Sabang City" comes from the Acehnese language, namely "saban" which means equal rights and position in all things. This is all related to the existence of Sabang which used to be visited by many outsiders to open gardens and also many other businesses.
The Sabang Sea is very beautiful and the water is clear
Sabang is also a tourist destination that must be visited by tourists, because Sabang has many unique things and beautiful locations that you can find, especially the beaches. Sabang is also a paradise for divers because this place also offers natural beauty under the sea, where divers can find hundreds of species of fish and also the wealth of natural coral reefs that already exist on the seabed.
Sighting of Sabang City Taken from Drone Image
Sighting of Sabang City Taken from Drone Image
Sighting of Sabang City Taken from Drone Image
Even now, Sabang has been equipped with many tourist attractions since the Sabang International Regatta was held. In addition to the beautiful ocean, Sabang also has other locations such as mountains, lakes, sea beaches, and also has unspoiled forests.
Pulau Weh is an island that is formed volcanically. No wonder even on the edge of the sea, you can still find typical volcanic stones that are easy to find. This also affects the fertility of the soil. Some of the green forest cover that is still intact can be found in the western part of the island. When driving to an iconic destination on Pulau Weh, namely KM 0 – a symbol of the outermost boundary of the Republic of Indonesia, visitors can encounter tropical forests. Often on the road, a group of long-tailed monkeys are on the road to relax.
Laying towards the sea, between the seascapes is a bay, where at the deepest end of the bay lies the city of Sabang. From the top of the altitude, visitors can see the beauty of this bay.
Located in this bay is the island of Rubiah, – supposedly the name is taken from the name of the tomb of a woman, Cut Nyak Rubiah who is buried on this island, there are coral reefs that make Pulau Weh one of the famous underwater destinations.
Access to Rubiah Island is from Iboih Beach or the local name "Teupin Layeu". It only takes about 5-10 minutes by motorboat from Iboih to Rubiah Island.
In Iboih visitors can also play in the water on the beach and stay at the existing guest house. If you are lucky, some eco-friendly accommodations provide pavilions jutting into the sea. When you open your eyes in the morning, the sea view is right in front of your eyes.
Private Lodging On Iboih Island
The main destinations in Iboih are generally those who want to snorkel or scuba dive. But there are also those who just enjoy the beauty of nature and try culinary delights.
For those who want to dive, you don't need to worry, there are several dive operators here that you can contact. One advantage of diving tourism on Pulau Weh is its close location. The sea around Rubiah Island and other small islands around it, has a diversity of various types of fish and beautiful coral reefs.
Even if you don't intend to dive, with snorkeling you can observe the beauty of the sea from sea level. Guaranteed, you can find schools of fish (schooling fish) swimming around the coral reefs. Meanwhile, the average cost of renting snorkeling equipment is around IDR 40,000. While the cost of one dive is around IDR 400,000 (or Eur 25 for foreign tourists).
The waters around Iboih Beach and Rubiah Island are indeed intended for tourism. Massive fishing activities are prohibited, because they are afraid that they will damage the coral reefs, which in the end will have an impact on the underwater potential of this place. No wonder the underwater waters in this place are touted as one of the best in Sumatra.
Another more challenging dive point, – more than 30 meters, is below KM0 and the west coast of Pulau Weh. It is said that according to a local diver, the topography of the sea at this location is steep which can be dived to a depth of 100 meters. This location is recommended for advanced licensed divers because of the difficulty and risk of diving.
Do not forget to maintain etiquette while you are at this location. Visitors are expected to dress modestly to respect the local culture. To protect nature, you are also asked not to litter.
To get to Pulau Weh, you can use a ro-ro ship (ferry) or it can be a fast boat from Banda Aceh. By fast boat from Ule-Lhe Port, Banda Aceh to Balohan Harbor, Sabang it takes about 45 minutes. As an alternative, apart from ships, direct flights to Sabang are also available from Medan.
The Canyon
Next is The Canyon, this rocky dive site really amazes us with its own uniqueness, giving a different sensation from other dive sites. This dive site is inhabited by many types of ornamental fish and also magnificent coral reefs.
The Canyon Picture
West Selako
This place can be said to be a suitable place for easy dives, because this place has a standard depth of 10-20 meters, we already get underwater views that can spoil our eyes. And one more advantage of this dive site that is not owned by others, namely an underwater cave filled with fish and beautiful coral reefs.
Batee Tokong
This second diving spot has its own uniqueness, especially for under water photography, this is a favorite place for them. Because this place is mostly inhabited by small and unique living creatures, such as Nudibranchs and many other types.
Goa Sarang
Goa Sarang is a cave located at the foot of the cliffs and hills of the protected forest of Pulau Weh jutting into the blue sea.
Goa Sarang
If you want to see natural beauty like in Raja Ampat/Papua, you can also find it in Sabang, namely Goa Sarang. This cave is a nest of swallows and there are about seven caves at the foot of cliffs and protected hills.
What makes these caves unique is that all of these caves stand firmly on the blue sea on Pulau Weh so that the beauty of the scenery cannot be doubted.
For those of you who want to vacation in Indonesia, there is nothing wrong with stopping by in this city, because it will not disappoint you, the beautiful natural scenery and the comfort and hospitality of the residents here make your vacation very enjoyable.
