A Paradise on Aceh's West Coast

Aceh is endowed with an extravagance of natural beauty. Many attractive tourism destinations can be found in this Indonesia's westernmost province. The Banyak Islands, a group of islands in Aceh's Singkil Regency, are one of them, with natural beauty reminiscent of a paradise on Earth.

The Banyak Islands is a group of islands situated and directly adjacent to the Indian Ocean, precisely at Sumatra's western tip, contains 99 islands that could easily be transformed into mainstay tourist destinations.

Awe-inspiring in every way. Not only can you admire beach tourism and the scenery of the sea, but you can also see protected endangered species, such as the Green Turtle, on Bangkaru Island, part of The Banyak Islands. As an archipelago, have very long and lovely beaches and have a reasonably vast sea. The beaches on The Banyak Islands are comparable to other beaches in Indonesia.

The white sand is soft, and the shady palm leaves make the trip more beautiful with the tropical beach's natural view. The stunning sunset panorama is one of the natural attractions on the Banyak Islands. The Banyak Islands are one of the preferred international tourist destinations apart from Sabang, Pulau Weh. The tourists have spent a long time off.

If Raja Ampat is in eastern Indonesia, Aceh has The Banyak Islands, just as breathtaking as other Indonesia's islands. For people who want to escape from the city's hustle and bustle and all its noise, the Banyak Islands are a good option.

Have you ever visited the Banyak Islands? Tourists visiting the Banyak Islands are still not as typical as in Sabang City. In reality, we can be sure that few residents from Aceh's east coast have ever visited the Banyak Islands, located in the western region of Aceh.

Apart from the fact that the area is too far away, the Aceh residents on the East coast choose to travel to neighboring provinces such as North Sumatra. The residents of North Sumatra, likewise, tend to visit the Banyak Islands in Aceh Singkil.

Pulau Banyak District on Balai Island and Pulau Banyak Barat District on Haloban Island are the two sub-districts that make up the Banyak islands’ cluster. Pulau Banyak sub-district has a population of 4,457 inhabitants, while West Pulau Banyak sub-district has 3,254.

Balai Island is now the primary mode of the transport hub and the central government official place and commercial center for the people living in the sub-district of the Banyak Islands. The Ministry of Rural Development and Transmigration has also declared Balai Island the leading Tourist Village in Aceh.

The archipelago comprises hundreds of exotic islands, scenic beaches, natural forests, snorkeling spots, local cuisine, and a range of accommodations that blend with nature.

Since most people on the Banyak Islands are fishermen, their way of life is still heavily reliant on the sea. Others work as entrepreneurs or as employees.

Beautiful natural wealth, diverse fish populations, green turtle habitats, copra and rattan producers, tourist destination areas, world standard surfing, and diving spots are the reasons why the Banyak Islands deserve to be developed into a mainstay tourist fascination.

When visiting the Banyak Islands, there are many things to be enjoyed. Since each island is special and unique in its own right, it takes a long time to explore all of the islands in this area. Some islands that can be explored include Palambak Besar Island, with a panoramic view of blue sea gradations combined with white sand and sky, Biawan Island and Asok Island as islands with stunning coral beauty, Sikandang Island, Lambudung Island, Panjang Island, Rangit Island, and Malelo Island.

One of Balai Island residents, Muklis, said that almost all of the islands in this area have their uniqueness and beauty. Each island has a different atmosphere, although it still fully offers underwater tourism.

“What is certain is that each of these islands has its unique characteristics and promise. None are more stunning than the others,” Muklis said.

As a result, the people of the Banyak Islands are optimistic that their region is well-suited to being developed into one of the world's top tourism destinations through the investment in collaboration between Indonesia and Dubai in the future.

The residents of The Banyak Islands have heard the news of this investment plan. They are ready to fully support the government's plan to develop the Banyak Islands’ area. Residents of Banyak Island have made written statements supporting the government through meetings of the relevant parties, somehow back as a form of support for the government.

“What is certain is that all the people of [The Banyak Islands] agree and support the development of this area; we have provided our support through the MoU and a written declaration with the Government of Aceh,” he said.

Muklis hopes the government takes the program seriously to develop vital tourism facilities as soon as possible, such as adequate infrastructure, transportation, and hotel facilities.

“At the moment, the challenge of transport and very sparse hotel services remains our major obstacle. Currently, 600-800 visitors can only be accommodated in lodging facilities in this area,” Muklis said.

