For those of you who haven’t been to Aceh, or are planning to visit Banda Aceh, you might be a little intimidated and think it’s scary and very backward, right?

Therefore, you need to know some facts about Aceh that you didn’t know before. What are they? Check them out!

1. The streets will be quiet on Friday

Did you know that in Aceh, every Friday prayer, all shops and all activities are closed from 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM WIB (Western Indonesian Time). Even if some shops don’t close completely, they usually only open their doors slightly for people wanting to buy goods.

Restaurants here (especially those owned by non-Muslims) typically close their doors or curtain their restaurants/eateries between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM WIB (Western Indonesian Time) to avoid being conspicuous and respect Muslims who are praying during Friday prayers.

Why? Besides being a diverse community comprised of various ethnicities and religions, it’s undeniable that this break time is often used by non-Muslims in Aceh to find lunch.

But, what’s the advantage? Because the streets are so quiet, there are usually lots of kids riding bikes around, as they say it feels like their father’s own street. You can also lie down in the middle of the road if you want. Oh, that was just a joke, guys. 😁

Well, apart from that, there are also several moments that parents can take advantage of to teach their children to learn to ride a bicycle, motorbike, or car, because nobody is around, and of course, it’s safe.

2. The streets will be dimmer during the Maghrib call to prayer

Except for Friday afternoons, when all shops close for a while, every day during the Maghrib call to prayer, all shops on the main street typically dim their lights inside and out to avoid looking too conspicuous.

Muslims will perform the Maghrib prayer, while non-Muslims will only dim their shop lights or close their shops completely, allowing them to shower, eat, and rest for a while before reopening their shops after the Maghrib prayer time has finished.

3. The implementation of Islamic law applies to all Muslims

Islamic law began to be formally implemented in Aceh in 2002, after the ratification of Law Number 44 of 1999 concerning the Implementation of the Special Status of Aceh Province.

The implementation of Islamic law in Aceh is regulated by Law No. 44 of 1999 on the Implementation of the Special Status of Aceh Province and Law No. 11 of 2006 on the Government of Aceh. These two laws provide a strong foundation for Aceh to implement Islamic law in its entirety (kaffah).

Islamic law implemented in Aceh covers the areas of Aqidah, Sharia, and Morals, namely worship, ahwal al’syakhsiyah (family law), muamalah (civil law), jinayah (criminal law), qadha’ (justice), tarbiyah (education), da’wah, syiar, and defense of Islam.

The provisions for implementing Islamic law in Aceh are set out in the Aceh Qanun.

What about non-Muslims? Are they also required to follow Islamic law? Of course not, as Islamic law is only obligatory for Muslims. Non-Muslims should adhere to existing regulations.

For example, dressing modestly is not a problem as long as it’s modest, such as clothing that doesn’t reveal excessively private parts, like hot pants, miniskirts, and so on.

If you’re going to Aceh, avoid tight clothing, hot pants, and sleeveless tops, except at the beach. It’s okay to wear a t-shirt and shorts that aren’t as short as hotpants.

In this case, Sabang is the only area in Aceh that is more culturally free in terms of clothing because it is a tourist area where many domestic and foreign tourists vacation in Sabang.

4. There are no cinemas throughout Aceh, including Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh province

FYI, as the only province in Indonesia that implements Islamic law, Banda Aceh used to have several cinemas, including the Gajah Theatre and Garuda Theatre, which were large, similar to typical cinemas, along with several smaller ones.

However, after the tsunami struck in December 2004, all these cinemas were decommissioned and converted into halls. This was likely also a result of the formal implementation of Islamic Sharia law in 2002 and strengthened after 2006.

So, is there no cinema in Banda Aceh at all? Yes, that’s right. What about people who want to watch movies? Well, as far as I know, most people usually go to Medan to watch movies, but of course, when they’re on vacation, unless you have a lot of money, you can go to Medan on Saturday morning and return Sunday night. HAHAHA.

By the way, with the plan to establish TransMart Mall, it will likely bring a cinema with a sharia concept like the one implemented in Saudi Arabia.

