Lighthouses of Indonesia: Southwestern Aceh, Sumatra

Indonesia is a huge country of Southeast Asia, stretching along both sides of the Equator for more than 46 degrees of longitude (roughly 5100 km or 3200 miles). It occupies 17,504 islands, by official count, including more than 6000 inhabited islands. It is the world's fourth most populous nation with a population currently estinated at about 280 million. More than half of the population lives on the island of Java. Other major islands include Sumatra in the west, Borneo (shared with Malaysia and Brunei) in the northwest, Sulawesi in the northeast, and the eastern half of New Guinea in the far east. Other well known islands include Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, and Timor (shared with independent East Timor) along the south side of the country.

The unification of the country was accomplished over many years of struggle by Dutch colonial authorities. The Dutch East India Company was founded in 1602 to establish and extend Dutch administration, and after the company folded the Netherlands established the Dutch East Indies colony and gradually extended its boundaries to reach the present boundaries of Indonesia. During World War II Japan occupied the islands from March 1942 to the end of the war in 1945. The Republic of Indonesia proclaimed its independence immediately after the war ended and following some conflict the Netherlands accepted the country's independnece in 1949.

Sumatra (Sumatera in Indonesian) is the world's sixth largest island and the westernmost of the major islands of Indonesia. It is separated from Malaysia to the north by the Malacca Strait, from Kalimantan (Borneo) to the northeast by the broad Karimata Strait, and from Java to the southeast by the Sunda Strait. Its south coast faces the open Indian Ocean. The population of Sumatra is about 60 million.

Located at the northwestern end of Sumatra, Aceh (pronounced AH-chay in English) was a powerful independent sultanate for more than three centuries before bring brought, more or less, under Dutch control in the early 20th century. It has been the scene of a lengthy and sometimes violent separatist movement, first against Dutch control and then against Indonesian administration. Following the disastrous tsunami of 26 December 2004 a peace agreement was negotiated with the help of Finnish diplomats and signed in August 2005.

Indonesia is divided into 38 provinces (provinsi) and the provinces are subdivided into county units called regencies (kabupaten). Aceh is a province of Indonesia but under the 2005 peace agreement it is governed as a special territory (daerah istimewa) enjoying a considerable degree of autonomy. The capital is Banda Aceh and the territory has a population of roughly four million. This page includes lighthouses of the southwestern third of Aceh, a section facing the open Indian Ocean. There are also pages for Northwestern Aceh nad Northeastern Aceh.

More than 700 languages are spoken in Indonesia. The official national language, Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia), was standardized from a form of Malay that served as a lingua franca across the archipelago. In Indonesian a lighthouse is a mercusuar or a menara suar. Tanjung is a cape, ujung is a headland or point of land, bukit is a hill, sungai is a river, kuala or muara is an estuary or river mouth, pulau is an island, karang is a reef, batu is a rock, laut is a sea, selat is a strait, teluk is a bay, pelabuhan is a harbor, and labuhan is a port.

Aids to navigation in Indonesia are operated and maintained by the Directorate General of Sea Transportation (Direktorat Jenderal Perhubungan Laut) through regional navigation district (Distrik Navigasi or Disnav) offices. Aceh lights are maintained by Disnav Belawan, located nearby in North Sumatra Province.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume F of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.

General Sources
Lighthouses in Indonesia
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia; most of the photos are historic.
World of Lighthouses - Indonesia
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Online List of Lights - Indonesia - Sumatra West Coast
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas.
GPSNavigationCharts
Navigation chart information for Aceh.
Google Maps
Satellite view of northwest Sumatra.


Pulau Rangit Kecil Light, Pulau Banyak, October 2020
Google Maps photo by Mewarnai Indonesia


Pelabuihan Tapaktuan Light, Tapaktuan, February 2018
Google Maps photo by Wahyu KHz

