Diving in Pulauweh
Pulauweh is well-recognized as one of the world’s top dive destinations,
with its coastal waters having a wealth of superb
dive sites hidden within.
Dive Resort in Pulauweh
Pulau Weh Resort
Located at Banda Aceh, the provincial capital of Aceh in Indonesia, PulauWeh Resort or Weh Island Resort is a beautifully designed nature and outdoor themed resort set on a seaside coconut plantation. It is strategically built in front of the most stunning dive site of Batee Tokong and Shark Plateau making it easily accessible for divers and snorkeling enthusiasts too, as coral growth is teeming in the waters of the resort’s beach.
PulauWeh Resort has 13 individual fully glassed chalets – 6 Sea View chalets and 7 Garden View ones, both air conditioned with fan, have en-suite bathrooms with hot and cold shower, a landscaped indoor garden, a patio facing the beach/lotus pond & rock garden, and an outdoor shower.
For hungry guests, a cozy open air restaurant surrounded by lush landscape and palm trees is ready to serve you a delectable meal, and for relaxation, you can lounge at the sun deck by the beach with a cold drink in your hand while listening to the ocean’s waves. Divers would also be well taken care of as the resort has a fully furnished and stocked dive centre with knowledgeable PADI instructors that will assist in every dive.
Marine Life Highlights in Pulauweh
Whale Shark
Blue Potted Ray
Eagle Ray
Dive Sites In Pulau Weh
Pantee Aneuk Sueke (The Canyon)
Located on the west coast of Pulau Weh and a 25-minute boat ride, The Canyon’s pride is its splendid rock formations and caves underwater. It is a deep dive with drop off at 29 metres, south of the cave, when the current heads north then going up the canyon where a Gorgonian garden will be in sight. Napoleon Wrasses, Black-tip Reef Sharks and school of Jacks are residents of this parts with occasional sightings of Manta Rays. Big pelagics can also be seen in the deeper parts such as Barracudas and Trevallies as maximum reachable depth is at 35 metres with a good visibility of 10 to 30 metres. Currents are strong in the area but most advanced divers end their dives by swimming through the narrow arch and ascending on top of the reef.
Access: Shore Entry
Average Depth: 20m
Maximum Depth: 30m
Average Visibility: 14m
Batee Dua
Batee Dua or Two Rocks is part of Gapang House Reef on its east side marked by two pinnacles with its walls covered by Anemones and corals. Visibility is at 20 metres and depths of 12 metres that is ideal for beginners who are learning to dive and for night diving. At the shallows, a lot of marine life can already be encountered as there are no currents in the area such as a field of Garden Eels, schools of sleek Unicorn fish, Juvenile Black tip Reef Sharks, and Hawksbill Turtles. The crevices hide Glass fish, Twin-spot Lionfish, and Moray Eels while during night dives, Octopus, Frogfish, and different species of Rays make appearances.
Access: Shore Entry
Average Depth: 20m
Maximum Depth: 30m
Average Visibility: 14m
Pantee Peunateung
Translated as Rice field in the local dialect, Pantee Peunateung is adorned by beautiful and colorful coral reefs from north to south which are clearly visible above water. A 35-minute boat ride will take you to this site where divers can already estimate the water levels, while still on board, having a visibility of 15 to 30 metres. Currents can be strong but the underwater spectacle is rewarding for Intermediate divers as large Gorgonian Sea Fans thrive on the rich nutrient waters mixed with Green Tree Corals. Black tips, White tips, and Gray Reef Sharks together with Giant Sting Rays, Eagle Rays and Manta Rays cruise around the vibrant walls while the depths are covered with lava rocks and volcanic formations comprising of hard corals, Reef fishes, Turtles, Morays, and Lobsters. Average depth is 25 metres and maximum depth is 70 metres.
Access: Shore Entry
Average Depth: 20m
Maximum Depth: 30m
Average Visibility: 14m
Underwater Volcano
The Underwater Volcano is situated just off shore close to the base of Pria Laot Bay where underwater fumaroles are the main attraction. Bubbles of gas produced by sulphur steam comes out from several volcanic vents at the sandy bottom warming up the waters. Only a shallow spot, the fumaroles are already on sight at 5 metres stretching up to 10 metres and merely a few fishes are present. Pufferfishes lay around on the sand seemingly oblivious to divers and some Bannerfish along with a small school of Yellow Snapper are common to this area, but be careful as some stinging red Jellyfish hang around the surface of this dive site. Usually a second dive, Underwater Volcano is combined with the Tugboat Wreck in Sabang Harbor.