UPDATE October 2025: The Transmart Mall construction project has stalled, guys. There’s been no progress whatsoever, even though the building is already half-finished 😂🤣😂

5. Sabang City is the only area in Aceh province that is friendlier in terms of clothing and drinks

Although recently, the implementation of Islamic law has begun to be tightened again with the change of government (new governor and mayor), except Weh Island (Sabang City), you can freely wear sleeveless clothing and hot pants, and there are even domestic and foreign tourists still wearing bikinis on the beach.

Just don’t wear it outside the beach area, like if you’re daring to walk around the city in a bikini, guys. Don’t do it guys! It’s dangerous! Drivers will lose focus because they’re looking at you 🤣🤣

6. Natural tourism in Aceh is not inferior to other regions

Isn’t the sea beautiful? So blue, right? The sand is certainly pristine white, guys. If you’re planning a vacation or business trip to Banda Aceh, you MUST visit the very popular Lampuuk Beach, with its white sand and crystal clear waters.

From the city center, let’s say the starting point is the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, then you only need to travel about 20-25 minutes to get to Lampuuk Beach.

How to read: LAM-PU-UK

Drink coconut water, eat Indomie with some eggs, and order grilled fish or seafood served Louisiana-style. Is the squid, shrimp, and crab spilling out? Hehe.

7. Low pollution and waste

Because it is a region in the western tip of Indonesia that does not have much industry, it can be said that the air in Aceh is very clean, and Banda Aceh has also received an award as one of the cleanest cities in Indonesia.

However, Banda Aceh was not included in the Adipura awards for the 2017-2018 period. The government must certainly improve its declining quality to regain the award.

UPDATE October 2025: Banda Aceh has won this award 11 times, with the most recent wins in 2022 and 2023. This award was given by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) because Banda Aceh was considered successful in managing urban cleanliness and the environment. 

8. Non-Muslim communities have their own places of worship

Non-Muslims in Aceh can worship freely in their respective places of worship. In Banda Aceh alone, there are five Buddhist temples (viharas and Chinese temples), three Protestant churches, one Catholic church, and one Hindu-Tamil temple. This data is based on official data from the Aceh Provincial Religious Affairs Office.

Establishing a house of worship in Banda Aceh, as the capital of Aceh Province, is not too difficult, but in fact, establishing a new house of worship seems to be more difficult in small towns in districts other than Banda Aceh.

Some non-Muslim houses of worship in small towns in Aceh do not have pamphlets informing us that the building is a house of worship.

Why is that? Of course, I don’t know for sure, but I’ve heard the local house of worship administrators explain that they’re not allowed to display any identification to avoid looking conspicuous. Who knows? 😁

9. The Chinese population in Aceh is Hakka

The Hakka people are a sub-ethnic group of Han Chinese who have a relatively large population compared to other Chinese sub-ethnic groups in Aceh. Therefore, the majority of Chinese spoken in Aceh is Hakka, unlike the language you hear in Medan, Pekanbaru, and other provinces.

Apart from Aceh, Hakka (Khek) people are mostly spread across Bangka Belitung, Kalimantan Island, Jakarta, East Java, South Sulawesi, NTT, Timor Leste and Papua.

The largest Chinese population in Aceh is the Hakka, followed by the Hokkien, Cantonese, Hainanese, and other sub-Chinese groups.

Hakka serves as a lingua franca among fellow Chinese, alongside Acehnese and Indonesian.

10. Most of the Chinese in Aceh can speak Acehnese, especially the older generation.

Most Chinese people in Aceh speak Acehnese, as they have been living in the region for generations. Although many of the younger generation can’t speak Acehnese, many of the older generation still speak it fluently.

11. The meaning of ACEH

The word ACEH is an abbreviation of Arab– China- Europe– Hindia (India). This abbreviation is likely just a backronym, meaning it doesn’t have a literal meaning, as the exact meaning is unknown, according to the sources I’ve found. However, the name Aceh itself has been used since the time of the Aceh Kingdom.