Aceh Singkil Regency: Singkil Lighthouses
#Singkil (Singkel) (1)
1912 (?). Inactive and probably removed. Approx. 17 m (56 ft) square skeletal tower. Musliono Adicipta has a 2015 photo, Khairul Fajri has a 2022 view from the pier, a distant 2017 street view is available, a 2022 aerial photo shows both of the original lighthouses, and Bing has a satellite view, but the tower is not seen in Google's satellite view. The past relationship of the first two Singkel lights is not clear; they may have functioned as a range. The regency capital of Singkil, a town of about 15,000 residents, is an important ferry terminal with departures to the large islands of Simeulue and Nias as well as the nearby Banyak Islands. Formerly located at the base of the pier at Singkel in the extreme southern end of Aceh.
#Singkil (Singkel) (2)
Date unknown (station established 1912). Inactive and probably removed. 21 m (69 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. Delimawati Zalukhu has a distant 2017 photo, Musliono Adicipta's 2015 photo shows most of the tower, a 2022 aerial photo shows both of the original lighthouses, and Bing has a fuzzy satellite view, but the tower is not seen in Google's satellite view. Formerly located about 200 m (220 yd) north of the previous light.
Singkil (Singkel) (3)
Date unknown (station established 1912). Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white flash every 6 s. 30 m (98 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. Google's 2024 street view is at right and Google also has a satellite view. Located about 400 m (1/4 mi) northwest of the waterfront area. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IDO-279; Admiralty F1267; NGA 23292.
* Singkil (Singkel) Wharf
Around 2014. Active; focal plane about 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) round barbell-shaped white tower. Sahidin Pandapotan Lubis has a 2016 photo, a 2017 closeup is available, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the commerical pier of Singkil about 1 km (0.6 mi) west of the ferry pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1269.7.
Karang Rumambi
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two red flashes every 10 s. 14 m (46 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower, painted white and mounted on a square platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located at the end of a shoal about 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Singkel. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1267.5; NGA 23291.

Singkil (Rear) Light, Singkil, April 2024
Google Maps street view

Aceh Singkil Regency: Banyak Islands Lighthouses
The Banyak Islands are an archipelago of more than 70 islands, several of them inhabited, between the mainland and the larger island of Simeulue and about 50 km (30 mi) west of Singkil. The islands had a po[pulation of 7640 in the 2020 census.
Pulau Sarangalu (Sarang Uln)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 41 m (135 ft); white flash every 5 s. 40 m (131 ft) tapered square skeletal tower painted white. Four 1-story coast guard station buildings. No photo available but Google has a good satellite view of the station. Located on a small island at the south end of the Banyak Islands. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1273; NGA 23304.
Karang Panjang (2)
Around 2017. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); three quick white flashes every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower mounted on a square platform supported by piles. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. There is an older and smaller light to the southeast. Located on a shoal on the approach to Pulau Banyak. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1270; NGA 23300.
Pulau Rangit Kecil
Around 2015. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); white flash every 3 s. 30 m (98 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery painted a pale yellow. A 2020 photo is at the top of this page, a 2016 photo is available, Hari Faisal has a 2018 drone view and a more distant drone view is available, Surya Simarmata has a 2023 photo, has a 2020 street view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island at the south end of the Panjang reef. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Not yet listed by the Admiralty.
Pulau Panjang
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); white flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete tower No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on the north point of Pulau Panjang marking the approach to Pulau Banyak from the southeast. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1270.5; NGA 23298.
Pulau Bagu (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); four white flashes every 18 s. Approx. 40 m (131 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. The earlier light here had a focal plane of 32 m (105 ft). Located on the north point of an island sheltering the harbor of Pulau Banyak. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1271.5; NGA 23295.
Pulau Banyak (Pulau Baleh, Pulau Balai) (2)
2023. Active; focal plane about 20 m (66 ft); white flash every 5 s. Approx. 18 m (59 ft) square white pyramidal skeletal tower. Syahrul Muhharram's December 2023 photo is at right. Hafiz Kurniawan has a 2017 photo of the earlier light (less than half as tall as the new one), a 2016 photo is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Note Abduh has a January 2023 photo showing both the old and new towers; it appears that the old tower was removed. Located at the foot of the pier at Pulau Balai (Pulau Banyak), the principal settlement in the Banyak Islands. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1271; NGA 23296.

Pulau Banyak Light, Pulau Banyak, December 2023
Google Maps photo by Syahrul Muhharram

Simeulue Regency Lighthouses
Simeulue (proniunced SIM-aloo) is a large island, about 105 km (65 mi) long and 32 km (20 mi) wide and about 130 km (80 mi) off the coast of West Aceh. The island was near the epicenter of the great earthquake of 26 December 2004 and suffered another major earthquake several months later. The two earthquakes tilted the entire island, raising the west coast by about 2 meters and dropping the east coast a similar amount. The island has a population of about 95,000. Simeulue is accessible by air and the regency capital of Sinabang is accessible by ferries from Labuhan Haji and Singkil.

