Sumatra: Discover Solitude on The Beautiful Banyak Islands

Sikandang is the larger of the two islands. It has great white sandy beaches all around and is otherwise predominantly overgrown by a dense palm forest.

There are three accommodations throughout the island (one of which is probably only occasionally operated), all of which are located right next to each other on a wide stretch of beach. Apart from that, there is also only one other house on the island.

We lived in »Nina’s Bungalows«. The property is very small and basic, just like the others. The accommodations are wooden bungalows. These are equipped inside with a bed, a mosquito net and a small table. In addition, all have a porch with chairs.

In the room you have a lamp and electricity, which only runs for a few hours in the evening and can also fail sometimes. There is a western toilet, a squat toilet and an Indonesian shower that you share with the other guests.

There is also a large bungalow where the operators live and cook. Meals are taken on the large veranda in front of it. It is not a restaurant where you can order, instead only one meal is cooked for everyone at a time.

However, it is possible to arrange vegetarian food in advance. As a rule, there are pancakes for breakfast, pasta for lunch and rice with freshly caught fish and vegetables in the evening. Drinks (water, tea, coffee) are available throughout the day.

The island is great for relaxing. You can take great beach walks (only at low tide), which are really worthwhile, as the absolutely natural beaches are the most beautiful away from the accommodations.

A circumnavigation of the whole island takes about 2 hours including photo stops. You can also swim great. The sea is very calm and the beach in front of the accommodation drops steeply, so you can make your rounds in the immediate vicinity of the shore.

There are often schools of small fish, which are often caught for dinner. It is a great experience to watch these swarms snorkeling.

Otherwise, there are a few corals seen from the property a bit to the right in the water, but nothing too worth seeing. I’m not sure if there are snorkels and goggles to borrow. We had our own equipment with us. If you wish, you can also take a boat tour and island hopping in the area.

A night in a bungalow including full board for two people costs 400,000 IDR (about 25 euros). If you travel alone, you pay 300,000 IDR (about 18.50 euros). The property is managed by Mr. Rius. He is young, friendly and speaks excellent English. On the website you will find an e-mail address and a mobile phone number. A reservation by phone is the faster and safer option, as you never know when or if e-mails will come through (bad network on the island).

Finally, a day before our arrival we reserved by phone and it was absolutely no problem (only one more hut was occupied). In the high season, however, it can be fully booked, which is why it would be advisable to contact us as early as possible.

Tailana is a whole corner smaller than Sikandang. On the island there is nothing but accommodation and a small diving school. The accommodation is also very small and basic.

On Tailana, the few huts are not located directly on the beach, but are spread out in the second row across the island, so to speak. They are equipped with a mattress and mosquito net. There is no electricity. However, electrical devices can be charged in the main house.

There is a cabin for all guests with two cabins, each with a squat toilet and an Indonesian shower. Here, too, the meal is taken together in front of the main house.

The type of food is almost identical to that on the other island. A great bonus are the many hammocks. Some huts had their own on the veranda, otherwise there were several attached hammocks to the palm trees between the huts. All in all, the grounds of the property are very lovingly designed.

This island is suitable to let your soul dangle (in the hammock in the truest sense of the word). In addition, you can snorkel excellently here. Almost around the island there are coral reefs not far from the beach, but some of them extend many meters into the water.

Although the underwater world is not particularly colorful, but very varied and excellent in tact compared to other places where I have snorkeled so far. The incredible extent of the corals alone will ensure that you will not get bored so quickly.

Snorkeling equipment can be rented for a small price, but you should not expect too much from it.

Due to the many corals and a much shallower entry into the water, it is not as comfortable to swim here as on Sikandang. But there are still enough places where you can swim comfortably.

The island can also be circumnavigated on foot, but it has not proven to be easy for us and we could not walk directly on the beach.

The accommodation is run by a very dear family, of which only the older daughter speaks good English. We felt very comfortable with them. A bungalow including meals costs 375,000 IDR (about 26.50 USD) for two people per night. The price for one person must be agreed upon.

Advance reservations are also possible here. On the Internet, you will find an e-mail address (dmawan_skl76@yahoo.com), under which we have not received an answer. It is also better here by phone. For this, you can call Mawan-san (+6281377219667). He does not live on Tailana, but forwards a reservation.

To get to the Banyak Islands, you first have to travel to Singkil. The port city should be accessible from all tourist places on Sumatra.

From Medan there are flights with Susi Air twice a week. Cheaper and easier to organize is the journey in a shared taxi or minibus. Simply ask directly at a company or alternatively at the accommodation.

You should definitely not underestimate the distances! We arrived overnight with a shared taxi from the village of Ketambe (in the middle of the Gunung Leuser National Park) and were on the road for about 13 hours (cost 220,000 IDR/about 17.70 USD per person). If necessary, an overnight stay in between is necessary if no taxi or bus company drives the whole way.

If you drive overnight and arrive in the morning, taxis and buses will drop you off right at the port. From here you take the ferry (27,000 IDR/about 2.60 euros p.p.) or a public boat (50,000 IDR/about 5.15 USD p.p.) to the main island of Pulau Balai.

Alternatively, you can also choose an expensive speedboat (according to the Internet about $ 140 for the boat with five seats) directly to one of the islands. If possible, you should try to take the ferry.

Unfortunately, this only runs twice a week (as of September 2017). On Tuesdays we go to Balai around 10 o’clock in the morning and on Wednesdays around noon/ afternoon (as soon as enough tickets have been sold) back to Singkil. On Fridays we go to Balai around 1 pm and on Saturdays again at noon to Singkil.

The ferry has an interior with padded seats and fans. Snacks and drinks are also sold. Due to their size, you can also feel the swell less.

The Public Boat is much smaller and there are no seats. Everyone sits on the wooden deck, protected only by a permeable shade sail. It took us about 6 hours on the way by boat and only 3 1/2 hours on the way back by ferry. However, this can vary greatly individually, as the boat has been waiting for more guests for a very long time. In any case, we found the ferry to be much more pleasant!

From Balai we continue with a wooden fishing boat to the islands of Sikandang or Tailana (price depends on the number of people, about 100,000 IDR/8.25 USD per person).

For the former it takes about 1 1/2 hours, for the latter 2 hours. It is not difficult to find such transport. In Balai, boat owners will probably already be waiting for the arrival of tourists. The small boat offers little to no sun protection and sometimes sways strongly. You should prepare for this if necessary.

All in all, the journey is very long and tedious. We were on the road from Ketambe for a good 24 hours. That’s probably the price to end up with a beautiful island almost to yourself.

Both islands are without question fantastic and something very special. Nature is still largely untouched and tourism is still in its infancy with simple accommodation and a few huts. Here you can imagine what it must have looked like elsewhere many years ago.

Sikandang has a nicer beach and the perfect photo opportunities. Swimming is also better here. Tailana is a snorkeling enthusiast’s dream and overall we liked the atmosphere at the property better. Here we felt at home.

If you have the time, you should take a look at both islands! Transportation between the islands should be easily organised by both accommodations, as both have their own boats. We paid 200,000 IDR (about 16.50 USD) for the boat.