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 PULAU
WEH is a truly breathtaking example of a tropical island
paradise. Unquestionably an island of outstanding natural
beauty,it hosts a range of stunning sceneries both above
and below the waves.Volcanic mountains are covered with
dense primary rainforests (inhabited by many indigenous
species).
Beaches all around the island are lined with a wonderful
mixture of tall palms and massive hardwood trees. Crystal
clear waters around the island are filled with beautiful
coral gardens, and host an incredible range of marine life
(numbering 600 fish species in this location alone), 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, good 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 then, so many of our friends have found
themselves staying much longer than they originally planned,
then 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.
Wonderful Waters
 The
marine extravaganza; Whale Sharks, Manta Rays, Requiem Sharks,
Turtles, Dolphins, Dogtooth Tuna, Octopus, many schools
of fish and great Barracudas, blankets of hard and soft
corals, fields of gorgonian fans, walls, canyons and caves,
all with BIODIVERSITY at its best. Plus shipwrecks and stunning
landscapes, these are just a handful of reasons why Pulau
Weh is one of the best kept secrets in Southeast Asia for
divers, snorkellers 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.
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