Pulau Weh

Is a truly breathtaking example of a tropical island paradise. Unquestionably an island with outstanding natural beauty, it hosts a range of stunning sceneries both above and below the ocean.

 

Volcanic mountains are covered with dense jungle of primary rainforests, inhabited by many indigenous species. Monkeys are often found just sitting on the side of the road, and waking up to the gentle sounds of a variety of species of birds combined with the sound of a gentle lapping sea is the every day norm.

 

beachBeaches around the island are lined with a wonderful mixture of tall palms and massive hardwood trees. Crystal clear waters surround the island and are filled with beautiful coral gardens. Pulau Weh hosts an incredible range of marine life with more than 600 species of fish, making the island a nature lovers dream location.

 

Needless to say the pace of life is so laid-back it has almost come to a standstill. The local people are undoubtedly some of the most welcoming, friendly, and sincere people you will ever meet. Sounds too fantastic to be true, come and see the dream for yourself!

 

So combine quality diving and snorkeling with extremely competitive prices, attractions above the waves, delicious food and accommodation, one of the lowest costs of living in the world and you can start to see the potential for dreams to come true.

 

Not surprisingly, so many of our friends have found themselves staying much longer than they originally planned, returning again and again for more of the Pulau Weh experience. Visitors leaving with tears streaming down their cheeks are by no means an uncommon sight and understandably many can’t help falling in love with the place and people..

 

Wonderful Waters

 

fancoralThe marine extravaganza ~ For the 'big stuff' lovers, Whale Sharks, Manta Rays, Requiem Sharks, Turtles, Dolphins, Dogtooth Tuna, Napoleon, Mola Mola (Sun Fish), giant trevally, great Barracudas, and many other types of fish. For the 'small stuff,' there are numerous varieties of nudibranch, pipefish, frogfish, large schools of red tooth triggerfish and fusilier, all interspersed with blankets of hard and soft coral, fields of incredibly healthy gorgonian sea fans, vertical walls, canyons, and caves. It is a diver's dream with BIODIVERSITY at its best.

 

The shipwrecks sites and stunning landscapes are just a handful of reasons why Pulau Weh is one of the best secret sites in Southeast Asia for divers, snorkelers and hammock swingers alike.

 

SO WHY ARE THE WATERS AROUND PULAU WEH SO GOOD?
A series of different factors combine to produce these outstanding Dive Sites.

  • The geographical location. The Indo pacific region hosts by far the most bio-diverse reefs in the world. Indonesia is at the very heart of this region, hosting an estimated 3000 species compared to 2500 in the Phillipines, 1300 in the Austrailian Great Barrier Reef and 800 in the Red Sea! Marine biologists measure diversity by measuring the number of species of damselfish found in any one location. This shows specifically how the diversity decreases as you travel further away from the Indonesian Archipelago; ie. Indonesia has 132 species of damsel, New Guinea 103, the Great Barrier 97, Vanuatu 78, Fiji 58, and Easter Island only three!
  • Deep water drop offs. Being a volcanic island, Pulau Weh is surrounded by deep waters, (the bay between Iboih beach and Sabang bottoms out at around 600 meters). Having such deep waters so close to the shallow reefs gives easy access for the deep water pelagic species to come into the reef to feed.
  • Currents. The currents around this island bring lots of nutrients onto the reefs, making ideal habitats for filter feeding corals and fish, thus creating habitats for other species that feed off these filter feeders themselves.
  • Volcanic terrain. Technically Pulau Weh is still an active volcano (although there is no chance of an actual eruption), so the underwater landscapes consist of volcanic rocks that have since been reshaped by subsequent activity. The end product under water is a great series of brilliant diving landscapes including walls, drop offs, swim throughs, hot springs, channels, canyons, lava flows, pinnacles as well as sheltered bays and sandy beaches.
  • Wreck Dives. If all that isn’t enough, there are two excellent shipwrecks that are in good condition and easily accessible.