Belitung is an often-overlooked tropical island in Indonesia, boasting stunning scenery and nature.
This island is comparable in size to Bali but is less well-known. Like Bali, Belitung offers numerous wonderful sights and activities. It has been designated as a UNESCO Geopark due to its remarkable landscapes.
During our two-week stay in Belitung, we were amazed by its breathtaking islands and pristine beaches adorned with granite boulders. It truly is a dream retreat for island-hopping adventures.
This travel guide will cover how to reach Belitung, where to stay, and everything else you need prior to your visit!
Where Is Belitung Island?
The Bangka Belitung islands consist of two islands—’Bangka’ and ‘Belitung’—situated off the southeast coast of Sumatra, Indonesia.
Belitung, often referred to as ‘Belitong’ by locals, is the smaller of the two and is surrounded by numerous tiny islands and granite rock formations, making it an ideal destination for boat excursions and island hopping!
How To Get To Belitung Island
You can reach Belitung Island by air or by ferry.
The most convenient option is to fly into Tanjung Pandan Airport (TJQ).
Direct flights are available from Jakarta (CGK) and Pangkalpinang (PGK), with one-way fares starting at around 750k Rupiah ($45 USD) and a flight time of just one hour. If you’re departing from Bali, you will need to connect through one of these cities to get to Belitung.
There used to be direct international flights from Kuala Lumpur, but those were canceled during Covid and have yet to resume.
You can look for flights to Tanjung Pandan on Skyscanner.
How To Get Around Belitung Island
The easiest way to navigate around Belitung Island is by renting a scooter or hiring a private car with a driver. You can arrange this through your hotel or contact Billitone Capture (☎ +62 853-1555-5288).
The roads in Belitung are in excellent condition, and traffic is relatively light. Although we typically don’t use scooters, we couldn’t resist given how open the roads were!
If you need a private car transfer from the airport, there are numerous taxis available upon arrival. Additionally, the Grab and GoJek apps also operate at the airport for short trips around the city.
Where To Stay In Belitung
Beachfront Hotels In Belitung
Belitung offers a variety of beachfront hotels across different price ranges:
Unfortunately, some hotels in Belitung have faced challenges since Covid, as tourist numbers haven’t fully bounced back, though the situation appears to be improving.
For a top choice in beachfront accommodations, I recommend the Sheriton Belitung Resort. This 5-star hotel features a prime location, a private beach, a swimming pool, and a buffet breakfast.
They can help organize island hopping expeditions and activities such as kayaking, fishing, snorkeling, and stand-up paddleboarding. The Sheraton is situated on the northeast side of Belitung, making it ideal for exploring nearby islands.
Secluded beach at © Sheraton Belitung Resort
Accommodation at © Sheraton Belitung Resort
Resort pool at © Sheraton Belitung Resort
Things To Experience In Belitung
• Tour the Islands
Belitung offers numerous exciting activities, but the highlight is undoubtedly the island hopping tour around northwest Belitung.
Board a boat and enjoy stunning white sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, unique granite islands, vibrant coral reefs, and even a historic Dutch lighthouse from the 1800s. The snorkeling opportunities are exceptional.
No trip to Belitung is complete without this boat tour! We loved it so much that we ended up doing it multiple days in a row.
Learn More: Island Hopping in Belitung
Island hopping in Belitung allows you to discover untouched beaches and more.
Aerial shot of Batu Berlayar, a picturesque island near Belitung.
The Dutch lighthouse located on Lengkuas Island
• Leebong Island
In addition to the popular island hopping tours in the northwest of Belitung, there’s a charming island in the southwest known as Leebong Island, which is associated with the 3-star Leebong Island Resort offering sea-view villas and overwater bungalows.
Day trips to Pulau Leebong start from Pegantungan harbor, or you can opt for an overnight stay at the resort. For more details about the day tours, check out their official website. Leebong Island features a stunning white sandbar and various attractions.
