Some places you visit. Pulau Banyak, we survived, in the best possible sense. This remote archipelago off Sumatra's west coast is where we once spent five days living out a childhood dream neither of us expected to actually get to try.
Where are the Banyak Islands, and how do you get there?
The Banyak Islands (Pulau Banyak, "many islands" in Indonesian) are an archipelago of dozens of islands off the west coast of Sumatra, in Aceh province (Aceh Singkil regency). You reach them by boat from Singkil, on the mainland. From Bukit Lawang it is a long journey, so plan for several days: we arrange the whole route with our partners on the ground.
A childhood dream, for real this time
Laura grew up watching a French survival TV show, the kind where people are dropped on a deserted island with next to nothing. She never thought she'd actually get to try it. Then Karan suggested Pulau Banyak, and five days later, that's exactly what happened.
What we brought: kayaks, water, rice
We left with kayaks, drinking water, a bag of rice, and enough gear to fish for the rest. No resort, no itinerary, no other tourists in sight, just an island that was entirely ours for five days.
The best sunsets of our lives
It takes real effort to reach Pulau Banyak, and a few days of doing everything the hard way once you're there. But watching the sun go down over the water with absolutely no one else around, more than once, is still hard to put into words. It's simply the most beautiful place either of us has seen.
That's the version we chose, but it's not the only way to do Pulau Banyak. Homestays exist on several of the islands for those who'd rather have a bed, a kitchen, and someone else doing the cooking. A survival-style stay is an option, not a requirement.
What else there is to do
Beyond the survival version, Pulau Banyak also offers turtle-nesting islands, healthy reefs for snorkelling, surf breaks, and swamp forest walks where wild orangutans are sometimes spotted. You can base yourself on the islands or in Singkil on the mainland.
When to come, depending on what you're after
- Surfing: June to September.
- Snorkelling: good year-round, though February and March can bring more rain.
- Dolphins and whales: best chances in November and December.
- Turtles: present all year round.
Because it's remote, Pulau Banyak needs more advance planning than our other destinations. Tell us early if this is the kind of adventure you're after, from a simple island stay to the full survival version.