Visiting Aceh nearly 2 decades after the tsunami: From beautiful beaches to moving memorials

BEAUTIFUL BEACHES AND COASTS WITH STUNNING VIEWS 

Located at the northwest tip of the large Indonesian island of Sumatra, Aceh is quite near to Singapore (just a little farther than Langkawi). However, despite it being geographically closer to us than Bali or Sabah, there are unfortunately not many direct flights to Aceh from Singapore.

Hence, most visitors opt to fly to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, first, and then proceed to Banda Aceh, Aceh’s capital city. The round-trip economy fare for this standard journey ranges from approximately S$150 to S$200. For my own trip, I paid around S$180, excluding any large baggage fees

As the flight from Kuala Lumpur to Aceh takes a little over an hour, the total journey from Singapore  without the waiting time and general airport activities  takes less than three hours. 

Upon arriving in Banda Aceh, the first thing that caught my attention was how fresh the air felt even at the airport.

But it shouldn’t have come as a surprise as the city is surrounded by the ocean. The coastal winds also provide a refreshing respite from the tropical climate that usually prevails in this region.