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It seems that Sharia law is now applied in the northern tip of Sumatra (Indonesia). That is, in the province of Aceh. The province of Aceh on Google Map.

Does anybody have experience traveling/living there? I want to know the restrictions imposed by the Sharia law (both for males & females), hence the impact it would have on my daily life when traveling there (if going at all).

Note that traveling there during the Ramadan is something to be very aware of. See more on the dedicated question How much is a visitor affected by Ramadan in Aceh (Indonesia) considering it has Sharia law?

Resources:

Robert Columbia
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Adri w Ukraine
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1 Answers1

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Aceh's sharia is pretty standard if strict stuff:

  • No alcohol or gambling.
  • No khalwat ("proximity") between unrelated, unchaperoned men and women. This extends not just to the obvious (eg. sharing a hotel room), but even dining together in restaurants etc.
    • That said, an unmarried Western couple can simply claim to be married, and they'll most likely be just fine.
  • Conservative dress for women: headscarf required, no bare arms, no open necklines, no tight pants/leggings or bikinis on the beach.
  • Shops and restaurants close during prayers five times a day.
  • Friday is a holiday, many shops are closed either entirely, or during/from the noon prayers. Sports, swimming etc is generally not appropriate.

There is some confusion over whether sharia even applies to non-Muslim visitors. Legally, the answer appears to be "yes", but in practice, not really — I'm certainly not aware of any visitor getting punished under sharia law. Enforcement also varies by region, touristy bits like the beaches of Sabang (Weh) don't really bother and even alcohol is widely available (if pricier than usual).

lambshaanxy
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