Heading to Aceh

Fashion Crisis Takes a New Meaning

I checked out from the airport Tune Hotel and walked to the nearby terminal for my 1155 departure from Kuala Lumpur to Banda Aceh, I had time for a leisurely curry breakfast (rendang, tempeh, cucumber and pineapples) after dropping off my bag at the baggage drop, then taking the short flight of only 1h25.

Aceh was a province that was attempting to break away from the Republic of Indonesia.  The Boxing Day tsunami of 2004 devastated the province to the extent that they compromised for autonomous status in exchange for help in their recovery.  Their autonomous status allowed them to implement Sharia law.  Its implementation is different from that in neighbouring countries like Singapore or Malaysia (eg. covering inheritance, marriage, proximity etc).  One can supposedly be stoned to death for adultery and men (local Muslim men, anyway) cannot wear shorts.

So I wasn’t sure whether to wear my long shorts or my jeans.  Fashion crisis takes a new meaning here! I made a brave move and opted for my long shorts as they had handy cargo pockets.  At the boarding gate, I noticed a few men with long flowing robes … I felt underdressed.  As it turned out, they boarded the flight to neighbouring Medan at the next gate.

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Held up at Immigration

Upon arrival I chatted up a couple of Norwegians to share a ride to the Banda Aceh’s port of Ulee Lheu (pronounced like Eulalie).  I whisked through as I didn’t need a visa.

Unfortunately for them, the Bank counter collecting visa payments ran out of receipts and they were held up for about 2 hours while more receipts were requested from town.  It didn’t help that the runner bringing the receipts got involved in a car accident!

I don’t think it is some kind of bribery scam eg. hoping people would say “I don’t need the receipt” as the payment is collected by a bank rep while immigration sights the receipt before stamping the passport.

Looking on the bright side, foreigners couldn’t even have got Visa-On-Arrival at Banda Aceh airport a couple of months ago … this is very new. They would have had to apply to the embassy in their home country or fly into another airport like Medan.

At 1430 I couldn’t wait any longer for fear of missing the boat from Ulee Lheue ferry terminal to Balohan (but often referred to as Sabang, the main town) on the island of Weh.  So I left the airport by myself shouldering the full fare of the taxi ride (about USD10).

It was sad talking to the taxi driver as he had lost his entire family (including wife and 3 kids) in the tsunami … they were all at home together but he was the sole survivor.

Ferry to Pulau Weh

Fortunately my new found Norwegian friends made it on to my 1600 ferry by just a whisker.  Things got strange again upon our arrival at Balohan Port … I managed to get a local minivan to my dive resort (Lumba Lumba) at Gapang beach.  They weren’t permitted to join me but had to go in a taxi at the same price per head.

Apparently the minivans and the taxis have a rostered responsibility for the transport of white people to Gapang beach even though there’s no price difference.  I had the privilege of getting honorary local status.

I find the Acehnese very easy to understand as they have a similar accent to my fellow countrymen.  They are also very gentle, kind and friendly.  Their opening price is always the price indicated in the guidebooks and there seems to be no overcharging or bargaining … so far.  I had dinner at a beach shack with my Norwegian friends chatting and swapping travel stories.

There had been a storm and the weather was actually quite cool.  The last thing on my mind was being in the sea!  I was surprised at how cool it can get at sea level in the tropics!

More on Sharia Law

On paper, the upper limits of the Acehnese Sharia law seems severe … but the day-to-day look-and-feel is no different from, say, rural Malaysia:

• Women, young and old, ride around on their motorbikes wearing fuschia headscarves.
• Men wear long shorts and take their shirts off on the beach.  In the rural areas, women literally let their hair down (and out) without a headscarf.
• They even have dogs around … which is really unusual for Muslims.  I often associate dogs in Indonesia with Christian villages where they are a delicacy!
• Beer is available at selected places,  though I’m not sure if it is legal.