| Stop-over city | City info | How |
|---|---|---|
| Banda Aceh | Banda Aceh is the capital city of the Aceh province, of which Sabang is a part | Direct ferry to Sabang |
| Medan | Medan is the capital city of the North Sumatra province, which neighbours the Aceh province | Direct flight to Sabang |
Choosing a transit point – Banda Aceh or Medan?
If travelling from your location to either city is equal in effort and cost, then Banda Aceh is usually a better choice as it is geographically closer to Sabang.Being the bigger city there may be a direct flight to Medan from where you are, but not to Banda Aceh. If this is the case going through Medan will involve fewer hops to reach Sabang and thus may be more desirable.
Another consideration that may affect your choice is the means of transportation. Banda Aceh to Sabang is only by ferry, whereas Medan to Sabang is only by airplane. The table below compares both options.
| Stop-over city | City info | How |
|---|---|---|
| Banda Aceh | Banda Aceh is the capital city of the Aceh province, of which Sabang is a part | Direct ferry to Sabang |
| Medan | Medan is the capital city of the North Sumatra province, which neighbours the Aceh province | Direct flight to Sabang |
Some examples of how foreign tourists get to Sabang:
- From Malaysia: fly AirAsia from Kuala Lumpur to Banda Aceh, then take ferry to Sabang
- From Europe: fly to Kuala Lumpur, then fly AirAsia to Banda Aceh, then take ferry to Sabang
- From Australia: fly Garuda Indonesia to Jakarta, then fly Garuda Indonesia to Banda Aceh, then take ferry to Sabang
Ferry to Sabang from Banda Aceh
There are two kinds of ferries connecting Banda Aceh’s Ulee Lheue Port and Sabang’s Balohan Port: slow ferries and express ferries. Slow ferries are bigger, can carry vehicles (from bicycles to trucks) and are less affected by sea conditions. Express ferries, on the other hand, cannot carry vehicles and are prone to cancellation due to rough sea conditions.Ferry tickets don’t need to be pre-purchased ahead of time. Just turn up at least 30 minutes before ferry departure and buy your ticket in Ulee Lheue.
Inside Ulee Lheue’s waiting hall there’s a small tourism information booth staffed by people who speak English. They will happily answer questions about tourism in Sabang and Banda Aceh.
Ferry Timetable
| From | To | Ferry type | Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ulee Lheue Port (Banda Aceh) |
Balohan Port (Sabang) |
Slow ferry | All days except Friday:
|
| Express ferry |
|
||
| Balohan Port (Sabang) |
Ulee Lheue Port (Banda Aceh) |
Slow ferry | All days except Friday:
|
| Express ferry |
|
Ferry Fares
| Ferry type | Class | Price (one way) |
|---|---|---|
| Slow ferry | Executive | Rp 60,000 |
| Business | Rp 49,000 | |
| Economy | Rp 27,000 | |
| Express ferry | VIP | Rp 105,000 |
| Executive | Rp 85,000 |
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| Banda Aceh to Sabang express ferry |
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| Express ferry's air-conditioned VIP cabin |
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| Ulee Lheue Port in Banda Aceh |
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| Tourism information centre inside Ulee Lheue Port's waiting hall |
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| Balohan Port in Sabang |
Flight to Sabang from Medan
In February 2015 Indonesia’s flag carrier Garuda Indonesia launched the new Medan-Sabang route, serviced by a 70-seater ATR 72-600. By piggy backing this new route Garuda also offers the Jakarta-Medan-Sabang connecting flight. This may be a good option if you enter Indonesia through Jakarta. |
| Sabang's humble Maimun Saleh Airport |
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| Ad from Garuda Indonesia - Indonesia's national airline - promoting its new (as of 2015) Medan- Sabang route |
The flight from Medan’s Kuala Namu Airport to Sabang’s Maimun Saleh Airport takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes.