Rediscovering Pinang Island: A Relaxing Escape in Simeulue Island, Indonesia

Hey Hivers! How’s your day going? I hope your weekend is filled with fun and positive vibes! 🌞 It's been almost three years since I first shared a post here on Hive about Simeulue Island. In that post, I included a picture of myself resting after a survey on Pulau Pinang. Today, I’m excited to take you back to that beautiful island, but this time, I’ll be sharing even more stories and snapshots from my visit. Let’s start with the journey.

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Heading to Sambay Village

To reach Pulau Pinang, we first had to make our way to Desa Sambay, the closest spot for crossing, about 30 km from Simeulue’s main town, Sinabang. It’s a smooth 20-minute ride, thanks to the well-paved roads, which offer scenic coastal views along the way. If you’re planning to visit, it’s important to note that there’s no specific public transportation to get you to this village. So, renting a vehicle is your best bet. Motorbike rentals typically cost around 75,000 to 100,000 IDR (~6.35 USD), and for a car, it’s about 350,000 to 500,000 IDR (~22.23 - 31.76 USD).

When we arrived in Sambay, we found a small café near the village pier, surrounded by fishing boats. Most of the boats here are pretty small, typically only big enough for 1-3 people for fishing trips. The tourist boats are similar in design but can carry up to 10 people. It’s a bit funny, really. My second visit to Pulau Pinang was for the same reason as the first—taking a break after a survey. But unlike the last time, when it was just me, my dive buddy, and the boat driver, this time, I was joined by a larger group of colleagues.

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Getting to Pinang Island

The boat ride to Pulau Pinang is super short—less than 10 minutes. The weather was overcast, but luckily, there was no strong wind, so the waters were calm enough for a safe crossing. The cost for a one-way trip is between 20-35 IDR (~ USD).

Here’s a tip: if you’re someone who enjoys peaceful, quiet surroundings, I'll recommend you visit the island on a weekday (Monday-Friday, excluding public holidays). You’ll likely have the whole place to yourself. But if you’re into a livelier atmosphere, weekends or public holidays are the best times to go.

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Quick Overview

As our boat approached the island, the sight of countless coconut trees came into view, standing tall and waving in the gentle breeze. The island is still quite pristine, with only a few wooden structures, mostly owned by the village. Since we arrived late on a weekend, I could already see many visitors ahead of us, each engaged in their own activities—some were lounging and enjoying the beach views, others were having picnics with grilled fish, and of course, there were those swimming in the sea.

I decided not to swim since I hadn’t brought a change of clothes, but some of my colleagues, who had come well-prepared, wasted no time jumping into the water right after our boat landed.

A quick note on the water conditions here: the underwater topography near the shore is a bit steep. Less than 10 meters from the shoreline, the seabed drops off quite sharply, making the water deep enough that the bottom is no longer visible. So, if you’re visiting with kids or anyone not confident in their swimming abilities, extra caution is necessary.

Strolling Around The Island

After landing, we quickly found a spot to lay out our mats. We were lucky to find a strategic spot, not too far from the beach and comfortably shaded by coconut trees. Unlike other visitors who had brought a lot of food and were cooking on the island, we kept it simple with just snacks and drinks.

After enjoying our snacks, I decided to take a stroll along the beach. At least a third of the island is lined with one continuous beach, and I was fortunate enough to explore it. The sand is soft and smooth, making it a pleasure to walk on. Of course, I didn’t forget to bring my phone to capture the beauty from various angles, snapping shots of the scenery, boats, and visitors.

Free Banquet

After about 15 minutes of walking along the shore, I headed back to our spot to chat with my colleagues. Not long after, a visitor approached us, who, as it turned out, was an acquaintance of one of my colleagues. After a brief chat, they kindly invited us to join them and offered us some of their food. We gratefully accepted, feeling incredibly lucky to experience such hospitality. The food they shared was amazing—grilled chicken, curried duck, grilled fish, fried noodles, and even lontong.

This brings me to a moral reflection: Pulau Pinang remains uninhabited and, as a result, its natural beauty is remarkably well-preserved. The island is clean, with only minor traces of litter, mostly left by visitors. It’s crucial to maintain this pristine condition, so if you visit, please be mindful and take your trash with you. Let’s help keep this island as beautiful as it is now for future generations to enjoy.

Going Back

After indulging in the delicious food, we continued chatting with our new friends for about 25 minutes before deciding to head back. The sky was getting darker, signaling the end of our lovely day on the island.

That’s it for my adventure to Pulau Pinang this time. It was a beautiful and memorable experience, and I hope you enjoyed the story. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. If you liked the story, I’d really appreciate it if you could upvote and/or repost it. Thanks for reading, and see you next time!

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One last thing to wrap this up: If you’re ever in Aceh, don’t worry about feeling out of place. The local people here are known for their tradition of "Memuliakan Tamu" or honoring guests. You’ll be warmly welcomed wherever you go, even if it’s your first time in the province.