Based on readers.ID’s findings, transportation remain a big problem in this region. Likely, all public transportation modes from and to the Banyak Islands will not operate when the weather is terrible.

“And it has a significant impact on the economic conditions of the people of The Banyak Islands, who still depend on fishery products,” Muklis added.

The lack of access to transportation keeps some Pulau Banyak regions isolated. The only way to get to the Banyak Islands is by sea, using ferries (Ro-Ro) and traditional boats. Since the ferry only operates twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, the people in the Banyak Islands are forced to rely on traditional boats that sail every day.

The absence of other transportation means to get to the Banyak Islands often creates a shortage of supplies during storms or tides. Apart from transportation from the mainland to the islands, inter-island transportation in the region also requires attention and solutions.

Not only fishermen and business owners, but students and teachers from Ujung Batu Island, Teluk Nibung Village, and the Banyak Islands sub-district also use small boats to get to school.

Crossings to The Banyak Islands by ferry are currently available via the Singkil Ferry Terminal in Pulo Saruk Village. It takes 4 hours to cross. Furthermore, crossing by traditional boats can be done via Dermaga Jembatan Tinggi (the High Bridge Pier), which takes about 3 hours. The local group manages this pier, which serves as a port for fishing boats entering the Singkil estuary.

There is another choice for tourists who wish to shorten the crossing duration by renting a speedboat for about 1.8 million rupiahs, and the travel time is one or two hours. The benefit of having a speedboat is that you can travel straight to the islands you want to visit. Meanwhile, wooden boats or ferries only enter Balai Island in the district of the Banyak Islands.

The journey to explore the islands starts from this Balai Island, of course, using small boats operated by fishermen on Balai Island at negotiable costs. The rental fee for a big ship is 2.5 million rupiahs for 12 hours, and it can be used individually or in groups.

To visit Banyak Island, several modes of transportation can be used, such as using travel tour services. Besides, you can arrange your itinerary and routes by taking private cars, public transportation, planes, and ships.

If you travel by land from Banda Aceh, you can take public transportation to Singkil by purchasing tickets at the Batoh and Lueng Bata terminals for 220-250 thousand rupiahs. Private cars can also be used to get there, with a distance of 646 kilometers and a travel time of about 12 hours 46 minutes. Visitors can also travel to Singkil by private car from Medan, a distance of 268 kilometers and a travel time of approximately 7 hours and 24 minutes.

Aside from the land road, you can also fly via Kualanamu airport in North Sumatra. Then go on a road trip to Singkil by using a travel car. When you arrive in Singkil, head straight to the ferry port and boat mooring port at the Pulo Sarok High Bridge and take a ferry, traditional boat, or speed boat to the Banyak Islands. The ferry departs on Tuesdays at 10:00 WIB and Fridays at 14:00 WIB, with tickets costing 27,000 rupiahs per passenger.

Traditional boats leave every 10:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. (the timetable varies periodically depending on the weather and tides) for IDR 30,000 per passenger, with a travel time of 3-4 hours. Visitors will rent a speed boat to carry them to the Banyak Islands for about 1,100,000 - 1,500,000 rupiahs for a limit of 9 passengers and a travel time of one hour.

One of the mainstay islands in this area is Panjang Island. Panjang Island is about a 10-minute boat ride from Balai Island, a nearby sub-district town. Pulau Panjang is getting busier. Visitors may take advantage of the tour by swimming on the beach, riding a banana boat, or just relaxing.

This island is incredible, stunning because of the white sand that runs along the shore and the coconut trees that rise neatly. The water around the island is pure and blue. The island is still very tidy, making it easy for tourists to appreciate its natural beauty. Since there are no inhabitants on the island, it is genuinely specialized as a tourism destination.

The east and west coasts of Panjang Island are formed by the island's shape, which stretches from north to south. Uniquely, visitors will enjoy the sunrise in the east and the west's sunset without moving to another island. Since the difference between Panjang Island's west and east coasts is just 20-50 meters wide, we can stand at one point and admire these two natural occurrences from where we stay.

The Aceh Singkil Regency Government provides small halls or resorts on this island for visitors to stay overnight or simply take a break or a shower.

Much of this beauty will not become a significant economic opportunity if the government and local communities are unable to handle it properly. Furthermore, the substantial development in this region as one of the national tourism development projects initiated by the central government necessitates the attention of both the local and central governments.

The Banyak Islands have all the makings of a breathtaking paradise on Aceh's west coast. Of course, it will increase foreign exchange earnings across the tourism industry, as well as the local economy. [Uri Babahrot]