Belitung

Belitung (locally called Belitong, formerly Billiton) is one of the two main islands of the Bangka-Belitung province in Indonesia. While its big brother, Bangka, has developed as an economic center, Belitung generally remains a sleepy island. But you may consider that quiet an advantage for a resort destination which can serve as a weekend getaway from the hectic life in Jakarta, or as an alternative to Bali, if it seems too crowded for you.

Understand
You might not expect it from the island whose tin mines gave their name to Australian mining giant BHP Billiton, but Belitung is one of the nicest islands in Southeast Asia. The island was pretty much asleep, underrated, and was known only for its tin commodity. It ultimately became a recognized destination in 2008, after the movie Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Troops), which was one of Indonesia's most watched movies, as it portrays the struggling life of some of the island's poor children in a remote school...and the unspoiled beauty of its nature. A few years coming, resorts are being built, beaches are being cleaned, and the island has put itself on the map as a tropical paradise. Unlike the infamous Bali, everything is still laid back. You'll barely find nightclubs, party resorts or any obvious signs of Western culture.

Pristine white sand beaches look out on a turquoise sea filled with great snorkeling and a fantastic display of offshore islands. Check out Tanjung Kelayang and Tanjung Tinggi for world-class beaches without the hustle and bustle now found at beaches of this caliber anywhere else. Natural features include white sand fringed coconut plantations, elaborate granite rock formations and long temporary sand bars as smooth as powdered sugar. Offshore islands are a long swim distance from the beach but colorful local fishing boats will take you on an island tour. The main town, Tanjung Pandan, is on its west side and has adequate facilities for a small town.

Climate
It's best to visit the island during the dry season as is most other places in Indonesia (April-September). The sun shines more often than the rain pours. It is less stormy and as a result, the shallow reefs at the outlying islands are clear enough to be snorkeled in and the waves are less choppy (they sometimes still are, because of prevailing winds) during your island hopping cruise. Make sure to apply sunscreen even though you are not tanning (hopefully, as it is not recommended), because the UV index at the beaches is often horrendous and easily results in sunburns.

Cities
There are two major settlements in Belitung, one on each side of the island:
 * Tanjung Pandan is a city with adequate facilities for its size—there is a museum, a harbor, and a commercial beach
 * Manggar is a town on the east side, one of coffee shops & undisturbed beaches without the giant rocks like its northern counterpart.

Among smaller towns of interest, there is Gantung, located in the interior east. It is where the Laskar Pelangi movie was set.

By plane


There is transportation to towns across the island by taxi, either official or unofficial. Street Taxi (see Get Around) is the only legal taxi company operating throughout the island. They use meters for rides and claims itself as the cheapest option, but it is highly recommended to reserve by calling when or before you arrive. If you stick to unofficial cabs, be sure to haggle furiously or you will be ripped off. A ride to downtown Tanjung Pandan should cost about Rp50,000 in less than half an hour, up to Rp85,000 to other destinations. If you are traveling using a coach provided by your tour or have pre-arranged your transportation, most likely they will be standing by.

By boat
Most visitors arriving by ferry come from the neighboring Bangka Island at Pangkalpinang harbor. The Express Bahari has 3 classes of service for a range between Rp 200,000 and Rp 400,000 and will take 4-5 hours, depending on weather. There is a high risk of cancellation during the rainy season, so plan ahead. It is also possible to get on a ferry from Jakarta, Cirebon or Pontianak (Kalimantan), but might take more than 12 hours.

Get around
Belitung is small enough—about 4/5 the size of Bali—that more or less any point on the island can be reached in under two hours from Tanjung Pandan. As public transportation on the island is hard to find, the only practical way of moving around is by taxi, or by renting a car or motorcycle. A private driver with a good car will ask Rp400,000—Rp600,000 per day. A common and fair deal for a whole weekend, including airport drop-off the last morning, is Rp600,000—Rp800,000. Keep in mind that with that kind of money, a local resident is set for the whole month; overpaying only causes greed. Motorcycle rentals are easier, typically available for Rp80,000 per day + Rp25,000 for the delivery to the airport (petrol not included). Alternatively, a local can take you aboard an ojek (motorcycle taxi) for generally Rp25,000 to the nearest point of attraction.

Talk
All people of Belitung Island have proficiency of Bahasa Indonesia as the lingua franca of the country it rests in, Indonesia. But the local dialect sometimes makes things go complicated yet amusing, with word shortenings and quick speeches, inquire if you need to make yourself clear. A large minority of the population is Chinese Hakka, with a somewhat good grasp of Mandarin. It's not uncommon to see such languages spoken when fellow Chinese descents do meet until a long talk follows, even in a formal situation. English is spoken only within hotels, tourist areas or high school students, even then expect only basic or fair proficiency.

Beaches
The north side of the island has white powdery beaches.

Island hopping
Most of the island-hopping activities are at the northwest side of the island, still with their white beaches. Each island has its own unique rock formations. Even though most islands other than the list below would consist of standalone rocks only (with sand during low tide), it is still a good idea to at least get a picture of this mesmerizing feature. Most boats depart from Tanjung Binga beach.

At low tide, your boat will even take you to a heap of sand (geographically called a shoal, locally called Pulau Pasir) that you can step on and spot starfishes before it's gone back to sea.

