Pulau Belitung is a small island in Sumatra, Indonesia thatβs becoming famous for its crystal clear water and rocky granite islands.
There are lots of interesting things to see in Belitung, but the very best scenery is in the smaller islands scattered around the north coast. No Belitung tour would be complete without seeing these on a boat trip!
This travel guide covers the Belitung island hopping tour and what you can expect to see on it. These islands are part of Belitungβs newly recognized UNESCO Geopark, and theyβre easy to visit on a day trip!
Where To Stay In Belitung
Island Hopping Belitung Tour
First of all, if youβre looking for a tour guide for exploring the islands, Billitone Capture has a private Belitung island hopping day tour. You can contact them by WhatsApp at +62 853-1555-5288.
This tour visits the top sights like Lengkuas Island, Batu Berlayar, and more, and it includes free lunch, entrance tickets, snorkeling gear, life jackets, and hotel pickup/drop-off.
Alternatively, if you just show up at the main harbor in Tanjung Kelayang, then you may be able to find a boat driver with a better price by haggling. Thatβs what we did on one of our trips and everything went smoothly.
What To Expect
Generally the Belitung island hopping tours include 6-7 scenic stops, and you can expect to spend at least an hour at each major stop.
The boat driver will take you around to different granite rock formations, underwater coral reefs, walkable sandbars, and even a colonial lighthouse!
Lunch is usually done on Pulau Kepayang island, and it includes fresh seafood, veggies, and rice.
Best Belitung Islands To See
β’ Lengkuas Island
This island is one of the highlights of a Belitung tour.
Itβs home to an iconic Dutch lighthouse from the 1800s, and you can still climb to the top today! From the 18th story balcony you get views of the granite rocks and blue water below.
Last, but not least, Lengkuas has some of the best beaches and snorkeling spots in Belitung.
Read More: Lengkuas Island
β’ Pulau Kepayang Island
Pulau Kepayang is one of the bigger islands in the area and itβs also inhabited, with a seafood restaurant thatβs included on some of the boat tours.
β’ Pulau Babi Kecil (Baby Pig Island)
This is a tiny island next to Pulau Kepayang.
Thereβs not a lot to see at Pulau Babi Kecil, but I still think itβs one of the most photogenic islands in Belitung.
β’ Belitung Snorkeling
All Belitung island hopping tours include some snorkeling at one of the many good coral reefs in the area.
Belitung snorkeling is fantastic, with lots of healthy corals and friendly fish. Just watch out for spiky sea urchins, we saw a bunch of them sitting between the corals. You donβt want to step on one.
β’ Pulau Batu Berlayar (Sailing Rock Island)
This was one of our favorite islands in Belitung.
The Batu Berlayar island is a small circle of sand with rocks and boulders scattered across it. Itβs kind of like a messy, natural Stonehenge on the ocean.
Thereβs even a little cave you can walk through to pass between the main boulders in the center of the island.
β’ Pulau Pasir (Sand Island)
This is a cool sandbar that only appears at certain times of the day.
We visited Pulau Pasir in July, and in that month the sandbar was biggest in the morning, but in the afternoon was still shallow enough you could wade on it!
Starfish show up here a lot in the shallow water because of the ocean currents that push toward the sandbar.
β’ Pulau Kelayang Island
Thereβs more to this island than meets the eye.
If you do a quick 3 minute hike to the back of Pulau Kelayang, thereβs a rainbow colored cave and natural pool between the boulders. Itβs a fascinating spot.
β’ Pulau Tukong Kelayang
This is a small island near Kelayang, with perfect white sand and not too many visitors. Thereβs a small shack inside the trees, but I donβt think anyone lives there anymore.
β’ Pulau Batu Garuda (Garuda Stone Island)
This one is named after a rock at the back of the island that looks like the beak of Garuda, the legendary bird creature from Hindu and Buddhist religion.
β’ Pulau Pegador
Most Belitung tours seem to skip this island, but it has a nice beach and some flat rocks to relax on.
We didnβt get to spend much time exploring this island, but itβs at the top of our list next time weβre back in Belitung!
β’ Pulau Burung (Bird Island)
Pulau Burung island gets its name from the shape, that looks kind of like a bird in flight.
You may have to pay your boat driver a little extra to go to this island since itβs an extra 15-30 minutes farther from the main tourist route.
We paid our guy an extra 100k Rupiah (~$7) to add Pegador, Burung, and Kelamin islands to our boat tour.
β’ Pulau Kelamin (Sex Island)
This island gets its name from a penis shaped rock. If you scale the main boulder in the center of the sandbar, you can get great views of the whole island from above.
You may have to pay your boat driver a little extra to go to this island since itβs an extra 30 minutes farther from the main tourist route.
We paid our guy an extra 100k Rupiah (~$7) to add Pegador, Burung, and Kelamin islands to our boat tour.
β’ Pantai Tanjung Kelayang Beach
This is the main beach that all of the Belitung boat tours depart from, but itβs also a pretty nice beach in its own regard.
It has a long stretch of white sand thatβs never as crowded as the more famous Tanjung Tinggi beach.
Belitung Tour Packages
Billitone Capture has private Belitung island hopping tours. You can contact them by WhatsApp at +62 853-1555-5288.
This tour visits the top sights like Lengkuas Island, Batu Berlayar, and more, and it includes free lunch, entrance tickets, snorkeling gear, life jackets, and hotel pickup/drop-off.
Alternatively, if you just show up at the main harbor in Tanjung Kelayang, then you may be able to find a boat driver with a better price by haggling. That's what we did on one of our trips and everything went smoothly.
Best Time To Visit
The best time to visit Pulau Belitung is from April to September.
This is Indonesiaβs dry season, so itβs less rainy, with more sun, smoother seas, and better snorkeling visibility.
Months to avoid are November to January, when thereβs a lot more rain. If you have to go in the rainy season, give yourself some extra days as a buffer in case of bad weather.
Belitung Hotels
More Belitung Travel Tips
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