Hey, Pulau Weh!

Still to this day, after all we've seen Pulau Weh is still one of my favorite islands. Just off the northwestern tip of Sumatra; Pulau Weh is beautiful, tranquil, and cheap. We snagged a rustic bungalow amongst the jungle with an unobstructed view of the ocean for less than eight dollars a day. (The last photo in this post is looking out from our deck). Most of our food was cooked by Mama, the sweetest old lady I've ever known. The quantity of food was beyond American portions for barely over a dollar. 

So what actually makes this island better than all others, I think a few things. Being a mostly muslim populated island drinking is expensive, so there are almost no bars on this island. Unlike our nights in Koh Phangan and Koh Phi Phi the evenings are quiet and peaceful which lends itself to wonderful conversations around Mama's dishes. Muslims also don't really go swimming too often so the beaches are almost always deserted. Lastly, the island is small enough that you can rent a motorbike and see the whole island in just a few short hours, soaking up the rays on deserted beaches. Need any more reasons to quit your job and live here for a few months? I don't think so...

Our furry cousins

After being in the Jakarta area for a couple weeks we decided to fly north to Sumatra to see some of the only oragutans living in the wild. Let me tell you orangutans are amazing creatures that are unbelievably flexible, and can manipulate a tree like no one's business. We got to the little town where all the treks are organized and signed up to go the next morning. While on a seven hour trek we we lucky enough to see two sets of mothers, each with two babies. One of the moms got so close to us (the guide gave her some sugar canes) that we could hear her chewing!