Pulau Belitung Island Indonesia Tanjung Pandan, Bangka-Belitung
20
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Aurora Expeditions (2 Cruises)
Emerald Waterways (9 Cruises)
Lindblad Expeditions (4 Cruises)
Ponant (1 Cruises)
Silversea Cruises (4 Cruises)
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Ships anchor off Tanjung Pandan, the main town, and tenders land passengers at the pier after a short run. Belitung is a quiet island anchored between Sumatra and Borneo.
Granite boulders the size of houses, balanced on white sand. That is the island's signature: a gradient of turquoise and green underlined by dark rock like a brushstroke. Under the midday sun the stone turns faintly pink.
The island-hopping trip from Tanjung Kelayang, about thirty minutes north by road. It is the island's most popular outing and takes up most of the day. Those who prefer dry land choose Tanjung Tinggi beach and a wander through Tanjung Pandan.
A low, close-to-the-water run between reefs and rock chaos aboard brightly painted fishing boats. Three stops recur almost every time: Lengkuas and its Dutch lighthouse, Batu Berlayar with its sail-shaped granite, and Pasir, a sandbar that only exists at low tide.
A nineteenth-century Dutch lighthouse still in service, its striped tower standing over fish-rich shallows ideal for snorkelling. It is the most photographed stop on the island-hopping trip.
Yes, and it is one of the pleasures of the day. Between stops, a mask reveals coral, clownfish and sometimes a passing turtle. The skippers know the best anchorages and adjust the route to the day's swell.
A string of coves set between spectacular granite piles, some several storeys high, a little east of Kelayang. The film Laskar Pelangi, adapted from a novel born on the island, made it famous across the archipelago. The water is calm and almost warm.
Belitung long lived off its tin mines, and the streets of the centre keep old trading houses, a busy market and small eating houses where the coffee is strong and sweet. The local museum tells the mining story; the waterfront comes alive at the end of the day as the boats return.
Sandals for walking on rock, a dry bag for the camera, a hat and sunscreen, and some rupiah cash for the refreshments sold aboard the boats. Wear your swimsuit under your clothes: the tender ride is short.
No. The island can still be visited without crowds, and that quiet is part of its appeal. The leaning coconut palms, the discreet thatched shelters and the complete absence of tall buildings keep the shoreline looking much as it did thirty years ago.
