Even though Pulau Weh is a small island, there are plenty of things to do. In this paradise you can climb to the small volcanos in the center of the island and see the views from there, go to an incredible waterfall in the middle of the jungle and have a refreshing swim, go snorkeling on the caves and see the sunset or explore the island with a motorbike and find the black sand beaches, the bunkers of the second world war, the hotsprings, the kilometre zero, the secret beach...
Gapang beach
The second most visited beach in Pulau Weh is Gapang beach, located on the north-west part of the island. This beach has pristine beauty, thanks to its crystal water, the white sand, some dense trees and the views to an open sea. Some days it can be pretty crowded, especially on weekends as it is considered a touristic place for the locals. This is the place of the Island I spend more time in.
I have been to the island two times. The first one I stayed at Gapang beach as I was diving with Monster Divers and doing my open water course and it was more convenient. The accommodations there are cheap but simple, however, as I stayed most of the time at Monster's centre it was okay for me. If you want to stay at a better place I have some suggestions in this link. Pulau Weh, the paradisiac island.
Along the beach you can find several local restaurants such as Barracuda's, Western, Limbo, mama jungle... most of them have nice tables in front of the sea so you will be able to admire the views while having dinner. If you get tired of the spicy local food you can go to Monster diver's. They have a typical Spanish and clean restaurant where you can eat some specialities from our country. The grandma's "croquetas", "gazpacho", "tortilla de patatas", "bravas", pasta and espresso coffee.
The Sabang city
Sabang, which is the capital of Pulau Weh and the biggest city, is a historical town where you can see many colonial buildings, a nice mosque, souvenir shops... Due to their harbour, this city became very important for the ships on the route between Europe and Asia.
Close to Sabang, you can find a beautiful beach named Sumur Tiga, the most visited beach on the island. Freddi's resort is located here, even if you are not accommodating there I suggest you eat at their restaurant or have a drink near the sea. A bit more to the south you can find another resort called casa Nemo, they have a nice restaurant as well and a local spa for those who love having a massage.
As I was travelling alone it was more fun discovering the island with someone. I met a swiss family and we rent 2 motorbikes to find all the hideous places. Starting from "The Freddi's", we went south following the east coast.
The East Coast
In the road journey, we stopped to see the bunkers of the second world war. The island has always been a fishing village with harbours and a good climate. Around 1900 the Deutch build a coal depot and their harbor became very important. However, during the 2WW, the Japanese conquered Indonesia and build a fort in Pulau Weh with the intention of defending them against a potential British invasion from Singapore.
Close to the bunkers, still at the east coast, are the black sand beaches. The sand of the beach is created by the erosion of the rocks and cliffs close to the coast thanks to the pressure of the water over the years. The volcanic origin of the island makes the black colour of the sand. Whereas on the other coast of the island, the colour of the sand is completely white thanks to the coral reefs.
The center of the island
Actually, Pulau Weh is an active volcano island, which mouth is located on the belly of the island. Though Gunung Api (the volcano's name) doesn't have the typical volcano appearance and it is a sulfur stinking mound, having a trecking there is far more fun than it sounds. It also gives you fantastic views of the island.
However, in my opinion, if you have little time, the best place to visit is the waterfall inside the jungle. As many things on the island, the waterfall isn't well signalized. From Gapang Beach you should go to the east road and then turn left in a small path. If you find a crossing road you have already missed it. At the end of the dirt path there is a nice farm where you can park your motorbike for a reasonable price (you can park your motorbike for free if you leave it before arriving there).
I discovered this relaxing site with a funny Spanish team. After 30 min walking through the jungle with the majestic trees, the music of the birds, the countless disturbing bats sleeping at the top of the trees and the endless moments wondering if we had already lost, we found the imposing waterfall. Even though the surroundings are a bit dirty thanks to the visitors, the place is truly worth to visit, get in touch with nature and have a relaxing swim.
The southwest coast
The Southwest coast is totally different from the north, instead of rocks and cliffs, the landscape is softer. Firstly we find the astonishing Sarang Caves at the bottom of a large stair. Nowadays there is a small motor park on the road and you will have to pay an amount to go down but it's worth it. You can get to the caves by climbing a mound or better by snorkelling and surrounding some rocks. When I was there, the locals were building a restaurant so maybe it is open now.
The location of the secret beach is well kept by the locals and some travellers there is no signal to find it. Google maps don't know it yet, so keep the secret and just don't tell anyone, especially the big corporation! The secret beach is located in the middle of the road, a little bit north of the Sarang Caves. Walking through a tinny path in the middle of the jungle the secret beach will appear in front of you. Because of the tide, this beach can be hidden at some seasons. I was lucky to be able to swim in this secret paradise.
Finally, on the tip south of the island we found the hot springs, a place where you cand find a nice beach to swim and have a coconut juice.
Iboih
Apart from Sabang, there are many small villages all over the island where the locals live. However, the most iconic and picturesque is Iboih, which is located on the northeast coast. In front of this town, there are two small islands called Pulau Rubia and Pulau Seulaku that are uninhabited. This place is ideal for diving, snorkelling and swimming.
Several accommodations, restaurants and coffee shops can be found around the beach, I can recommend some of them. The "Cafe bleu" is a French restaurant that offers live music at night some days, it's a nice place to have a crepe and a handmade yoghurt for dinner. Another nice restaurant close to Iboih is the Italian "Il Vizzio" where you can eat delicious pasta and tiramisu. They are located a bit north of the town, on a beautiful beach. They also have nice accommodations with sea views.
However, my favourite one is "Tien's place bungalows", which are also located a bit north of Iboih. This is the place I stayed the second time I went to the island. The owner is a lovely Indonesian woman we had many interesting conversations about life. Also, she has a small restaurant only for her customers. If you go ask her to cook the Indonesian especially Rendang.
At the north of Iboih, you can find a big sculpture on the Kilometer zero. Even though the monument is quite ugly and destroys the environment, the sunset you can see from there is truly worth.
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