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Aceh airport set to apply VoA system

Hotli Simanjuntak ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Banda Aceh   |  Sat, 10/03/2009 2:05 PM  |  The Archipelago

After a long wait, the central government has finally granted the Sultan Iskandar Muda (SIM) International Airport in Aceh the right to provide a visa-on-arrival (VoA) service to foreigners visiting the province.

Up to now, foreigners visiting Aceh could only apply for visas at the Indonesian Embassy in their respective countries or at the Polonia Airport in Medan, North Sumatra.

"This request was approved to help speed up development in Aceh," the immigration division head of the Aceh justice and human rights office, Bambang Widodo, said on Friday.

The service will soon be offered at the SIM airport, following a regulation issued by the Justice and Human Rights Ministry in Jakarta recently.

Bambang said that to implement the VoA facility, the ministry would provide additional staff and an online information system.

Under the Government Regulation No 38/2009, the VoA issued will only be valid for seven and 30 days. A foreigner will be required to pay US$10 for a seven-day visit, and US$25 for a 30-day visit.

Bambang said the service would soon be available, after the airport management company provided the required additional staff and supporting facilities.

During the post-2004 tsunami, foreigners conducting humanitarian activities in the province were able to apply for visas on arrival in Aceh, but the service was withdrawn once the emergency response situation was considered over.

The provincial administration has since then repeatedly asked for the VoA facility, as the security situation in the province had improved following the end of the separatist conflict and the tsunami.

Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf even asked President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for the VoA facility during his early August visit to officially launch the SIM airport.

The President directly answered the request by asking the Justice and Human Rights Ministry to issue the required regulation to implement the VoA facility at the airport.

Only two Malaysian airlines, Airasia and Firefly, offer international flights connecting Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Banda Aceh.

This article is taken from guardian.co.uk writeen by Charlotte Boan

Our small wooden vessel rocked gently on the water, revealing little of the wild currents sweeping over the coral reefs below. On the signal of our experienced dive guide Arun, we rolled off the boat and descended into the cobalt ocean.

Flying with the fast water flow, we raced past a forest of brightly coloured giant gorgonian fans and traversed through a labyrinth of large volcanic boulders. Every few minutes we clung to these rocks to watch tiny creatures taking shelter in the coral reef, and to stare into the blue. It wasn't long before a blacktip reef shark appeared. The sleek figure moved closer, up to 10m away, before disappearing into the depths. It was a thrilling hour of high-energy diving.

I was on the northernmost edge of Pulau Weh, a remote jungle island off Sumatra. Once part of the Sumatran mainland, Pulau Weh became separated during the last volcanic eruption more than a million years ago. It is surrounded by healthy and vibrant coral reefs, and its waters harbour a diverse mix of Indo-Pacific marine life.

Writen by:Dominic Sbresni

It was such fun to see everyone in Pulau Weh especially Pulau Weh - Sabang Tourism Association team and the peoples at Iboih. Everyone I met who travelled there said they had a good experience.

The beach at Iboih is in a truly beautiful setting, with many traditional bungalows set back along the hillside overlooking the bay and Rubiah Island offshore. The peaceful beach and tranquil seashore have first class swimming and snorkeling with great visibility. Glass bottoms boats are available in the village, while experienced snorkelers can negotiate the foreshore and island areas easily. Fins help with crossing a sideways current that can be seen during high and low tides. It is worth going across to see the Coral Garden named after the Garden Eels that look like flowers in the seabed. Other diverse wonders are endemic including species of turtles, rays, anemone fish, and eels to name a few.

This article is taken from guardian.co.uk writeen by Charlotte Boan

Writen by:Dominic Sbresni

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