Other than beaches
Downtown Tanjung Pandan is quite interesting due to the many Dutch Colonial buildings and shop houses. Most of the governmental buildings are the original Dutch buildings and the old Dutch tin mining housing compound is still kept up. Traditional Bugis fishing craft and an odd assortment of other boats make the wharf and fish market an interesting place, certainly for your nose, to visit.

Cultural Belitung has a rich diversity of people. Check out the cool Malay-style wooden houses that may remind you of the Caribbean or the Bugis traditional raised houses that are half dock to dry fish. A Chinese Buddhist temple is said to be one of the oldest in Indonesia, built by the survivors of an ancient Chinese trading vessel. Balinese transmigrants have a thriving community that carries on Bali's traditions and religion.

At the islands
During the island hopping tour, do not waste the opportunity to enjoy the pristine blue sea! At the beach, climb its monolith stones to your best high. In the water, go for a swim or snorkel above its rich species of reefs and fishes. Further from the island(s), go fishing and you can often get a medium to large-sized fish.



Buy
ATMs from foreign banks are yet to make their way into the island. if you wish to draw some money, get to the ATMs provided by BCA, BRI, or Bank Sumsel Babel, although the latter is highly unlikely to accept any foreign cards. There are no money exchanges as foreign visitors are still scarce and there are no international flights. Exchange all your foreign money into Rupiah at Jakarta before your departure.

The souvenir industry at Belitung is still at its infancy: There are only a handful of specialty shops at the island, while most still blend in with ordinary shops that locals often visit. If you do find one, look for these items:


 * Tektite: Locally known as Batu Satam, the stone is widely used for gems or jewelry. The rock was formed by asteroids falling on tin ground, resulting in its black color and smooth groove.
 * Crackers or Kerupuk: These are not rice crackers. The main ingredient is seafood: a choice of fish, shrimp, or even squid.
 * Terasi: fresh shrimp paste, wrapped with woven leaves.
 * Fish floss: The unique feature compared to other areas' produce is its slight spiciness, thus it is locally called Sambal Lingkong. Perfect accompaniment with rice.
 * Shells: No, you cannot take the shells direct from the beaches. But there are designers that display items that takes shell art to the next level.

Eat
Even if it is a small island, Belitung has its own local delicacy that will delight your palate during your visit:


 * Gangan: A fish soup with curry and pineapple. Perfect to soothe your throat and a zest source of energy
 * Otak-otak Ikan: fish cake, white and chewy, not fried. Usually packed in leaves, with chili sauce as its condiment (bearable spiciness to western standards).
 * Mie Belitung: even Belitung has its own version of noodle dish. It is noodles with sweet gravy of spices and shrimp, topped with cucumbers, tofu, potatoes, and dried shrimp. Complement with gnetum gnemon crackers. In selected stalls, the dish is served on a big leaf to enhance the aroma.

Seafood is common; fish, shrimp, and squid are the main dish at virtually every restaurant, including species you might have never heard of at other areas across the country. The more premium ones will also serve crabs and oysters (sorry, no lobsters!). Vegetables can act as a substitute and most have at least one dish made mostly of this ingredient.

Most eating options consists of wooden or simple stalls with ample seating area and kitchen at its backdoor, which is by far the best bet in terms of hygiene. When dining in open areas though, flies are a nuisance and will try to distract your quiet meal. The cost of a standard meal for a group of four is very low to Jakarta's standard. Typically it will cost you Rp 300,000, assuming rice with three or four platters for communal consumption. Top up your meal with tea or orange juice &mdash; not the typical orange, but the white glassy key lime.

If you want a temporary relief from seafood, an increasing number of Western appetites are building up &mdash; easy to find at Tanjung Pandan; near to none at other areas but hotels.

Drink
There are no general signs of party and nightlife within the island. Karaoke bars, despite its enticing name as a youth's night resort, actually do not serve alcoholic drinks. A notable exception is the bar at some hotels, such as Mama Mia's at the Kepayang Island cottages, that cater mostly to high-end and foreign tourists.

Do stop by Manggar at the east side for its unbeknownst coffee culture. Warkop (coffee shops) are abundant at every corner and that's where the population meets, for a siesta or a social talk.

Sleep
As the number of visitors dramatically grow, hotels are sprouting all around the region. From the cheap to a presidential suite, you'll never run out of choice! Most hotel options are at Tanjung Pandan, as it is the typical starting point for tourists to explore what Belitung has to offer. Not all hotels appear on your typical booking sites though.

Stay safe
By and large, Belitung is low on crime and natural disasters. The only concern for you might be the weather. Torrential rains during the rainy season (October-March) can result in reduced visibility, road ponding, and choppy sea travel. It is advisable not to travel during this period.

Electricity infrastructure has been developed following the dramatically increasing number of visitors. Blackouts can still happen though, but much spottier than it used to be and usually does not go long for hours.

Although main roads are well-lit, some of the more minor roads are not very well lit and may pass through villages (Kampong or Desa) or rural areas where the locals seem to take a very casual approach to road safety. Drive slow and watch out for erratically piloted motorbikes, pedestrians and livestock. Inside Tanjung Pandan and Manggar, watch out for errors in the road arrows - they may lead you into wrong lanes or into barricades.

Go next

 * Bangka: the neighbor island to the west, Bangka boasts many white sand beaches and a few interesting Chinese temples.