Tuesday, July 1, 2008

TO THE TOP OF INDONESIA - BANDA-ACEH AND SABANG









ACCORDING TO THE FAMOUS INDONESIAN SONG OF UNITY THE HEART OF THE INDONESIAN REPUBLIC IS SAID TO EXTEND "FROM SABANG TO MERAUKE" - FROM THE MOST NORTHERN POINT IN THE WEST TO THE SOUTHERNMOST POINT OF THE ARCHIPELAGO IN THE EAST. AFTER VISITING MERAUKE, THE TOWN JUST NORTH OF AUSTRALIA, IT WAS TIME TO VISIT SABANG - THE TOWN THAT SITS OPPOSITE THAILAND! FLYING INTO BANDA ACEH AUTOMATICALLY BROUGHT BACK THE TRAGIC IMAGES OF THE TSUNAMI ON DECEMBER 26TH 2004. WITHIN MINUTES OF LEAVING THE AIRPORT THE TRAGEDY OF THAT FATEFUL DAY FLOODED BACK TO ME AS SOON AS MY MOTORBIKE TAXI DRIVER REPEATED TO ME THE PHRASE "TSUNAMI IS DANGER", TELLING ME OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS HE HAD LOST. BUT I WAS HERE ON THE HUNCH THAT THIS REGION WAS REBOUNDING AND SHOWING POTENTIAL AS A SERIOUS TOURISM DESTINATION. WITH A NEW AIRPORT NEARLY COMPLETE (DUE TO BE COMPLETED IN 2009) IT WILL BECOME AN EASY FLY IN FROM THAILAND, MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE AND INDIA. ALREADY THE WORD IS STARTING TO FILTER OUT ABOUT SOME GREAT SURF BEACHES WITHIN AN HOUR OF BANDA ON THE WEST COAST. ONE OF THE BEST SPOTS I FOUND WAS A VILLAGE CALLED LAMPUUK WITH SOME NEAT BUNGALOWS ON THE BEACH NOT TO MENTION GREAT WAVES. ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING TOUR OPERATORS I CAME ACROSS OFFERED A GUIDED TOUR OF THE SECRET HIDEOUTS OF THE ACEH REBELS IN THEIR LONG CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE INDONESIAN ARMY - AN INTERESTING ACTIVITY FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY OF THE AREA. THE CITY ITSELF IS BACK ON ITS FEET AFTER THE DEVASTATION OF THE TSUNAMI, WITH NEW HOTELS SPRINGING UP - ONE WAS THE HERMES PALACE HOTEL (A 4 STAR INTERNATIONAL HOTEL). THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT WAS ALSO BOOMING; FULL OF RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS. THERE IS AN ENTHUSIASM IN MOVING FORWARD.

MY NEXT STOP WAS THE ISLAND OF PULAU WEH TO THE NORTH OF BANDA. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THERE IS BY FAST FERRY FROM THE PORT OF ULEELHEUE (15 MINUTES FROM THE CENTRE OF BANDA). THE TRIP IS ONLY 60 MINUTES AND LEAVES EACH MORNING RETURNING IN THE AFTERNOON. THIS IS THE NORTHERNMOST TIP OF INDONESIA AND MOST PEOPLE REFER TO IT AS SABANG (NAMED AFTER THE MAIN TOWN) AND IT HAS ATTRACTED DIVERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD LOOKING FOR A CHILL OUT EXPERIENCE AND GREAT DIVE SITES. THE FAST FERRY PULLS INTO THE TOWN OF BALOHAN AND FROM THERE YOU CATCH A TAXI INTO SABANG (30 MINUTES). AS ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS ARE LIMITED IN SABANG MOST HEAD TO THE COASTAL BUNGALOWS AT GAPANG OR IBOIH WITH INCREDIBLE WHITE SAND BEACHES AND DIVE OPERATORS. THIS WILL GIVE YOU A REAL FEEL OF PARADISE, SWINGING IN A HAMMOCK AS THE TURQUOISE OCEAN LAPS UP THE SUN, WAITING FOR THE BBQ DINNER OF FRESH FISH. THE WHOLE ISLAND IS VERY LAID BACK COMPARED TO THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF OTHER PARTS OF INDONESIA. YOU ALMOST FEEL IT IS PHUKET 20 YEARS AGO! SABANG TOWN HAS KEPT ITS INTERNATIONAL FEEL, MAINTAINING ITS PAST AS A PORT TOWN FOR WORLD SEA TRAVELLERS, CHINESE TRADERS, FISHERMAN, AND A STRONGHOLD TO JAPANESE FORCES IN WORLD WAR II. TAKE A WALK THROUGH THE CEMETERY AND THIS TALE OF WORLD VISITORS UNFOLDS! ON THE SOUTH COAST YOU WILL FIND NATURAL HOT SPRINGS AND AN ACTIVE VOLCANO AS THE ROAD WINDS THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS AND DOWN TO THE COAST. THE COMMON FORM FOR TRANSPORT IS SIDECAR MOTORCYCLES AND THEY WILL GLADLY TAKE YOU TO THESE PLACES, INCLUDING A GREAT TREK ALONG THE EAST COAST ROAD ENDING IN A SUNSET DINNER AT THE TUNA BEACH RESORT. THIS SPOT IS AS RARE AS A NEW AC/DC ALBUM, INVITING, EXCITING AND A GREAT LOCATION WITH VIEWS ACROSS THE MALACCA STRAITS. GO AND TOUCH THE TOP OF INDONESIA, AND SAY YOU DID IT BEFORE THE REST!

DON FOSTER
JUNE 2008

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