Aceh, Spiritual Gateway to Southeast Asia

About 100 Tourists, mostly Americans visited Banda Aceh and were warmly welcome by the City Mayor Illiza Saaduddin and the locals. They arrived via Cruise Ship (Photos Jan 11, 2011)

Aceh (pronounced Ah-chay) is an autonomous territory of Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Aceh is where Islam was first established in Southeast Asia. In the early seventeenth century the Sultanate of Aceh was the most wealthy, powerful and cultivated state in the Malacca Straits. 

Aceh was the closest point of land to the epicenter of the massive 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, which triggered a Tsunami that devastated much of the western coast of the region, including Banda Aceh. With the help of International community and the strong spirit of the locals, Aceh was able to "built back better". Most Aceh regions are covered with forest, rich with economic commodities of oil and gas and other agriculture products.

Visa-on-Arrival: Since June 2010, Aceh Visa on Arrival (VoA) is available at Aceh's Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport. The VoA extends to nationals of 63 countries. VoA are valid for 30 days and are extendable with another 30 days to be applied at Immigration offices in Indonesia. For each visitor using VoA entering Aceh will be charged US$25. There are direct flights to Banda Aceh from Jakarta, Medan, Penang or Kuala Lumpur

The land of plenty coffee shops: Aceh coffee is special and tasty. Most famous is Gayo Mountain Coffee, and Coffee Uleekareng. There are hundreds of quality of coffee shops across Banda Aceh. Drinking coffee in Acehnese community has been quite popular and is an important part of a social activity. So while in Aceh, don't forget to stop by coffee shops!. 

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