Weh Island

The cozy Sabang is an historical town and it shows. Many old colonial buildings are still standing, shadowed by huge trees that the Dutch once imported from Suriname. Sabang is one of the few towns in Indonesia which still has a sleepy old colonial atmosphere combined with a very social and friendly people.

Click to enlargeDue to its excellent harbor and good water supply Sabang became an important coal loading station for ships en route between Europe and Asia. Sabang was once even bigger than Singapore. The Merbabu Graveyard has many odd and interesting gravestones.

The main attraction is however the atmosphere and the people. It is a pity not to try it out. Enjoy eating out, the coffee shops, the morning market and the nearby beaches. Pantai Kasih is a very nice beach in walking distance. Further down are the beaches Pantai Tapak Gajah and Sumur Tiga. The reefs along Sabang Fair are reportedly nice for snorkeling.

FOOD & DRINK

Don't miss the traditional Acehnese coffee shop. Order a cup of coffee and sit down. Traditional cakes on a plate will be placed in front of you. When you are finished just tell how many you had. The locally grown Acehnese coffee is excellent. It is normally filtered before served, however, in the countryside the coffee is sometimes served unfiltered. If you cannot wait for the coffee beans to sink, remove them with a spoon. The remaining beans you just spit out. Beware of coffee shops serving instant coffee. Support the local coffee farmers! A small glass costs normally Rp. 2.000-3.000.

All kinds of Noodles, called "mie" in Indonesia, are popular in Sabang. "Mie Jalak" is a Sabang specialty. Pulau Baru on Jl. Perdagangan 29B has become famous for it. A portion is Rp. 8.000. For good Minangkabau food (West Sumatra style) try Lumbung Sari on Jl. Perdagangan 7 (Ph: 0658-22678) or Perkasa Utama on Jl. Perdagangan 157 (Ph: 21185). For Chinese try the somewhat fancier restaurant Dynasty. Aneka Ria has nice and price worthy sandwiches. Nice BBQ Chicken and Octopus Satay are sold in two stalls opposite Lumbung Sari a bit to the right. Otherwise there are many restaurants and food stalls along Jl. Perdagangan and its vicinity. Beyond the RSU hospital on the sea front are a few nice places serving juices and light food in the evenings.

Beer or other alcoholic beverages are normally not available in restaurants, but in places serving Westerners, alcoholic beverages are often available for non-Muslims.

Source: http://www.sumatraecotourism.com/pulauweh/sabang.html