The Banyak Islands (Pulau-pulau Banyak) are located in the Indian Ocean, forty kilometers off the coast of Sumatra, and 29 kilometers north of Nias Island. The archipelago consists of 99 islands, only a few of which are inhabited. The islands are renowned for fantastic surf spots, white sands, corals, underwater life, giant sea turtles and all that can be called the ingredients of an ideal holiday in one of the most beautiful and secluded places on the planet.
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| Banyak Islands |
It is sheer agony to get to the Banyak Islands. First you need to cross Sumatra from east to west. Just 250 km to the town of Singkil. It would seem, what's wrong with that? But now I know: this is Indonesia. I drove for 12 hours. In a car with a driver, you, as a foreigner, are seated in the most "honorable" seat in the back seat between two passengers, the trunk of the car is stuffed to the limit with parcels, the driver turns on the music, lights a cigarette and joins the night stream of cars of the 7 millionth Medan.
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| Banyak Islands |
The hot air from the exhaust gases outside the car window is no better than in the smoky interior. The girl on my left was prudently wearing a mask, the guy on the right immediately fell asleep. The next morning, having descended from the pass along a road washed out by downpours, we are already on the other side of Sumatra. And then the chauffeur started delivering parcels! My ferry to the islands left at 9. And by that time we still had 70 kilometers to go.
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| Banyak Islands |
But this is Indonesia. With the help of Google - the translator, I explain to the driver that we are late for the ferry, he calls his colleague on the pier, and the ferry is delayed! The driver, desperately honking his horn, begins to drive up to 100 km / h, while talking on his mobile phone. And this is along the Indonesian road! I use my seat belt wisely. And the driver, in my opinion, did not know at all that there were seat belts in the car.
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| Banyak Islands |
The Banyak islands lie within the regency of Aceh Singkil in the province of Aceh, and are divided into two districts (kecamatan): the district of Banjak Islands (Kecamatan Pulau Banyak) and the district of the Western Isles of Banjak (Kecamatan Pulau Banyak Barat). This last district was separated from the previous district after the 2010 census. Pulau Balai is the seat of the Pulau Banyak district, whose current area had 3,916 inhabitants in the 2010 census and 4,562 in the 2020 census, and Haloban is the seat of the Pulau Banyak Barat district, whose current area had 2,654 inhabitants in the 2010 census and 3,078 in the 2020 Census.