Sabang International Regatta 2011

Weh Island is located in the Andaman Sea which stretches along 10 miles in the northern most tip of Sumatra, only a small island covering an area of 156.3 km² with mountains and rich ecosystems on its land. Surrounding four small islands, Klah, Rubiah, Seulako, and Rondo Island which is famous as a tourist dive area with beautiful coral reefs.

This island is part of the Aceh Province with the uniqueness and beauty of virgin nature and historic places, such as ancient cannons and castles, marine parks around the Rubiah Island, rich coral reefs with a variety of reef fishes, such as the gigantic clams, angel fish, school of parrot fish, lion fish and sea fans, natural white sand beach with its clarity sea water, the caves inhabited by various species of birds, snakes and bats.

Natural beauty of the island will give the charm of the race yachts between nations, Sabang International Regatta (SIR) 2011, held from September 13 to 25, 2011, as quoted from the kompas.com site, Director of Tourism Promotion of the Interior Ministry of Culture and Tourism said M Faried Moertolo said, "Many of the agenda that was held in the arena SIR 2011, such as a sailboat race, a tour of the Zero Kilometer, fishing competition, and various other tourism activities," in Banda Aceh, Monday, August 22, 2011.

This event provides the passion to city local governments of Sabang and government of Aceh Province to build tourism with full support from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Indonesia, as well as support from the Porlasi and the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club, Malaysia.

Yacht race participants itineraries will start from Phuket, Thailand, to Langkawi, Malaysia. Then their proceeded the route to the city of Sabang. The main city on Weh Island.

Participants of this international regatta comes from various countries, Australia, the United States, Britain, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. An interesting event with the charm of adventure on the sea.

Exciting yacht race which is part of a series of nautical tourism promotion Sail Indonesia to continue a similar event, Sail Banda and Sail Bunaken, as well as ongoing events Sail Wakatobi-Belitung and subsequent Sail Morotai in 2012.

--------------------------------------------------------
(Source Kompas, The Ministry of Culture and Tourism /Images Lucy Pandjaitan and CC)