Saturday, July 31, 2010

Great Barrier Reef, Maldives, Aceh

Diving

The BBC says Pulau Weh in Aceh is the next great location for diving enthusiasts.

As mentioned in this Article, the BBC World News show Fast Track featured Indonesia recently.

A story about Acehnese tourism five years after the tsunami - watch it here - was surprisingly positive.

It featured some of the dive sites near Pulau Weh, a small island off the coast of Aceh, the northernmost province of Sumatera.

Pulau Weh Diving
Diving near Pulau Weh, Aceh.

According to the feature, unlike more popular locations, its relative isolation has helped it be preserved and not destroyed by pollution, overfishing or tourism. One of the unique attractions in the area is a very rare undersea geothermal vent. While the 2004 tsunami did damage the coral, it has subsequently recovered; some locals have also helped the undersea life by grafting and growing new coral.

During the report, we meet two dive operators: Pak Dodent, the director of one of only two local dive shops in the area; and Ben Stokes of Dive Safari Asia, an English-based diving company which leads groups to more remote/isolated Asian diving locations.

It also said while few people come specifically to see the tsunami sites, local residents are surprisingly happy to show you tsunami relics and discuss their experiences. A Tsunami Museum also recently opened in Banda Aceh.

Tsunami Museum
Tourists visiting another famous tourist attraction in Aceh


The question is: Having seen the report above, would you consider visiting Aceh on your next holiday, especially if it was for diving? Why or why not?

And regardless of your answer to the previous question, what could the Acehnese government do - in your opinion - to encourage more visitors?



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