Diving in Aceh

The northernmost point on the island of Sumatra is the region of Aceh, blanketed by rainforest and fringed with clear, warm waters, reefs and some of the best diving to be found in Indonesia. The island of Pulau Weh is particularly famous for its fantastic dive conditions, with fantastic visibility, some of the best Indonesia marine life and a healthy coral reef. Small, affordable and remote enough not to be overrun with tourists, this island lives and breathes scuba diving. The dry season runs from May to September, when the waters are at their clearest and you can enjoy the dramatic underwater topography of canyons and steep coral walls as well as an active underwater volcano. Deeper dives reveal World War Two wrecks and the biodiversity no the reefs is great. There can be strong currents at several dive sites, but everyone who has explored the underwater wonders of Aceh and Weh Island declare it one of the best-hidden dive secrets in Indonesia. Back on shore there is plenty to explore too, from volcanoes and waterfalls to dense forests and relaxing hot springs, giving you plenty of downtime between dives, and you can take your pick between more established resorts and remote hideaways, too.

Aquatic Life in Aceh

It is not unusual to see an amazing array of eels as well as octopus and clouds of triggerfish when you are doing reef dives, while scorpionfish and mantis shrimp can also be spotted. Colorful nudibranch and seahorses dot the coral while bigger marine animals such as rays and reef sharks also lurk, while glistening tuna and barracuda flit by and trevallies gawk as they drift by. Take part in a night dive and you’ll spot altogether different marine life, from shrimp to crab, while the pinnacles further out from the island are also home to turtles.

Dive Sites in Aceh