CNA – When my husband’s family invited the two of us to join them on a trip to Aceh, I was initially perplexed at the choice of destination.
Of course the first thing that came to my mind was the tragic Boxing Day tsunami of 2004 that killed over 225,000 people. But I also wondered: What could Aceh offer as a tourist destination?
I didn’t share these thoughts with my in-laws as they excitedly mentioned their plans to return to the city. It’s a place they’ve visited many times because of its “charm”, as my mum-in-law puts it, and because she has relatives there.
Eventually, my husband and I decided to join the four-day trip as we got swept up in their excitement. A total of 14 of us made the trip, including aunts, uncles and cousins.
I now realise how silly my initial hesitance was, because Aceh turned out to be one of the most beautiful nature-filled places I’d ever visited.
BEAUTIFUL BEACHES AND COASTS WITH STUNNING VIEWS
Located at the northwest tip of the large Indonesian island of Sumatra, Aceh is quite near to Singapore. However, despite it being geographically closer than Bali or Sabah, there are not many direct flights.
Hence, most visitors opt to fly to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, first, and then proceed to Banda Aceh, Aceh’s capital city. The round-trip economy fare for this standard journey ranges from approximately SGD150 to SGD200. For my own trip, I paid around SGD180, excluding any large baggage fees.
As the flight from Kuala Lumpur to Aceh takes a little over an hour, the total journey from Singapore – without the waiting time and general airport activities – takes less than three hours.
Upon arriving in Banda Aceh, the first thing that caught my attention was how fresh the air felt even at the airport.
But it shouldn’t have come as a surprise as the city is surrounded by the ocean. The coastal winds also provide a refreshing respite from the tropical climate.
The first few days were spent relishing these beaches.
In Sabang Island’s Sumur Tiga beach, a 30-minute boat ride from Banda Aceh, we took our time to soak in the views surrounded by white sand and crystal waters.
To an urban dweller like myself, spending time surrounded by nature is always a perfect opportunity for introspection.
Witnessing how beautiful and bare the beach was, I thought of the beaches back home in Singapore and resolved to better appreciate what we have.
Watching the pristine waters glisten under the sun while facing a never-ending horizon, I also found myself momentarily oblivious to the scorching heat, something which I’d often complain about back home.
With a sight like that, it’d slip your mind too.
FROM (A VERY NEARBY) FARM TO TABLE
One morning, this city dweller had an eye-opening experience.
I had the opportunity to visit a small farm where a farmer diligently tended to a cow and some lambs.
Just a few hours later, I was tucking into sticks of satay from the meat of the same lamb and cow I had seen earlier that morning.
I used to distance myself from this process. It can, after all, be quite disconcerting to witness.
But when I got to see the entire journey, from the nurturing of the animals to the eventual preparation of the dishes, my perspective shifted. It was humbling to learn that this was a part of the locals’ everyday life.
Our local guide Idawati explained that restaurants are intentionally situated near the source of food, be it the ocean or farmland.
This means that even when dining out, people can see where the meat, fish or vegetables come from before these reach their plates.
Idawati shared that this close connection between dining and the food source fosters a greater appreciation among diners for the entire journey of their meals.
It was a poignant lesson – to appreciate the connection between the food we eat and the effort involved in its preparation.
VISITING MEMORIALS, TRIBUTES TO THE TSUNAMI VICTIMS
As strange as it sounds, another interesting aspect of Aceh is undoubtedly the effects of the tsunami and how the locals rebuilt their city.
Initially, I hesitated to broach the subject when talking to the locals, but they showed little to no reluctance in discussing the event.
On the contrary, they embrace it as an integral part of their history, taking pride in the remarkable efforts that went into rebuilding Aceh.
One way they did this was to build ground-up memorials around Banda Aceh, where several areas can remind both locals and tourists of what took place.
These complemented the Aceh Tsunami Memorial Museum, established five years after the calamity.
We explored one such memorial known as the PLTD Apung 1 – a colossal generator ship, weighing 2,600 tonnes, that was forcefully carried around three kilometres inland by the powerful waves. It remains stranded in the same location since the events of 2004.
Another ship we visited landed on top of a two-storey house in the humble Lampulo village, about 15 minutes away from the centre of Banda Aceh. The ship brought along with it around 50 survivors who held on as the waves began to recede.
During our visit to Lampulo, we were warmly welcomed by two female residents who graciously offered us seats in the shade to escape the scorching heat.
Their hospitality extended beyond gestures, as they shared their memories of that devastating day.
“I remember finding myself clinging to a tall coconut tree for dear life as huge waves were below me,” recalled Nur, who recounted her harrowing experience in Bahasa Indonesia.
“I can still picture the motorbikes, beds and even bodies floating by, before witnessing this enormous ship you see behind you passing by and getting stuck on my neighbour’s house.”
Like Nur, many of the other Acehnese survivors were unable to find the bodies of relatives who went missing.
But I could sense they found solace and strength in each other and their communities as they rebuilt their homes and respectfully created new communal spaces to remember both victims and survivors.
TRAVELLING OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
One of the best aspects of travelling to a place where seemingly few go to is the sense of
endless discovery.
Unlike places found in guidebooks, the charm of exploring Aceh is that you could potentially walk into an alley and find something memorable – a village of friendly locals, a breathtaking landscape of green fields, vast skies and mountains in the distance, a restaurant run by a skilled fisherman, or just a group of people telling stories.
This trip has taught me that it pays to embrace the feeling of wonder and curiosity and to not give in to the initial naysaying inner voice.
Perhaps that will lead me to more breathtaking sceneries, unforgettable encounters and a deeper connection with the world around me. – Izza Haziqah Abdul Rahman