Book Now: Leebong Island Resort
Leebong Island Resort
Leebong Island Resort
• Tanjung Tinggi Beach
This beach might be the most picturesque in Bangka Belitung, boasting crystal clear blue-green waters and massive boulders. It’s also a fantastic location to catch the sunset.
You can get to Tanjung Tinggi with a 30-minute drive from the town.
Read More: Tanjung Tinggi Beach
Tanjung Tinggi Beach
Aerial view of the granite formations at Tanjung Tinggi
• Tanjung Pendam Beach
This is the primary beach near the town of Belitung, highly favored by the youth as it’s conveniently located on the outskirts of Tanjung Pandan city.
Tanjung Pendam Beach faces west, making it an excellent location for sunset viewing. The unique floating trees add a dreamy appearance, and you might catch a glimpse of boats sailing in the distance.
Tanjung Pendam Beach
Sunset and floating trees at Tanjung Pendam
• Batu Baginda
One of my favorite activities in Bangka Belitung was visiting Batu Baginda.
This involves a short but moderately challenging hike that leads to a massive rock where you can catch panoramic views of the southern part of Belitung Island on one side and the Java Sea on the other.
If you have a drone, it’s also a great spot for aerial selfies that show just how small you look atop the boulders!
Learn More: Batu Baginda Hike
Drone selfie on the giant boulder at Batu Baginda. Spot me?
Another view showcasing the sheer size of the boulders
• Kaolin Lake
Kaolin Lake features stunning turquoise waters and is still in operation for mining. It’s an unusual landscape that is perfect for taking beautiful photos.
The lake is quite accessible, located just a short distance from the city of Tanjung Pandan.
Drone image of Kaolin Lake
• Balancing Rock
This is a massive…
Close to Tanjung Tinggi beach, you’ll find a remarkable balancing granite boulder, making it a perfect addition to your island adventures.
The boulder is accessible via a brief hike of only 10 minutes from the road (you can find the map location here), and once you reach the top, you’ll enjoy stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
This gigantic rock is truly impressive and perfect for photography from nearly any perspective!
One of the unique attractions in Belitung is the balancing rock.
A different perspective of the balancing rock, showcasing its unique structure.
• Peramun Hill
Bukit Peramun is a lush jungle perfect for trekking where you can spot Indonesian wildlife.
The area features hills, large boulders, banyan trees, caves, and you might even catch a glimpse of tarsiers—small primates with big eyes that come alive at night, feeding on insects.
A must-see in the forest is the remarkable ‘thousand root tree,’ a giant banyan tree. It’s quite photogenic, but finding it can be challenging without a local guide. We spent hours looking for it and would highly recommend hiring a guide.
• Penyabong Beach
Located in the southwest part of Belitung, this beach offers a secluded getaway, about 1.5 hours from Tanjung Pandan.
There are private villas at a nearby resort, and you can also group your visit with the Batu Baginda rocks. You can find the Google Map location to the beach here.
Penyabong beach features soft white sand and is often free of crowds, although, unfortunately, litter has accumulated over time. We picked up some trash during our visit, so please help keep this beautiful area clean.
Penyabong beach, a hidden gem.
Aerial photo of Penyabong beach
• Serdang Beach
This lovely beach features soft white sand and vibrant boats along the east coast of Belitung island.
Although it’s a bit challenging to get here compared to some other beaches, the expansive shoreline with pristine white sand and tranquility makes it worth the trip.
Unfortunately, the beach has some litter and feels somewhat secluded. It’s about a 1.5-hour drive from Tanjung Pandan city.
Serdang beach
Vibrantly colored boat
• Bukit Berahu Beach
This quaint beach is home to cottages and an old resort situated atop a hill.
It’s conveniently located near the main road, making it easy to visit on your way to attractions like Tanjung Tinggi beach.
Top Dining Options in Belitung
The dining scene in Belitung is developing, but here are some noteworthy spots we discovered:
- What’s Up Cafe: Excellent food in a pleasant setting. We found ourselves dining here nearly every day. Portions are on the smaller side, but prices are reasonable. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating, A/C, good WiFi, and accept both cash and credit cards.
