The Banyak Islands are an archipelago in the Indian Ocean on the northwest coast of Sumatra. The paradisiacal archipelago is also known as the “Maldives of Indonesia” and is not very well known to international tourists.
This is our travel experience about staying on a deserted island with beautiful golden beaches, turquoise-green water, and coral reefs teeming with fish. The journey to this place is rather exhausting and takes almost two days, but you will be rewarded with a feeling like something out of the movie “The Beach“.
How to get to the Banyak Islands
Plan some time for the journey, as an international airport is located only on the other side of Sumatra. Usually, the best way to reach the Banjak Islands is via the airport of Medan, the capital of Sumatra.
From Medan to Singkil
Medan is located in North Sumatra on the east side. From there, you have to travel to the small harbor town of Singkil in the west of the island. Sumatra’s tourist infrastructure is poor and gets worse the further you get from Medan. Be prepared for broken roads with large holes. As soon as a vehicle blocks the “main road” due to a defect or a landslide makes the road in the mountains impassable, the journey time can increase significantly. But somehow you always manage to reach your destination!
Private Taxi Medan to Singkil
The best way to get from Medan Airport to Singkil is by private taxi. The journey takes at least 8 hours for the slightly more than 300 kilometers. The journey costs around IDR 1,250,000 or €75 (max. 4 people). As a group, there is no alternative and it is very practical.
Local Bus Medan to Singkil
Another way to get to Singkil is to take the local buses. If you have already planned other destinations in North Sumatra such as Bukit Lawang, Berastagi, or Lake Toba on your trip and are traveling alone or as a couple, this option is ideal.
But beware: there are no direct buses to Singkil from Medan. You have to change several times, the buses are less comfortable than the private cab (usually an SUV) and the local population may take a living rooster into the minivan. Nevertheless: a very authentic experience!
There is very little to no English information on the internet about transportation with the local buses. It is an adventure, which can be appealing for some people.
It’s best to ask your accommodation where the local buses leave from. This also worked well for us. Here are instructions on how we got from Berastagi to Singkil by local bus for IDR 300,000.
From Singkil to Balai
Once you arrive in Singkil, you have to change to a watercraft. Every day, a local boat departs from this ferry port in Singkil to Balai. The same applies to the return journey. The crossing usually costs IDR 100,000 per person and takes 5 hours.
Once a week there is also a larger ferry to Balai. The ferry departs from this terminal every Saturday at 10:00 a.m. (note: different ferry port), then stays in Balai for a day and returns on Sunday to Singkil. The ticket in the “Business” category costs IDR 37,000 per person, takes only 3.5 hours, and is relatively comfortable. There is even air conditioning in the VIP section.
Unfortunately, there is no timetable on the Internet from the ferry company (at least none that you can find in English). It is best to confirm the departure times of the ferry with your accommodation.
Continue from Balai to Tambarat Island
Balai is something like the capital of Pulau Balai. From here, you will travel to your island by a small, local boat. This onward journey is usually organized by your accommodation.
You will be picked up directly in Balai and can prepare yourself for another 1.5 to 2-hour trip. The trip can be relatively expensive – for us, for example, it costed IDR 350,000 (slow boat). Alternatively, you can book a fast boat for around IDR 700,000. If you’re lucky, you’ll see a few dolphins on the trip!
Now you’ve made it, you’ve finally arrived at the resort.
Accommodation in Tambarat Island
We spent five nights on Pulau Tambarat (Ira Bungalow accommodation). The island is quite far away from Balai and apart from the resort, the island, like so many other islands, is uninhabited.
The resort has a total of 4 bungalows for up to 2 people each, a restaurant, and dormitories for the staff and owners. The resort is run by Vicky from the Czech Republic and Ira from Sumatra. They are both super nice and very welcoming, which made it very easy to arrive. When we were on the island, three other guys were working there. A very relaxed atmosphere.
The bungalows are kept very simple, with no luxuries, but you will not miss it while you step out of your bungalow looking directly at the beautiful Indian Ocean. A mosquito net allowed us to sleep safely. There is no air conditioning or fan, but the fresh sea breeze through the window and door cooled down the bungalow at night.
The food is simple Indonesian food, but varies and always fresh and delicious! Eating vegetarian is also no problem.
Most of the electricity is provided by a solar system, but there is also a generator for emergencies. Wi-Fi is only available in the restaurant and I even had mobile coverage with Telkomsel most of the time. Other providers had no reception on the island.
The sanitary facilities are “Indonesian” and simple. The toilet is a hole and a typical shower is also missing. A water hole next to the toilet also serves as a toilet flush and bucket shower. You will get used to it haha.
Activities
There are plenty of activities to do on the island, but you can also organize some outside Tambarat through your accommodation.
On Tambarat Island
It takes about an hour to walk around the island. Please note: the north side is not passable at high tide, so plan your walk during low tide.
There is a small coral reef on the west side, not far from the bungalows. It is best to borrow a snorkel mask from the accommodation and go check out the coral and fish at high tide. A little further from this spot you can also watch the sunset.
We were also able to help the Island Boys catch crabs and fish. We then prepared them and ate them together in the evening. It was an unforgettable experience to go hunting with a stick and a ratchet and proudly eat the fresh catch a few hours later.
Outside of the island
Some tours can be booked through the accommodation. We opted for a snorkeling tour on two beautiful little islands surrounded by diverse and fish-rich coral reefs. We had good weather and a great view of Nemo and friends.
The day trip was 5-6 hours long, with each trip to the reef taking an hour on a local boat. The trip cost a total of IDR 380,000 per person (IDR 350,000 for the boat and IDR 30,000 for renting the snorkel mask). We even got lunch from the accommodation as a lunch box.
Don't forget to pack sunscreen and long clothes for your time in the water. The tropical sun at lunchtime is brutal.
Other possible activities to book through the accommodation:
- Surfing on another island (far away and only for professionals)
- Diving on the island of Tailana (approx. 150€ p.p. with a private diving instructor)
Both are quite expensive, as transport has to be organized by local boat and the islands are also quite far away. Other guests told us that diving costs €150 per person. The island of Tailana is a good diving area. You are picked up by a private diving instructor and spend the whole day on the island, which is about 1 hour away.
Prices
For the current prices of the accommodation, you should check directly on booking.com. The prices on Tambarat Island were IDR 450,000 per bungalow and IDR 150,000 per person for full catering (Usually 3 meals). The food was varied according to the circumstances, always very fresh and you could always order more.
Unfortunately, the transportation costs to the island are quite high, so you have to plan for that. In total, transportation from Medan Airport to Tambarat Island costs IDR 1,650,000.
We therefore recommend a stay of at least 4 days, 1-2 weeks is better. We were there for a total of 6 days and would have liked to stay longer.
Things to note
Aceh
The northernmost region of Sumatra is called Aceh and is considered a conservative and religious region. As an autonomous region, the province enjoys a number of special rights. For example, Aceh is governed by Sharia law, a very strict interpretation of Islamic law. When you enter Aceh, you will quickly notice the large mosques and stricter dress code, especially for women, in public. We had no problems as tourists, but we also refrained from wearing short dresses and pants. However, this was not a problem on the islands themselves.
Alcohol is also not sold in Aceh.