The backronym isn’t actually incorrect, as during the kingdom era, when trade between nations was rife, and during the colonial era, ethnic and racial mixing occurred, creating a highly diverse Acehnese population. The names of the nations mentioned above also had direct contact with the Acehnese people in ancient times.

Also read: 
Women Must Wear the Hijab When Traveling to Aceh

12. The Kilometer 0 (Kilometer Zero) point in Indonesia is slightly different

Aceh is the westernmost province of Indonesia, with its outermost city being Sabang, located on Weh Island. Kilometer Zero in Sabang isn’t actually located in a place we typically visit.

From several sources that I have heard, it is said that the real Kilometer Zero Point is actually on Rondo Island, which is a small uninhabited island at the tip of Weh Island (Sabang) and to reach the island is very difficult and quite time-consuming.

Usually, Rondo Island is only visited by fishermen or anglers who fish around there.

13. As an Indonesian citizen who has an Aceh Province ID card, you must often be asked questions about marijuana and GAM, right?

Many people outside Aceh Province believe that marijuana is easily obtained and widely available, and that the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) is also widespread, terrorizing the community. Surely, many people think the same way, right?

In the past, GAM was greatly feared by residents due to its brutal actions, but these generally only occurred in small towns. Although the Military Operations Area (DOM) imposed by the central government once disturbed the peace of Aceh Province,

GAM was officially disbanded after the signing of the MoU between GAM and the Indonesian government. Even if there are cases of separatism and terrorism, they are only carried out by certain individuals. May Aceh remain peaceful, safe, and prosperous forever. Amen 🙂

14. Low crime rate

Whether you have college assignments, office work, or just hanging out at a cafe with friends, coming home after 10 p.m. or even 1 a.m. won’t be a problem because muggings are rare in Banda Aceh.

It’s not that there aren’t any at all, but the percentage is very small compared to the number of muggings in North Sumatra and other provinces.

As an Acehnese, what I feel is that living in Aceh is really safe, guys, not like what the national media frames about life in Aceh.

15. Low levels of religious conflict

You could say it’s almost nil. All I know of is the burning of several churches in the Singkil area. Other than that, it’s mostly personal conflicts or inter-ethnic sentiment, not inter-religious ones.

I strongly believe that religious harmony is not only carried out by the majority but by both parties, both the minority and the majority, who both maintain and understand each other so that religious conflict does not occur.

Because of this analogy, if a minority is stubborn or a majority is overly assertive, can these two communities unite? Of course not!

Is that true? Of course it is!

16. Low levels of racial conflict

It’s not that it doesn’t exist, but it’s low, very rare, and has happened in the past.

In the past, there were racial riots in cities in Aceh, such as between Acehnese and Javanese, Acehnese and Chinese.

17. Aceh is not as scary as you think

Hanging out in cafes or public places with the opposite sex is not a problem.

Netizen: But why is it in the news that in Aceh, men and women who are not married are not allowed to sit together or drive together.

Yes, there was a regulation like this, but it only existed in Bireuen and North Aceh, not throughout Aceh. And it seems like the regulation is no longer enforced. As far as I remember, haha, because there was also a slightly absurd regulation that prohibited women from riding motorcycles with their legs apart.

Yes, if you are told to drive, sit sideways, you will fall HAHAHAHA.

18. Islamic Sharia is more stringent

First, all conventional banks must be replaced with Sharia Banks, so there was a discussion in the community about this regulation.

Second, there has been no New Year’s Eve celebration in Aceh in recent years because it is considered a non-Islamic culture and therefore does not need to be celebrated.

What else do you know about unique facts about Aceh? Share them in the comments!

DISCLAIMER: The above facts largely refer to conditions in Banda Aceh and Aceh in general. The information above is intended solely as a means of exchanging information about the situation in Aceh. There are no elements of ethnicity, religion, race, or intergroup relations intended to provoke or incite others. Thank you. Happy reading!

Let’s go to Banda Aceh!

Also read: 
Women Must Wear the Hijab When Traveling to Aceh

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