Pulau Babi
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); white flash every 5 s. Approx. 27 m (89 ft) square skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Babi is a small island about 50 km (30 mi) southeast of Pulau Simeulue. Located on the west side of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1273.5; NGA 23305.
* Teluk Sinabang
2014. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white flash every 5 s. 18 m (59 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower, painted white. Wan Zulkarnain Barus has a 2017 photo, Suhra Ilyas has an evening photo, Mohamad Nusur has a street view, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Teluk Sinabang is a magnificent natural harbor on the southeastern coast of Simeulue. Located at the base of the main pier at Sinabang. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1273.7.
Pelabuhan Kargo Sinabang
Date unknown. Active (charted by Navionics); focal plane about 16 m (52 ft); white light, pattern unknown. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower. Nanang Soma has a photo, the light appears at the start of Motivasi Kehidupan's video of the harbor, Irfan Fauzi has a 2021 photo, and the top of the tower is surrounded by trees in Google's satellite view. Located at a commercial quay about 800 m (1/2 mi) south of the Teluk Sinabang light. Site status unknown. Not listed by the Admiralty.
* Pelabuhan Ferry Sinabang (Pelabuhan Kolok)
2018 or 2019. Active; focal plane about 22 m (72 ft); white light, pattern unknown. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) square white skeletal tower with gallery. Sumayyah M. Nuh's 2020 photo is at right, Yusrizal Siregar also has a 2020 photo, and Google has satellite view. Located at a ferry terminal at the southern end of Teluk Sinabang, Site open, tower closed. Not listed by the Admiralty.
Pulau Panjang Kecil 2020
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); green flash every 3 s. 16 m (52 ft) tower on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located just off the southeast end of an island marking the north side of the approach to Sinabang. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1274; NGA 23316.
Ujung Babang
Date unknown (2008?). Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); white flash every 3 s. 25 m (82 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower, painted white. The lighthouse is near the left edge of Nur Yadi's 2021 photo and in the upper left corner of a 2024 view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on heights at the east side of the entrance to the harbor of Sinabang. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1274.5; NGA 23308.
Pulau Tepak (Pulau Tapah)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 100 m (328 ft); white flash every 9 s. Approx. 30 m (98 ft) square skeletal tower painted white. No photo available but Google has a distant satellite view. This light has a range of 33 km (20 mi). Located on the summit of a high island off the southwest coast of Simeulue. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1281; NGA 23306.

Pelabuhan Ferry Sinabang Light, Sinabang, October 2020
Google Maps photo by Sumayyah M. Nuh
Pulau Simeulue Cut
2006. Active; focal plane 90 m (295 ft); two white flashes every 12 s. Approx. 30 m (98 ft) square skeletal tower painted white. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Listed by NGA as "Pulau Simeuloe," this light has a range of 33 km (20 mi). Located on the summit of an uninhabited high island off the central west coast of Simeulue. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1280; NGA 23307.
Pulau Salaut Besar ("Big Salute Island")
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 44 m (144 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. Approx. 40 m (131 ft) square skeletal tower painted white and mounted atop a 2-story Coast Guard building. Busra Alfian has the 2020 photo at right and Google has a satellite view. This coast guard station has numerous buildings. Located on a small island about 40 km (25 mi) northwest of the northern tip of Simeulue. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1279; NGA 23318.
Ujung Sibigo (Ujung Bikha)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 5 s. 14 m (46 ft) square skeletal tower. No photo available but Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on the north side of the entrance to Sibigo Bay, a large inlet on the northeast coast of Simeulue. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1278.5; NGA 23317.
Pulau Tinggi
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); white flash every 3 s. 30 m (98 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. Four blue-roofed Coast Guard buildings. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse guides vessels approaching Simeulue Barat (North Simeulue), a port on the northeast coast of Simeulue. Located on a small island about 4 km (2.5 mi) off the coast of Simeulue. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-341; Admiralty F1278; NGA 23310.
Ujung Sirih
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red flash every 7 s. 15 m (49 ft) square skeletal tower painted red and mounted on a square platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located at the east side of the entrance to the bay of Lhok Dalam on the central east coast of Simeulue. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1277; NGA 23310.5.
Pulau Siumat
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); white flash every 6 s. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Siumat is a small island about 16 km (10 mi) off the central east coast of Simeulue. Located at the east end of the island. Site status unknown. Accessible only by boat. Admiralty F1276; NGA 23311.

