WHEN the islanders saw the water suck way out to sea on Boxing Day of 2004, most of the 25,000 inhabitants of Pulau Weh ran for the hills. When the big wave hit moments later, only 12 people died. This is an astounding number considering that over 100,000 lost their lives in Banda Aceh just 1.5 hours and 18 nautical miles away by ferry.

Today, this delightful island off the westernmost tip of the worlds largest island nation is steadily rebuild