Traditional crab catching in Banda Aceh

One of the most pleasures experience in Aceh - sea food. Actually in Banda Aceh you can not only taste amazing and fresh fish and other seafood but also enjoy a tour of traditional crab catching.

We start our journey in Gampong Pande Banda Aceh. First thing we were given - traditional straw hats to cover our heads from strong sun. Probably you already saw these hats all over Asia on peoples' that are working in rice fields heads.

Armoured with hats and cameras we head to the ponds their Acehnese fishermen everyday catch crabs.

On the way our guide and a local fishermen show us local plants and some fruits we can eat from them.

Because nature is quite wild during this trip we are always focused to see what is around us. Here you can see a lot of creatures that live in or near fresh water.

When we reach fishing spot our fisherman starts to prepare baits for crabs. It does not look very pleasant. For catching crabs in net boxes chicken heads are usually used.

When baits and nets are ready we start our work. We are taught how throw a crab traps in a correct way. It is not so easy. If you do it wrong a trap finishes too close to the shore and crabs will not be interested to taste a bait.

After all nets and traps are in the water we have to wait up till an hour. During this time we explore surroundings around fishing spot. Far in the water you can see some old stone structures. There used to be a cemetery. I was thinking that in dark I doubt I felt very comfortable here.

Also we try to taste another plant. It looks like in tropics there are so much food around. The only think that is important - you have to know what you can eat.

While we are waiting if crabs will be interested with our baits we talk with the fishermen that help us to throw nets. Apparently he is catching crabs daily for decades. Before the tsunami in 2004 many village people were dependent on crabs. After tsunami many of fishermen die so no only 8 families left who go to hunt for crabs every day.

The fisherman also tells about his most memorable encounter with crabs. Yes! They can be dangerous. The man shows his hand that was bitten by a crab. He still has a scar from that accident. So if you ever be close to a crab be careful about their claws. The fisherman tells that when he was bitten by a female crab he put some crab meat inside hole in a hand in order to heal better.

After all stories and some time with the fisherman we come back to nets. And it starts. In one we find one crab, in another - two, one more - empty. When we finished checking all nets we had about 10 crabs.

Not to get injured all crabs' claws was tied with a rope.

After finishing our activity we came back to the village to taste Mie Kepiting (Noodles with crab). Bon appetite!

If you want to try traditional Acehnese crab, catching tour contact Ryan (+62 853 7181 1449). Price for a person: 35,000 IDR or 2,2 eur.