Pulau Salaut Besar Light, Simeulue, June 2020
Google Maps photo by Busra Alfian

Aceh Selatan (South Aceh) Regency Lighthouses
Pulau Trumon
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower mounted on a square platform supported by piles. No photo available but Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a shoal on the approach to Trumon. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1283.
* Pelabuhan Tapaktuan
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); white flash every 5 s. 20 m (66 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery painted white. Wahyu Khz has the 2018 photo seen at the top of this page, Toyib Kusuma Jaya has a 2018 photo, another photo is available, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on the waterfront in Tapaktuan, the capital of South Aceh Regency. Site appears open, tower closed. Admiralty F1283.5.
Ujung Kupiah (Tapaktuan) (1 and 2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 56 m (184 ft); white flash every 5 s. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower, painted white. Mu Zakir has a distant view from the port and Google has a satellite view. An older, rusted tower stands next to the active lighthouse. Located on a promontory on the southwest side of Tapaktuan. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1284; NGA 23320.
Labuhan Haji West
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 14 m (46 ft); light characteristic unknown. Approx. 14 m (46 ft) square red skeletal tower with gallery. The light is on the left in a 2010 photo, Isnaidi Chanelaja has a 2018 photo of the two lights, a sunset photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the edge of a dangerous reef about 300 m ().2 mi) southwest of the pier at Labuhan Haji, the most important terminal for ferries to Sinabang, Simeulue. Accessible only by boat, but easily seen from shore. Site open, tower closed. Not listed by the Admiralty or charted by Navionics.
Labuhan Haji East
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 20 m (66 ft); light characteristic unknown. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery. The light is on the right in a 2010 photo, the lighthouse is at the left edge of a distant 2024 photo, Isnaidi Chanelaja has a 2018 photo of the two lights, and Google has a satellite view. Located beside the south breakwater at Labuhan Haji. Accessible only by boat, but easily seen from shore. Site open, tower closed. Not listed by the Admiralty or charted by Navionics.
* Pelabuhan Labuhan Haji
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 20 m (66 ft); white light, pattern unknown. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery. Kharda Ahfa's 2023 photo is at right, Rahmat Mulyadi has a 2018 closeup, another 2018 photo is available, Zahirin Eliyani has a photo, a 2019 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Site open, tower closed. Not listed by the Admiralty or charted by Navionics.

Pelabuhan Labuhan Haji Light, South Aceh, July 2023
Google Maps photo by Kharda Ahfa

Aceh Barat Daya (Southwest Aceh) Regency Lighthouses
Susoh (Ujung Seurangga) (2)
2017. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); green flash every 5 s. Approx. 14 m (46 ft) square skeletal tower on a square platform supported by piles. This light replaced a 10 m (33 ft) round green barbell-shaped tower mounted on a square platform supported by piles. A 2020 view shows the new light and the empty platform of the earlier light, Sarjanuddin Jusuf has a photo of the first light, and Rita Suriyanti has a 2017 photo showing both lights. Bing has a satellite view. Located off a sand spit at Susoh. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1290; NGA 23324.
* Teluk Susoh (2)
Around 2013. Active; focal plane about 22 m (72 ft); white flash every 3 s. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) square skeletal tower, painted white. Ganang Ramadhan has a 2017 photo, another photo is available, Google has a 2020 street view from the nearby pier (a portion is at right) and also a satellite view. This light replaced a 7 m (23 ft) square skeletal tower located on the other side of the pier; Sarjanuddin Jusuf has a 2008 photo of that light. Located just south of the pier at Susoh. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1291; NGA 23322.
* Susoh Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 20 m (66 ft); continuous white light. Approx 12 m (39 ft) tower. No photo available but Google has an indistinct satellite view. The front light is apparently mounted on a warehouse. Located at a street intersection in the Pulau Kayu neighborhood northwest of the port area in Susoh. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1291.17.

Nagan Raya Regency Lighthouse
#Ujung Raya (Ujung Raja)
Date unknown. Collapsed in 2018 or 2019, but still listed with focal plane 42 m (138 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 40 m (131 ft) square skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available. The lighthouse is seen in Bing's satellite view but is missing in Google's more recent satellite view. Located on a remote, rounded headland in Nagan Raya regency. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1289; NGA 23326.

Teluk Susoh Light, Susoh, June 2020
Google Maps street view

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Northwestern Aceh | South: Northwestern Sumatra | Southwest: Nias

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Posted April 13, 2006. Checked and revised June 25, 2026. Lighthouses: 34. Site copyright 2026 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.