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Banda Aceh
Overview
Banda Aceh ( BUN-duh-AH-cheh; Acehnese: Banda Acèh, Jawoë: بند اچيه) is the capital and largest city in the province of Aceh, Indonesia. It is located on the island of Sumatra and has an elevation of 35 metres (115 ft). The city covers an area of 61.36 square kilometers (23.69 sq mi) and had a population of 223,446 people at the 2010 Census, rising to 252,899 at the 2020 Census. The official estimate as of 2025 was 267,962 (comprising 134,451 males and 133,511 females).
Banda Aceh is located on the northwestern tip of Indonesia at the mouth of the Aceh River. Banda Aceh itself is a semi-enclave within Aceh Besar Regency, as Banda Aceh is surrounded by Aceh Besar to the south, east, and west, while it borders with the Andaman Sea to the north-west. Many suburbs of the city have developed in adjacent districts of Acah Besar Regency beyond the city limits.
The city was originally established as Bandar Aceh Darussalam and served as the capital and hub for the Sultanate of Aceh upon its foundation in the late 15th century. Later its name was changed to Bandar Aceh Darussalam, and thereafter became popularly known as Banda Aceh. The first part of the name comes from the Persian bandar (بندر) meaning "port" or "haven". The city is also dubbed the "port to Mecca," or the "porch of Mecca" (Indonesian: Serambi Mekkah) in reference to the days when hajj pilgrims travelled by sea from Indonesia and would make a stopover in the city before continuing their journey to Mecca.
Banda Aceh was long at the center of protracted conflicts between the Acehnese and foreign powers, including the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Japanese, and the Indonesian government. The city rose to international prominence in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean earthquake on 26 December 2004, which struck off the western coast of Sumatra. Banda Aceh was the closest major city to the earthquake's epicenter, which lay 249 kilometers (155 miles) off the coast. It suffered great damage in the earthquake and further damage when a tsunami struck shortly afterwards. Around 60,000 people in the city died as a result and many more were injured.
The aftermath of the tsunami has seen a cessation of much of the conflict in the city and province, and domestic and international aid, as a result, has seen a major modernization and reconstruction of the city over the past two decades.
Facts
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Source
WBP almanac
External sources
Media
From Wikipedia2,935 words
WBP editorial3
Navigating the City’s Post‑Tsunami Landscape
Banda Aceh’s streets tell a story of resilience that goes beyond monuments. After the 2004 wave, many neighbourhoods rebuilt using locally sourced bamboo and reclaimed timber, creating a vernacular architecture that blends traditional Acehnese motifs with pragmatic, low‑rise forms. Walk the streets of Lam Poar and you’ll spot modest cafés tucked under overhanging eaves, their roofs covered in reclaimed corrugated iron—a visual reminder of the city’s collective effort to rise again. For the curious traveller, a short walk from the bustling Pasar Aceh leads to community‑run art spaces where former evacuees display murals about the sea’s fury and the hope that followed. These neighbourhood‑level details offer a nuanced texture often missed by standard guidebooks.
Local Flavour Beyond the Mosque
While the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque dominates the skyline, the true culinary pulse of Banda Aceh hums in its alleyway warungs. Here, the signature dish is mie Aceh—spicy, thick noodles coloured with turmeric and cooked with generous slices of beef or seafood. The most authentic versions are found near the old port, where families have served the same recipe for generations, each batch subtly adjusted for the season’s catch. Pair the noodles with a glass of kopi aceh, a dark brew infused with locally grown cloves, for a taste that reflects the city’s historic role as a spice conduit between the Indian Ocean and the Malay Archipelago.