- Tarsius Coffee: A cozy cafe situated across from Tanjung Pendam beach. It’s a great place to get work done, featuring fast WiFi and multiple power outlets.
- Happy Resto: A well-known bakery and restaurant in the area.
- Koffie Boon: A coffee shop and bakery offering a variety of delightful treats in Tanjung Pandan city.
- Ayam Goreng Karawaci: A takeaway spot for fried chicken located near Tanjung Pendam beach.
- The Well Restaurant & Cafe: A highly-rated Western eatery on the northern side of Tanjung Pandan city, serving barbecued ribs, grilled chicken, milkshakes, and more.
- KFC: If you’re craving familiar fast food, Belitung has you covered. We ordered KFC using the GoJek app one evening when we wanted a break from dining out.
Additional Tips for Belitung
- Credit Cards: Acceptance varies. Some hotels and eateries in Belitung take credit cards, but it’s wise to keep cash available as well.
- ATM: Tanjung Pandan has numerous ATMs with generous withdrawal limits, and foreign cards generally work without issues.
- WiFi: Most hotels in Tanjung Pandan offer decent WiFi, which is improving rapidly.
- Mobile Service: Local SIM cards like Telkomsel provide reliable reception across Tanjung Pandan and the island.
- Apps: Grab and GoJek are operational in Tanjung Pandan, perfect for quick rides or food delivery to your accommodations.
- Malaria: A 2018 Lancet study indicates malaria has been eradicated in Belitung, which is excellent news. However, it’s still wise to use mosquito repellent to guard against dengue fever.
Is Belitung Safe?
Absolutely, Belitung is a safe destination! Our extensive travels across the island left us feeling secure.
While Indonesia generally has low crime rates, it’s essential to apply mosquito repellent outdoors due to the risk of dengue fever in the region.
Despite receiving numerous mosquito bites during our visit, we thankfully did not fall ill, so dengue isn’t overly prevalent here.
Belitung Private Driver & Scooter Rental
If you’re looking to explore Belitung comfortably with a private vehicle and driver, I recommend Billitone Capture (☎ +62 853-1555-5288).
Their fee is 400k Rupiah ($26 USD) for a full day of driving and sightseeing for up to five guests. This includes the complete cost for the car, driver, and fuel. Longer trips may incur additional fees.
For those who prefer a two-wheeled adventure, they also offer motorbike rentals starting at 75k Rupiah (~$5) in Tanjung Pandan city.
Banyan tree on the rocks at Tanjung Tinggi
Best Time To Visit Belitung
The ideal time to visit Belitung is typically from April to October. This period coincides with Indonesia’s dry season, featuring less rain, more sunshine, calm seas, and clearer snorkeling visibility.
During our stay in July for two weeks, we enjoyed mostly pleasant weather, albeit with some evening and nighttime showers.
Avoid visiting between November and January, as these months experience significantly more rainfall. If you’re traveling during the rainy season, consider allowing for additional days to account for potential weather disruptions.
Map Of Things To Do In Belitung
Below is a map highlighting attractions on Belitung Island.
The blue markers indicate locations accessible by car, while the purple ones represent islands that can be explored by boat.
Note that this map is not exhaustive, and you’re likely to discover even more fascinating spots as you explore.
How Long To Stay
You can capture the main highlights of Belitung in 3 to 4 days, but there are many hidden treasures to uncover if you have more time.
We spent two weeks in Belitung and didn’t manage to see everything.
Belitung Hotels
Our Belitung Video
Finally, check out this 4K drone video showcasing Belitung from our visit to inspire your travels to this beautiful island.
Safe travels!
More Indonesia Travel Tips
Thank you for reading! I hope this travel guide to Belitung was helpful.
Be sure to check out my blog post about island hopping in Belitung as well; it’s definitely a must-do activity!
