In 2004, a 130-foot tsunami killed 150,000 people in Banda Aceh and even permanently submerged parts of the city. What took the city centuries to build got knocked down by nature's fury in a few minutes. Nonetheless, Banda Aceh, the most badly-hit city in the tsunami and the closest to the epicenter of the earthquake, has been able to rise from the ashes and turn the catastrophe into cash. Formerly named Kutaraja or "City of the King," Banda Aceh today is Indonesia's center for tsunami tourism where activities range from bicycling to charity work and sights vary from a majestic mosque to shabby rubbles.
Riding a bike or a becak (motorbike taxi) is a great means to understand both Banda Aceh's long history and the impact of the 2004 tsunami. It is not unusual to encounter a survivor telling stories of the human drama that unfolded in the tragedy's aftermath. A fisherman's boat atop an abandoned house in Kota Alam is where 59 people sought refuge to be saved from the tsunami. In Jayabaru, the mega wave carried a ship five kilometers inland. A bird's eye view of the city can be had from the ship's crown. The disaster is forever etched in a monument and a garden beside the ship.
Although humbled by a crisis, the people of Banda Aceh are as courageous as ever. Businesses have started to bloom again. Markets begin to get packed with colorful tropical fruits and homemade articles. From a corner, a friendly vendor flashes out a smile and a tempting skewer of satay (spiced barbecue). Since alcoholic drinks are not allowed, cafés have started to crop up like mushrooms.
The people still proudly cling to their Muslim roots; after all, their city is referred to as the "port to Mecca" since Islam first arrived there before anywhere else in Southeast Asia. A grand testimony to this is the majestic Mesjid Raya, the largest mosque in Aceh Province with a clear pool façade. The Museum Aceh and Cut Nya Dien House are also witnesses to Banda Aceh's Islamic legacy. Born in Banda Aceh, Cut Nya Dien is a famous female revolutionary who continues to inspire Muslim women. All around the town, policewomen with headscarves can be seen supervising traffic.
