Sunday (12/1/2025), I woke up earlier than usual. I already had plans to hunt for photos and see the activities of fishermen at Kampung Jawa Beach, Banda Aceh. The weather was very supportive, even though it rained the night before in the city.
Kampung Jawa Beach, located in Kutaraja District, is often used by residents as a pocket-friendly tourist destination. In addition to its location close to the city, this beach offers an interesting combination of historical, cultural, and beautiful beach tourism that is still preserved.
This beach is not only crowded on holidays. On weekdays, this beach is also filled with visitors. Some take advantage of the time to bathe, just enjoy the view of the open sea, or watch the activities of fishermen. One of the activities that visitors most await is the inland trawl activity, which is the process of catching fish traditionally using inland trawls.
Every day, at least three times the fishermen pull the inland trawl. Namely, at 10 am, 2 pm, and 4 pm. However, if there is a group of fish, the inland trawl activity can be more than 3 times.
Visitors who want to buy fresh fish, they already know when to come to the beach in Kampung Jawa. Usually, midday is the right time, because they don't have to compete with other fresh fish buyers. This afternoon, this beach is crowded with many visitors, both those who want to buy fish or just watch the fishermen pulling the trawl.
On the beach of Kampung Jawa, visitors can also see and pose at the 0 Kilometer Monument in Banda Aceh. This zero kilometer monument is a monument that marks the starting point of the city. Many historical literatures mention that on this beach is the origin of the city of Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh Province.
However, when I came to the beach on Sunday (12/1/2025), the 0 kilometer monument was quiet, there were no visitors taking pictures there. In fact, usually residents scramble to pose with the background of the zero kilometer monument while enjoying the sea breeze.
I really enjoyed seeing the tradition of inland trawl pulling by fishermen. This is a cultural heritage that is still preserved. Watching fishermen working together to pull nets from the shore is a unique sight that is rarely found in other places. For local residents, traditional fishing methods have become part of the local cultural heritage. This tradition is still maintained from generation to generation.
If you like fishing activities, Kampung Jawa beach can be an interesting spot for you to try. You can fish along the river that flows into the open sea. You can even try fishing on the embankment that juts out into the sea. From there, you can see the fishing boats coming and going as well as the clusters of Pulo Aceh and Pulo Weh Sabang.
Kampung Jawa Beach is often the location of "fishing competitions" held by the fishing community and the local government. In fact, fishing competitions have been included in the annual calendar event. Visitors can see the skills of the anglers in catching fish.
If you happen to be visiting Banda Aceh, there's nothing wrong with visiting the beach in Kampung Jawa, Banda Aceh. Access from the city to this beach is very easy, the road is already smoothly paved, has a large parking area and a cafe on the edge of the beach. You can enjoy food while enjoying the open sea.
You could say, this beach is the right choice to feel the pulse of the city while enjoying historical tourism cheaply. []