scubajunky17
Contributor
HI All,
How does Pulau Weh compare to the rest of Asia ?
How does Pulau Weh compare to the rest of Asia ?
Pulau Weh
- Thread starter scubajunky17
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
ocdiver1
Contributor
I just left Pulau Weh a couple of weeks ago and have to say I was favorably impressed, especially given the mixed reviews I'd always heard about it that had kept me from going in the past. What you'll get there is a lot of drift diving at sites covered in gorgonians, soft and christmas tree coral, with huge schools of (mostly) small fish..surgeons, anthias, fusiliers and the like. Didn't really see much in the way of pelagics...no sharks, but did see a few mantas and mobulas. Macro, as least uncommon macro, wasn't really a highlight, but dove with Lumba Lumba and on, or near, their house reef did see a couple frogfish (including a sargassum), seahorse, and ghost pipes. I have probably 1000 dives throughout Asia and especially Indonesia, and I'd say it's worth a visit. The the closest comparison I could think of would be to some of the locations on the Andaman side of Thailand, except with much healthier coral. The gorgonians were as nice as anywhere I've been outside of Raja Ampat. Another great thing about PW is how reasonable it is..at Lumba Lumba for @$80 USD/day you could get in three dives and pay for accommodation and meals.
Last edited:
OP
scubajunky17
Contributor
Thanks for that great response, with so many dives around Asia, where would you say is best for Palegic action ?
ocdiver1
Contributor
Hey Scubajunky...Maldives, Sipadan, and Palau all come to mind as destinations...other places just individual dive sites come to mind, like Monad Shoal in Malapascua for thresher sharks, Manta Alley in Komodo for mantas, etc. But for anywhere in the world I've been the best places have been the Socorros in Mexico and Protea Banks in South Africa.
How does one get to Palau Weh? Any problem for woman traveling alone?
ocdiver1
Contributor
Nearest airport is Banda Aceh, accessible internationally from Penang on Firefly Airlines and Kuala Lumpur on Air Asia, and from many destinations within Indonesia on most domestic carriers. Then ferry to Pulau Weh..about 30 minutes airport to ferry port, less than an hour on ferry. Would say absolutely no problem for a woman traveling alone.
OP
scubajunky17
Contributor
Thanks. I have dived Komodo and Palau, both a few times now. How does Palau compare to the Maldives ? I really loved some of the diving in Komodo but there are few sharks there. I'm very interested in the Socorros but August is not a good time for them, how do they rate compared to Palau ? Personally my favourites are the Galapagos and Tuamotos in French Ploynesia, both of which where oustanding.
Luko
Contributor
Wasn't overly impressed with Weh (although "only" over 500 dives in South East Asia, I think my dive "credentials" are comparable to OCD's).
I agree anthias and green coral are aplenty, but other than that I missed variety, you also need to know the best sites like the Canyons ar equite deep (40m) and swept with current. Also saw 2 mobulas in the blue but that was it in terms of pelagics.
I happend to dive LumbaLumba's housereef with another dive op but I was really disappointed, that was a few months after the 2010 massive coral bleaching and the hard corals were in a really bad shape. Didn't see any critter really standing while I had read you could find Mimics or even Rhinopias in the past on that reef.
Talking about Indian Ocean comparison, my own statement is that the Indian Andaman & Nicobar islands are far ahead in terms of fish/coral variety and dive interestness. But if you want sharks and rays, Maldives are impressive (otherwise mundane on coral and macro life).
We were staying in Weh and Banda Aceh at the time of Ramadan, we had to duck and hide to drink water in between the dives, at lunchtime eating something was like dealing drugs (although the food was provided and cooked by locals under cover).
In Banda Aceh city they had a swimming pool in an international hotel, when my wife stepped in to the pool, they immediately pulled all the curtains down in the lobby.
I am just telling the "funny" things. Not sure this is a place I would recommend for tourism or diving. Personally I won't come back again.
I agree anthias and green coral are aplenty, but other than that I missed variety, you also need to know the best sites like the Canyons ar equite deep (40m) and swept with current. Also saw 2 mobulas in the blue but that was it in terms of pelagics.
I happend to dive LumbaLumba's housereef with another dive op but I was really disappointed, that was a few months after the 2010 massive coral bleaching and the hard corals were in a really bad shape. Didn't see any critter really standing while I had read you could find Mimics or even Rhinopias in the past on that reef.
Talking about Indian Ocean comparison, my own statement is that the Indian Andaman & Nicobar islands are far ahead in terms of fish/coral variety and dive interestness. But if you want sharks and rays, Maldives are impressive (otherwise mundane on coral and macro life).
Wouldn't say so, but not because of thief or violence.
We were staying in Weh and Banda Aceh at the time of Ramadan, we had to duck and hide to drink water in between the dives, at lunchtime eating something was like dealing drugs (although the food was provided and cooked by locals under cover).
In Banda Aceh city they had a swimming pool in an international hotel, when my wife stepped in to the pool, they immediately pulled all the curtains down in the lobby.
I am just telling the "funny" things. Not sure this is a place I would recommend for tourism or diving. Personally I won't come back again.
Last edited:
I wouldn't travel to Banda Aceh during Ramadan primarily because of the nature of that area, it is difficult enough in the Middle East during Ramadan.
Pulau Weh was on my shortlist this summer until I realised that this is a very conservative Islamic area of Indonesia, so am heading to Lembeh instead, Pulau Weh can wait.
Pulau Weh was on my shortlist this summer until I realised that this is a very conservative Islamic area of Indonesia, so am heading to Lembeh instead, Pulau Weh can wait.
Sound like it will wait forever for me. Thanks all. My search for upcoming SE Asia diving trip continues. I'm a bit spoiled for choice though the timing will dictate and whittle some of that choice. I will be traveling in December and January. Land portions will necessarily include time in both Singapore and Jakarta, so can fly in send out of either for dive portion. Will also be in Cambodia and perhaps Vietnam though can't quite see myself including a dedicated dive portion in those locales. Thanks all.
Similar threads
