Aceh Special Region Travel Forum

I was just wondering how I would get to Aceh Indonesia now since the travel ban on tourists that was made last year, any information would be a great help. Thanks, Samuel.

You can visit Aceh, but you have to apply for special permit. It is fine, i Know, cause my friend working there. But i dont think it is easy to get the permit this nowadays, specially for visitors. But if you have reason enough, then you can get it. You can apply for that permit in the airport immigration, on arrival though.

Now in 2006, you do not need a special permit because Aceh is open once again to travellers.
Here is a report of a trip I recently took into Aceh in late Oct/Nov this year and posted on Thorn Tree where I am a regualr contributor to the forums on Indonesia.
I have just spent eight days in Ketembe, staying with Pak Mus and family and unfortunately the flights from Medan to Kutacane and Kutacane to Banda Aceh have stopped.
The 7 hr bus trip from Medan to Kutacane was not a problem and as Hunty 73 mentioned re his trip this one was very comfortable too.
Just caught a bus down to 'Padang Bulan' area in Jalan Juanda Medan, a short walk from Spoutnik in Jalan Tengah no. 33 where I was staying.
Did not find BTN or Karisma, but another company Pinem and ten minutes later at 12 noon I was on my way to Kutacane.
I stayed overnight at Maroon Hotel in Kutacane because I arrived at 7.00 pm.
Room was 60,000/night- o.k. not wonderful.
Checked out Bru Dihe, but was quoted 100,000/night.

Got the local bus the next morning to Ketambe at 7.30 am and cost was 7,000 rupiah.
All accomodation in Ketambe is along Jalan Blangkejeren and very well sign posted such as Pak Mus, Sadar Wisata who have opened again ( Iyuni the wife of the owner is an absolute delightful woman and a great one for a chat), Cinta Alam, Pondok Wisata.
My very comfortable room and mandi at Pak Mus was 35,000/night- prices have gone up with everything over the past 15 months.
Ate at Sadar Wisata some of the time as they have a better choice from my point of view- as well as Pak Mus.
And the little guy up the hill has great barbequed fish straight from the river. Great fun sitting there eating and checking out the monkeys up the trees.
Went on a 2 day trek- up to the hot springs- great area and loved sitting on those hot rocks, but saw only one orangutan.
However,my guide friend Faisal from Medan brought down travellers two days ago and they saw 4 orangutans on their way back on the second day.
Some people are just so lucky.
Would recommend Ketambe to everyone such a lovely laid back place- great people- great atmosphere.
There is a great river beach down the back of Sadar Wisata where the two english guys saw up to 20 Hornbills flying around the area.
Got talking to one of the guides Sukiman and for my next visit I am thinking about trekking from Ketambe to Tangkahan another fantastic place I visited for 5 days in late September ( got a an ojek from Bukit Lawang to Tangkahan- 2 hrs over rough road for 100,000).

I am currently in Takengon, having arrived by bus from Blankejeren at 10.30 pm last night.
Yesterday morning I was waiting for a bus from Ketambe to Blangkejeren and had left it almost too late as by the time the buses got to me, they were full. My suggestion is to get a bus about 7.00 am and then you will get a seat as lots of the early buses are only going to Blangkejeren and returning to Kutacane. Later buses are going onto Taakengon and generally are full from Kutacane.

Then my luck changed a guy/friend in a big Jeep ( NGO employees) came along and offered to take me to Blangkejeren, which of course I accepted. Then when we got to Blangkejeren, he took me to the bus terminal and paid for my 70,000 rupiah ticket.
Indonesia never ceases to surprise me, even after 4 months of travelling.

Went to Hotel Rengallie, in Takengon on recommendation, only to find out all their rooms are 250,000.
However the staff were wonderful and someone made a phone call and took me back down to the town on back of his motor bike where I got a room at Gayo Hotel for 50,000, very clean hotel,with supplied towel/soap- nice touch at only 50,000 rupiah, clean separate mandi. Highly recommended.
Address is Jalan Pasar Inpress III Takengon.

Whilst eating in warung at mid night ( Indonesia is so safe even for solo female traveller) I met a guy who could speak some English so we went up to see the Lake in a becak this morning from the Rengallie Hotel and then walked for a few kms and it is just so beautiful.
Found a warung that served great rujak and sat there eating and gazing out over the Lake.

Late this afternoon I asked around in my dreadful Indonesian and found an Internet cafe here in Takengon at the school SMK NI.
Opens at 8.00 am and closes at midnight. Cost 5,000/hr.
It is the only Internet cafe I have come across since I arrived in Kutacane. Mobile phones work in Kutacane, and here in Takengon, but not in Ketembe or Blangkejeren.
Tomorrow morning at 10 am I will catch a bus from Takengon to Banda Aceh - cost 70,000 and it takes about 7-8 hrs.
Booked the ticket today at the CV Mandala Tour just on the corner near the Gayo Hotel.
Will be staying at Uncle's in Banda Aceh and then getting the ferry over to Pulau Weh the next morning.

Re the letter I did not bother to do anything and the next day Pak Mus and I went into the police station gave them my photocopied passport etc.

Hope some of this information will of use to future travellers to Aceh.
This is my first time to Aceh and I am really enjoying the scenery, the friendliness of the people and although 'wet season' weather is great- just occaisonal showers or raining at night and the most amazing cloud formations I have ever seen- white and fluffy against an intense blue sky.

Pamela.