Country Reviews: Fishing in Banda Aceh Pt 2

While overhead Banda Aceh in the plane, everyone in the plane can glance down to see the effects of the Tsunami back in 2004. It devastated Banda Aceh and destroy many people's livelihood so it was a real eye opener. Many of the land at Banda Aceh today are still covered with water and in total ruins so people there are still very poor.Luckily, people at Banda Aceh are very resourceful and they converted the areas where the flood waters cannot be totally drained out into ponds for rearing seafood, like prawns and fishes.



After passing all of the customs and checks, you can hire some of the transportation that are outside of the airport. Sometimes, they would include guides for you where you can board their cars to your fishing destination. Be sure to haggle with the operator about your price before committing as some of the Banda Aceh locals may over charge a foreigner.

The roads of Banda Aceh are rugged and are filled with high kerbs, meaning you will feel bumpiness during your trip. However, the place is filled with a lot of greenery unlike metropolitan cities like New York. The people of Banda Aceh utilize motorcycles as their main mode of transport so expect to see many of them on the roads when you are at Banda Aceh.

Sometimes the local guide can ask whether you want to have lunch so as to taste the local delights. I will usually say yes as it will allow you to recharge from the long flight and Banda Aceh's food are very delicious. The group visited a restaurant called "77 Es Teler Juara Indonesia" where they served many local dishes. They have Squid with Chilli, Beef Rendang, Sambal Fish and more. But be sure to tell the waiter beforehand if you can't take spicy food or your palate is weak. They would also serve a very tasty dessert, called the Durian Pancake where the chilled durian paste is stored inside the cake which will scintillate your taste buds with the sweet taste.

After that, the group was taken to a local fishing shop where we could buy bait and rods. I bought a few handmade rods by the locals. There are also baits with feathers which are essential for catching tunas. They are crucial as the swaying of the feathers will help the tunas notice it.

When we reached the jetty at the Banda Aceh, near the tip of Indonesia, there were people from the United Nations who provides consultation on medical problems and educating some of the Banda Aceh's locals. This is very commendable since many of Banda Aceh's are still rebuilding. There was a ferry waiting for us in the jetty to Pulau Weh. Pulau Weh will be the place where the port of call will be for the group. You can either arrange a ferry or purchase a ticket to Pulau Weh to reach there, whichever you see fit.