We took a bechak from Freddie's to the island's western horn. So steep was the road through the forested island that I had to walk alongside the bechak at one point. But after endless climbing came the freewheel descent to Iboih. The settlement comprised just a little cluster of bungalows, shops and cafes, although development [...]

The fast ferry took us off the northern tip of Sumatra, cutting a smooth course through the waters between the mainland and Pulau ("island") Weh. We haggled with pushy bechak drivers for a ride over to Freddie's, a place recommended by Lonely Planet. Good quality roads took us through a hilly land ravaged by fecund [...]