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Territory capital · Indonesia

Banda Aceh

Give Banda Aceh 2 nights: one for the tsunami sites and the Grand Mosque, one for Ulee Lheue and a Sabang ferry. Skip it if you want beaches only.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
IDR
Best months
Jun–Aug (driest)
avoid Nov–Dec (wettest); Ramadan for daytime eating
Airport
BTJ
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
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Banda Aceh is the capital of Aceh province at the northern tip of Sumatra, and the city closest to the 26 December 2004 tsunami. It is a conservative, mostly Muslim city where alcohol is not sold and coffee houses do the work of bars. Two nights covers the mosque, the museum and the tsunami memorials; a third night buys you a Sabang run or a west-coast beach day at Lhoknga.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Banda Aceh, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee at a rumoh kuphiRp10,000–25,000 (≈ US$1–2)
  • Street or quick mealNasi gurih breakfastRp15,000–30,000 (≈ US$1–2)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekRp100,000–200,000 (≈ US$7–13)
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum or site entryRp5,000–50,000 (≈ US$1–4) (check)
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per personRp120,000 (≈ US$8)
  • Mid-range bedMid-range double room, a night, per roomRp500,000 (≈ US$35)
  • High-end bedMid-range double room, a night, per roomRp900,000 (≈ US$55)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget Rp350,000 (≈ US$25) · Mid Rp700,000 (≈ US$45) · High Rp1,500,000 (≈ US$95)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Baiturrahman Grand Mosque2004 tsunami memorials and boats inlandAceh Museum and the Cakra Donya bellGateway to Pulau Weh (Sabang)
Airports
BTJ Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport (About 15 km east of the centre; airport taxi to town is a fixed fare, buses 2A and 5 also run in.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Banda Aceh: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

31°C

23°C

14 rd

Feb

32°C

23°C

11 rd

Mar

32°C

23°C

12 rd

Apr

32°C

24°C

13 rd

May

32°C

24°C

12 rd

Jun

32°C

23°C

9 rd

Jul

32°C

23°C

8 rd

Aug

32°C

23°C

9 rd

Sep

31°C

23°C

11 rd

Oct

31°C

23°C

14 rd

Nov

30°C

23°C

16 rd

Dec

30°C

23°C

16 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Becak (motorbike taxis) and labi-labi minibuses cover the centre; agree the fare before you get in. Renting a scooter by the day is the easiest way to reach Lhoknga and the outlying tsunami sites. Airport taxis run on a fixed fare from the counter inside arrivals.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Lhoknga

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Scooter or becak west along the coast road

Beach and the Cut Nyak Dhien house at Lampisang; the coast here was the worst-hit area in 2004.

Sabang (Pulau Weh)

overnight

Door to door: 2–3 h

Speed boat or Ro-Ro ferry from Ulee Lheue

Diving and snorkelling island; go for at least two nights, not a day return.

Takengon

overnight

Door to door: 6–8 h

Road via Bireuen into the Gayo highlands

Cool lake town; a long drive, so sleep there.

Ketambe

overnight

Door to door: 10 h+

Road south through the Gayo highlands

Gunung Leuser jungle trekking; a multi-day trip, not a day out.

Lhokseumawe

caution

Door to door: 4–5 h

Bus or car east along the coastal highway

Mostly a transport stop on the way to Medan.

Kutacane

overnight

Door to door: 10 h+

Road south-east via the highlands

Route to Medan via Takengon takes about 20 h in total.

Tapak Tuan

overnight

Door to door: 8–10 h

Road down the west coast

South Aceh coast; only worth it with a spare night.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

City centre near the Grand Mosque

Walkable to the mosque, Pasar Atjeh and the museum; best for a short stay with no scooter.

Jl Teuku Umar / Blang Padang

Hotels, food and the Kerkhof cemetery within a few minutes' walk; the practical mid-range base.

Ulee Lheue

Near the ferry port for Sabang; choose this only if you have an early boat.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
Rp350,000–600,000 (≈ US$25–40) excl. bed
Mid
Rp600,000–1,200,000 (≈ US$40–75) excl. bed
High
Rp1,200,000 (≈ US$75)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range double room1 × 2 nights × Rp500,000Rp1,000,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × Rp700,000Rp2,800,000
Airport taxi to the centre, one way1 × Rp100,000 · checkRp100,000
Scooter rental, one day2 × Rp100,000 · checkRp200,000
eSIM, about a week of data2 × Rp150,000Rp300,000
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeRp440,000
Trip total≈ Rp1,210,000 per person per day, bed includedRp4,840,000≈ US$300

2026 estimate in rupiah; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee at a rumoh kuphiRp10,000–25,000 (≈ US$1–2)
Nasi gurih breakfastRp15,000–30,000 (≈ US$1–2)
Plate of Acehnese food (mie aceh, curry)Rp25,000–60,000 (≈ US$2–4)
Becak ride in the centreAgree the fare first.Rp10,000–50,000 (≈ US$1–4)
Museum or site entryRp5,000–50,000 (≈ US$1–4) (check)
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekRp100,000–200,000 (≈ US$7–13)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Banda Aceh is calm and the 2005 peace deal has held; the real issues are heat, traffic on a scooter, and Sharia rules on dress and alcohol. Check current local guidance before you go.
  • Alcohol is not sold in Aceh; do not plan on bars.
  • Dress modestly — covered shoulders and knees — especially at the Grand Mosque, where non-Muslims stay in the plaza.
  • Some tsunami sites are informal and unmarked; ask locally rather than trusting an old map pin.
  • Friday midday closes many shops and offices for prayers.
  • Sharia rules apply in Aceh; check current local guidance before you go.

Emergency numbers

General emergency
112
Police
110
Ambulance
118
Fire
113

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Banda AcehBanda Aceh

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Tolong antar ke alamat iniTo this address, please

Emergency

  • General emergency112
  • Police110
  • Ambulance118
  • Fire113

Embassy

Most countries have embassies in Jakarta; the US and several others keep a consulate in Medan. Check before you travel.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Airport → city centre, taxi: fixed fare, about Rp100,000 (≈ US$7) (check)
  • Becak, centre to Grand Mosque: Rp10,000–50,000 (≈ US$1–4), agree first
  • Ulee Lheue → Sabang, speed boat: about 1 h; fare check at the port

Say or show

  • Selamat pagi — Good morning (suh-LAH-mat PAH-ghee)
  • Terima kasih — Thank you (tuh-REE-mah KAH-see)
  • Berapa harganya? — How much is it? (buh-RAH-pah har-GAH-nyah)
  • Di mana toilet? — Where is the toilet? (dee MAH-nah TOY-let)
  • Saya tidak makan babi — I don't eat pork (SAH-yah TEE-dak MAH-kan BAH-bee)
  • Tolong antar ke alamat ini — Please take me to this address (TOH-long AN-tar kuh ah-LAH-mat EE-nee)

Alcohol is not sold in Aceh. Dress modestly and ask before photographing people at memorial sites.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Banda Aceh. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Aug (driest) · avoid Nov–Dec (wettest); Ramadan for daytime eating · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 7 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for BTJ: fixed airport-taxi fare, bus 2A/5 fallback, late-arrival rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with anchors: Grand Mosque and Pasar Atjeh, museum and Kerkhof, Blang Padang, Ulee Lheue.
  3. Tsunami-site page with verified locations for the Lampulo boat, the floating generator ship and Apung 1.
  4. Eat pages with coffee-house hours and nasi gurih breakfast spots.

Meanwhile

Back to Indonesia

Sources