Access: Shore Entry
Average Depth: 20m
Maximum Depth: 30m
Average Visibility: 14m
Wreck of Sophie Rickmers
At 134 metres long, Sophie Rickmers is a German cargo steamship which sank in Pria Laot Bay by its own crew to prevent confiscation by the Dutch Navy. This wreck lies 55 metres underwater with its straight bow and the shallowest part is the wheelhouse at 37 metres making it only accessible by Advanced to Experienced divers. Covered with corals, visibility in the area is 10 to 30 metres with no currents and is reachable by boat from Pulau Weh Resort. A school of Unicorn Filefishes can be seen swimming past and schools of Batfishes usually accompany divers down and up the mooring line. The Black-spot Angelfish, which is a rare fish, breeds in this wreck along with giant Groupers, Moray Eels, Trevallies and Jacks.
Access: Shore Entry
Average Depth: 20m
Maximum Depth: 30m
Average Visibility: 14m
Batee Tokong
Divers will likely have this site as their favorite as Batee Tokong is swarming with marine life. This underwater plateau begins where divers catch sight of a pinnacle that reaches the surface down to 25 metres filled with big Gorgonian Seafans, Sponges, and Zigzag Clams. It extends up north to the Shark Plateau where Napoleons, giant Groupers, Black and White tip Reef Sharks, Gray Sharks, and the occasional Silver tip wander.
As divers go deeper, Bluefin Trevallies, Yellow Goat fishes, Dog tooth Tuna, and schooling Barracudas can be spotted whereas the bottom part features several species of Moray Eels, Lionfish, Scorpionfish, Frogfish, Nudibranchs, Butterfly fish, Triggerfish, and the big nose Unicorn fish. Currents are strong in Batee Tokong with a visibility of 10 to 30 metres, reachable by a 20-minute boat ride.
Access: Shore Entry
Average Depth: 20m
Maximum Depth: 30m
Average Visibility: 14m
Rubiah Sea Garden
Rubiah Sea Garden is a gentle and shallow dive site lining the shores of Rubiah Island which was established by the Indonesian government as a special nature reserve. Its water is calm and crystal clear with visibility of 25 metres and average depth of 15 metres that is great for both day and night dives. Rock and coral formations cover the sandy bottom with a variety of reef fish as residents with Garden Eels, Honeycomb Morays, Wrasse, and Clown Triggerfish. Rare species like Flying Gurnards, Leaf Scorpionfish and Ghost Pipefish also roam these waters and at 30 metres, big hard corals are the star of the scene, having different shapes and colors. Rubiah Island is still uninhabited resulting to a pristine dive site and access to it is still by boat from Sabang.
Access: Shore Entry
Average Depth: 20m
Maximum Depth: 30m
Average Visibility: 14m
Diving in Pulauweh
Situated in the northwest tip of Sumatra where the Andaman Sea and Indian Ocean meet is Pulau Weh, a small volcanic island in Aceh province which is known for the best diving in the region. The locals call the island Sabang, the name of its largest city, which can be reached by a 45-minute regular ship ride from Bandah Aceh where flights from Malaysia arrive. There are four islets bordering the island – Rondo, Seulako, Klah and Rubiah, with the latter well known for diving having been declared as a special nature reserve due to its amazing coral reefs. Off the beaten track, Pulau Weh offers unspoiled and uncrowded dive sites.
Climate in Pulau Weh is tropical positioned only 6 degrees north of the equator with average temperature of 28 degrees Celsius and often rises to 30 degrees Celsius during the day. Wet season is from December to March and dry season from April to November but there are fewer chances of heavy rain showers during wet season that makes diving all year round feasible. Water temperature is constant ranging between 28 to 29 degrees Celsius with an average visibility of 10 to 30 metres.
Pulau Weh is the perfect place for diving and snorkeling as it is a haven for coral reefs with a large variety of fish species. There are walls, wrecks and canyons that can be found in several of the dive spots surrounding the island. The Indonesian government has established an estimate of 60 square kilometres of land and sea as wildlife protection area to preserve its ecosystem making it idyllic for ecotourism. Pulau Weh Marine Park or the Rubiah Marine Park with 2600 hectares and Iboih Recreation Park with 1300 hectares are two of the protected areas on and around the island.
Blessed with a rich marine biodiversity, Pulau Weh takes prides in being a habitat for rare and threatened species. A Megamouth Shark was once found on the shores of the island, and it is the only habitat of the threatened toad Duttaphrynusvalhallae. Chances of seeing a Flying Gurnard, Leaf Scorpionfish and Black-spot Angelfish is possible in the waters of Pulau Weh along with other common pelagics such as different types of Rays (Manta Rays, Eagle Rays, Blue-spotted Ribbon Tail Rays, and Blue-spotted Stingrays), and Whale Shark.
Best Diving Season: April to November
Weather: December to March (Rainy Season) & April to November (Dry Season)
Water Temperature: 28-29°C
Marine Animal Highlights: Morays, Lionfish, Tuna, Barracuda, Sharks, Crocodile fishes, Manta and Eagle rays
Recommended Thermal Protection: –
Water Visibility: 10-30m
Tipping: –
Transportation: –