Hello again, it’s us, serving you more beach related content you may or may not have asked for. But hey, no harm in knowing more for future references, right?

There are only a few boxes that need to be ticked when it comes to a beach hunt. Eg. waves, crowd, water clarity. But to be honest, most of us are pretty much sold when we see clear blue, turquoise water. There are so many beautiful islands with stunning beaches to cover in Indonesia. Although places like Bali always take the spotlight, there are other hidden gems worth a mention — and today we’re covering the beaches around Banda Aceh.

In case you’ve never heard of Banda Aceh, it’s a city located on the island of Sumatra. It may ring a bell if you know of the Indian Ocean earthquake and Tsunami that happened back in 2004. If that triggers your interest, there’s the Aceh Tsunami Museum that you can check out too.

Pulau Weh, also known as Weh Island, is about 2 hours (by ferry) away from the mainland. This small active volcanic island is where most people pay a visit to go diving or snorkeling.

The main beaches on this island are Iboih beach and Gapang —where there are dive centers and motorbike rentals for you to cruise around the island. Popular snorkeling spots are the Yulia Guest House Pier and Erick’s Green House.

If you’re looking to stay nearby, you can book a stay with The Hawk’s Nest Resort.

If you’re a true beach junkie, you can make a day trip to Lampuuk or Lhoknga Beach to surf!

To reach Lampuuk, you can catch a labi-labi (in other words, a van) from the Banda Aceh terminal to the main road in Lampuuk or pay a becak driver to drop you at the beach itself.

As for Lhoknga, it’s about 40 minutes from the airport. Lhoknga isn’t really exposed to mainstream tourism so it’s generally not as fancy, but you still get mother nature at its peak.

The surf season is typically from November to March, other months are more for kitesurfing.

If you’re looking to stay in the area, you can book a stay with The Pade Hotel.

Ulee Lheue is slightly more popular and is known for sunsets and swimming. The waves here are usually calm with warmer water, and it also has more rocks that reside in the sea. You can go duck boat riding here or rent a boat to explore the rest of the beach. Since it’s more popular among tourists, you’ll get to find seafood restaurants in the area!

If you’re looking to stay in the area, you can book a stay with Hermes Palace Hotel Banda Aceh.

We hope to keep you inspired with more hidden gems around the globe!

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