Indo/Sumatra tips
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Be fucked if id go any where near Aceh at the moment ....volatile !
Good waves in Aceh.
Don't wear your Bintang singlet.
Do the Acehnese like Chang better Stu?
You reckon Udo? What's that on - I have no knowledge of it being worse than any other time??
I should add I am looking for ferry from Nias > Banyaks/maybe Simeulue then to mainland and north. I assume there's some good surf spots along the mainland coast to banda aceh?
Cheers!
Mainland Aceh can get good waves apart from Lhoknga (peak) but is said to get crowded these days someone said Russians? the rest of the coast is even more fickle as Simeulue blocks most swell and June is the complete wrong time of year as winds are cross onshore that time of year getting stronger the further you go North, its offshore in our summer.
Simeulue is further south so winds lighter and more variable.
Banyaks where all the waves are is remote forest/jungle and national park the nearest villages are on small waveless Islands 20+km away
Thanks Indo, I was hoping you would chime in. I will be going to Aceh for a while but with the seasons the way they are it will probably just be shorter than first planned. There's a few non-surf things I want to do including visiting/diving Palau Weh.
For surf its Nias and the islands south of there then in May-June? Is it worth a bit of time on Simeulue and set up with accessible warungs? Total dengue fever jungle treking is largely off the agenda unfortunately.
mk1, don't forget the Hinako's easy trip from Nias, not sure if the belgians still have the Hostel/losman on Asu. Was pretty cheap last time I was there. Dengue fever....mate, cerebral malaria is the one to watch out for once you hit those islands.
Banyaks are good. You'd have to be on a boat though mate as the spots are spread out and there are not really any land camps that look comfortable
Thanks Soggy, I didn't know there was losmans on the Hinakos but will now plan a few days there once in Nias. Tossing up the malarial preventatives but I have cut that corner in the past and, knowing me, will probably do the same again.
Wesley, I'm mainly looking at land based travel but if I can get on a trip by the banyaks back to the mainland that would be awesome. Not sure if possible though.
ACB - I don't really have a problem with islam in ordinary circumstances, and I understand the coastal regions of Aceh are fairly settled now compared to the past. Hundreds-thousands of western tourists travel to aceh regularly without incident, and I am fairly culturally sensitive compared to some. So I am assuming this should be OK (more worried about my daily commute on the M1 to be honest).
:)
Cheers all!
My friend has guest stay with him in the Telo's, good honest guy and good family, wave out front and has boat to get to other waves https://www.facebook.com/telos.sumatra?fref=ts
Thanks Indo, perfect info mate.
Hi mk1
I travelled up that way three years ago and had some awesome experiences.
Re Simulue ,had some good waves but a little fickle , there are some good breaks away from the from the advertised ones but not easily accessible by land back then but the crowds were non existent.
Mainland out of Medan , Bukit Lawang and Tankahan are mountain villages based around rivers with orang-utans , mobs of monkeys etc very thick jungle that feels prehistoric great hanging out there for a few days. Tankahan is a lot more remote and awesome wildlife .Both have good clean accom and great local food .
Aceh pretty shit surf that time of year very windy stayed at Loknga for a day on the way to palau weh.For a very humbling experience which I will never forget check out the Tsunami museum and the barge in the middle of the city .Giving me goosebumps just thinking about it.
Palau weh spent fours days here not much to do but eat ,sleep ,swim take the missus ,stayed at freddies ,good food right on the beach very cheap ,mainly Euros up that way.
Great trip man and would have to say the jungle time was a stand out. I kept all contact numbers of places we stayed etc so can pass on .
I dont think youll have any probs with Islam up that way just show respect like anywhere else .
Hope some of this helps , Goodluck
no worries mk1, the only thing I'll add is if you do the Hinako's DO NOT WING IT WITH YOUR MALARIA MEDICATION. My mate did and was dead by the time he got back to Medan.....seriously heaps of guys have died from catching malaria in the Hinakos. Have fun that part of Indo is my favourite and old gregs advice regarding Bukit Lawang is spot on too, Lake Toba on your way through, the Batak people are great. Bukit Tingi is worth a day or two aswell.
Soggydog, I needed to hear that. Point taken!
Greg - thanks man, will lock those jungle towns in and Lake Toba too.
Right, I'm ready, just ticking off the days now!!
indo-dreaming wrote:My friend has guest stay with him in the Telo's, good honest guy and good family, wave out front and has boat to get to other waves https://www.facebook.com/telos.sumatra?fref=ts
Hi Indo, Do you know if I can get fast ferry padang to telos? Would like to go in August but was hoping to not go via Nias
No Sorry boats from Padang to Telos are infrequent no set timetable generally just cargo boats, the only fast ferry is the one that services Mentawais.http://www.mentawaifast.com
Almost all the boats and ferrys that go to Telos are from Nias and almost all fuel and supplies comes from Nias because the Telos are actually technically part of Nias, run by Nias government even the local dialect is almost the same as the South Nias dialect.
I think there is still public flights from Padang to Telos on tiny Susi air plane but i believe they wont take surfboards, the surf resorts charter there own flights.
15 years since I've been there pre-tsunami) but the right off the south of Simeleu smokes if you get some swell. Also worth checking out the area around Lamno if you have the chance. I don't rate Banda Aceh for waves, but others do.
Heading to Indo for May and June and looking to spend it mostly in North Sumatra. Likely going to Nias for May and Aceh for June. I'll be going low-key/budget travel.
Can anyone recommend some spots between Nias and Aceh, or around North Sumatra worth visiting? (non secrets only of course) I understand Aceh could be poor quality at that time so I might have to head back south somewhere but I really want to go up there and check it out as well.
Also, any good local losmans/connections that you'd like to recommend? I'd be stoked to get in with good locally run accom straight off the bat. It's a bit of an open couple of months and as long as I can get online a few times a week to do some work, and I manage to get some good quality waves in cool locations I will be very happy.