Pulau Weh

[Ghanguss]

I enjoyed Weh and went during Ramadan. I had no problems with food. The locals were happy to cook for us as long as we ate inside, not out in the open.

I found the diving great and had quite a few pelagics including large dogtooth tuna, mackerel and jacks. Not a lot of sharks but usually one or two per dive. Plenty of eagle and devil rays.
House reef was great for unusual critters.
I did a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMTRETEr7ZE

 

[chillyinCanada]

I guess I have to add that I am also hampered by an old shoulder injury and more recent wrist injury. Ergo, any dive boats must have ladder re-entry at minimum. Also I prefer to dive nitro when possible. My budget is also somewhat flexible. An idyllic setting with awesome dives and accommodation with air-con will be worth more to me. That said, if I can have that and keep costs down too, that does suit better. My budget may not extend to the Pelagian. thanks everyone, especially 8u88les.

 

[ocdiver1]

I enjoyed Weh and went during Ramadan. I had no problems with food. The locals were happy to cook for us as long as we ate inside, not out in the open.

I found the diving great and had quite a few pelagics including large dogtooth tuna, mackerel and jacks. Not a lot of sharks but usually one or two per dive. Plenty of eagle and devil rays.
House reef was great for unusual critters.
I did a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMTRETEr7ZE

Glad you enjoyed Pulau Weh "even" during Ramadan. It's disappointing to hear of people not going because of preconceptions about the local populace...they miss out on incredible travel experiences here and in other parts of the world. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I found the people in Pulau Weh, and Banda Aceh for that matter, every bit as friendly and welcoming as anywhere else in Indonesia.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I don't know about Palau weh at Ramadan, and while it is a culturally rich time, getting around particularly in places like Jakarta can be hell. I know I know getting around Jakarta is he'll on a normal day, so perhaps I should say the "depths of hell"

 

[Bubble Junky]

Glad you enjoyed Pulau Weh "even" during Ramadan. It's disappointing to hear of people not going because of preconceptions about the local populace...they miss out on incredible travel experiences here and in other parts of the world. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I found the people in Pulau Weh, and Banda Aceh for that matter, every bit as friendly and welcoming as anywhere else in Indonesia.

It's not the populace that puts people off, it's the idea of not being able to buy food during daylight. In the city of Banda Aceh, you will not be able to eat before sundown. On the island of Weh itself things are a little more relaxed. I have worked on the island twice during Ramadan, and as long as you respect the locals who are following their religion and do not walk down the beach eating, for example, then Weh is still an awesome place to be...

 

[charlier]

Hi all - Late to the thread. Disclaimer, I have not dived Pulau Weh, but have worked in Aceh Province, and rural western Sumatra for many years. I've supervised graduate students from the USA (in their mid- 20's). Although, Aceh is the most conservative area in Indonesia, the local religious attitude is completely different than in the Middle East. We have rarely had any issues working in the region and along the remote atolls in the region. Even while in the field, the female grad students dress for hot weather, wearing Nike style sleaveless running clothes. At night, a light cotton shirt...

Visiting during Randaman is fine. All the locals still work and life goes on. My Acehense friends fast during the daytime and eat a very nice meal after sundown. We stock up on fruit, granola bars, etc., during sundown and eat while we work and play, a bit discrete. My grad students have all traveled on their own in the region. Sometime one meets rude people, but Aceh has way less rudeness than i have encountered in any western major city.

This July, I will go to Aceh for work and will finally take my team to Pualu Weh for a well deserved vacation, divers and non-divers. A local did mention a huge die-off of hard corals above 15-18m. As Luko suggested, go deep.