Aceh, located at the western tip of Indonesia, is known to have many beautiful beaches. The area that was hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami on December 26, 2004, has charming beaches that are no less beautiful than the world-famous island of Bali.
However, many beautiful beaches have not been properly managed as tourist destinations, in addition to difficult access to the location due to minimal transportation facilities.
So far, many foreign tourists only know Sabang in Aceh as a beautiful marine tourism destination with white sand. Sabang is indeed a paradise for diving and snorkeling enthusiasts. Not many people know that Banyak Island in Aceh Singkil Regency also has unimaginable beauty, like a hidden little piece of heaven.
One of the marine tourism destinations in Aceh Singkil is Pulau Panjang, located on Pulau Banyak. To reach this location, it takes a lot of effort, especially for those who can't stand the shaking of the sea waves, like me.
My friends and I had the opportunity to visit Pulau Panjang (reda: LOng Island) on a long journey. We, who live in Lhokseumawe City, had to take a long journey for almost 12 hours from Lhokseumawe to Banda Aceh for 6 hours and continue to Aceh Singkil for another 6 hours. It was really tiring even though there were many beautiful views along the way.
Pulang Panjang has a beach with white sand that stretches along the coastline. We saw golden sea water hit by the setting sun, looking like a golden carpet stretched across the calm sea water. At that time we were on the West Coast which is known for its beautiful sunsets.
"If you are interested in diving or snorkeling, visitors can go to the East Coast. As for the Central Coast, it is suitable for relaxing because there are many coconut trees," said Tamsir, our friend who became an impromptu tour guide. Tamsir is a native son of Singkil who accompanied us while on Panjang Island.
During my one night stay on Pulau Panjang, I felt that it was not enough to enjoy all the beauty there. The long and tiring journey immediately disappeared when I watched the sunset. Unfortunately, I did not have time to enjoy the sunrise because I was tired from staying up all night.
A friend of mine, Muhammad Ramzan, admitted that the beaches on Pulau Panjang are very exotic. Unfortunately, Pulau Banyak and Pulau Panjang have not been professionally managed as tourist destinations. "Transportation is still too expensive, access is difficult, and the beaches have not been managed like the beaches in Sabang," said Ramzan.
To reach Pulau Banyak, visitors must pay IDR 35 thousand from Singkil by ferry. The service lasts up to four hours before arriving at Pulau Banyak with wavy sea water at the end of 2024. And to cross to Pulau Panjang, tourists must pay another IDR 300 thousand, quite expensive for backpacker travelers.
"If you want to rent a speedboat, you have to pay IDR 2.5 million or IDR 1.5 million to go around several islands there," added Ramzan. He was able to reach Panjang Island because he could chip in with his friends to rent a speedboat, so it felt cheap.[]