Bangka Belitung is a pair of tropical islands in Indonesia, and the smaller one (Belitung island) is becoming famous for its incredible scenery and natural attractions.
Belitung island is about the same size as Bali, and just like Bali it has so many amazing things to see and do. It’s even been recognized as a UNESCO Geopark for its unique landscapes.
We spent two weeks here and were blown away by the picture perfect islands and white sand beaches with granite boulders. This is island hopping paradise at its best.
This Belitung travel guide will explain how to get there, where to stay, all the best things to do, and everything else you need to know before you go!
Where Is Belitung Island?
The Bangka Belitung islands are two islands (‘Bangka’ and ‘Belitung’) located just off the southeast coast of Sumatra, Indonesia.
Belitung (also known as ‘Belitong’ by the locals) is the smaller island of the two, and it’s surrounded by lots of tiny islands and granite rock formations, making it pretty much heaven for island hopping boat tours!
How To Get To Belitung Island
The Bangka Belitung islands can be reached by air or ferry.
Generally the best way to get to Belitung island is to take a flight into the main city of Tanjung Pandan (TJQ).
Non-stop flights are available from Jakarta (CGK) and Kuala Lumpur (KUL), with one way prices as low as 425k Rupiah (~$30 USD) and a flight time of only 1-2 hours respectively.
You can shop for flights to Tanjung Pandan at Skyscanner.
How To Get Around Belitung Island
The best way to get around Belitung island is to rent a scooter or hire a private car with driver. You can book either of these with your hotel, or with Billitone Capture (+62 853-1555-5288).
The roads on Belitung island are in great shape, and traffic is surprisingly light. We normally don’t travel by scooter, but when we saw how open the roads were on Belitung we couldn’t help ourselves!
If you need a private airport transfer by car, those can be booked with Klook for as low as 75k Rupiah (~$5 USD). In the city, short trips can be done with the Grab or GoJek apps.
Where To Stay In Belitung
What To Do In Belitung Island
• Island Hopping Tour
There are lots of great things to do in Belitung, but by far the best is the island hopping boat tour in northwest Belitung.
You’ll see perfect white sand beaches, turquoise water, rocky granite islands, underwater coral reefs, and even a Dutch lighthouse from the 1800s.
Do not leave Bangka Belitung without doing a couple of boat tours!
Read More: Belitung Island Hopping Tour
• Tanjung Tinggi Beach
Possibly the most photogenic beach in Bangka Belitung, with perfect blue-green water and giant boulders. It’s a good sunset spot too.
Tanjung Tinggi can be reached with a 30 minute drive from town.
Read More: Tanjung Tinggi Beach
• Tanjung Pendam Beach
This is the main beach near the town in Belitung, and it sits right on the edge of Tanjung Pandan city.
It’s a great beach for watching the sunset!
Read More: Tanjung Pendam Beach
• Batu Baginda
This was one of my favorite experiences in Bangka Belitung.
Batu Baginda is a short (but moderate) hike that takes you to the top of an absolutely massive boulder, where you have views of the whole southern half of Belitung island on one side, and the Java Sea on the other.
Better yet, if you have a drone, you can take some aerial selfies to see how tiny you look on top of the boulders!
Read More: Batu Baginda Hike
• Kaolin Lake
This is a bright turquoise mineral lake that’s still being mined today. It’s a unique landscape that makes for some great photos.
The lake is easy to reach since it’s only a short distance from Tanjung Pandan city.
• Balancing Rock
This is a giant balancing granite boulder that’s not too far from Tanjung Tinggi Beach, so it’s easy to combine with other sights on the island.
From the road, it’s just a short 10 minute hike to reach the rock (location here), and at the top you get nice views of the surrounding countryside too.
This boulder is massive, and great for pictures from pretty much any angle!
The balancing rock is one of Belitung’s most peculiar sights
Another angle of the balancing rock. Balinese woman power.
• Peramun Hill
Jungles and hills, with giant boulders, banyan trees, caves, and tarsier sightings.
If that sounds like fun, Bukit Peramun is your thing. This is a dense jungle where you can go trekking and see Indonesian wildlife.
The highlight of this forest is a giant banyan tree called the ‘thousand root tree.’ It’s very photogenic, but it’s hard to find without a local guide.
• Penyabong Beach
This is a secluded beach in southwest Belitung, about 1.5 hours from Tanjung Pandan.
Penyabong Beach has nice white sand and no crowds, but sadly trash has built up here over the years. Please don’t leave any rubbish here. If you can pick some up on your way out, that’s even better.
Read More: Penyabong Beach
• Serdang Beach
This is a nice white sand beach with colorful boats, on the east coast of Belitung.
Sadly, there’s a lot of trash at this beach. It’s also a bit isolated and requires about 1.5 hours of driving from Tanjung Pandan city.
Read More: Serdang Beach
• Bukit Berahu Beach
This is a small beach with cottages and an old resort at the top of the hill.
It’s near the main road, so you can easily stop here on the way to other sights like Tanjung Tinggi Beach.
Best Belitung Restaurants
The Belitung restaurant scene is still a work in progress, but here are some good options we found:
- What’s Up Cafe: Great food and good atmosphere. We ate here almost every day. Portions are a little small, but the prices are fair enough. They have indoor and outdoor seating, A/C, good WiFi, and they accept cash or credit cards for payment.
- Tarsius Coffee: Nice little cafe across the street from Tanjung Pendam Beach. Good place to work, with fast WiFi and lots of power outlets.
- Warung Bizza: The only hand made Italian wood fired pizza joint in Belitung.
- La Terase: Local Belitung food with a modern presentation. Super close to Tanjung Pendam Beach.
- KFC: If you’re itching for familiar food, Belitung does have it. Just throwing that out there. We ordered KFC on the GoJek app one evening when we were too tired to eat out.
Other Belitung Tips
- Credit Cards: Hit and miss. Some hotels and restaurants in Belitung accept credit cards, but keep cash handy just in case.
- ATM: There are plenty of ATMs in Tanjung Pandan with good withdrawal limits. Foreign cards work fine in my experience.
- WiFi: Hotels in Tanjung Pandan generally have decent WiFi. This is quickly improving.
- Cell Service: Local SIM cards like Telkomsel have good reception in Tanjung Pandan and elsewhere on the island.
- Apps: Grab and GoJek are both available in Tanjung Pandan. You can use these for short rides or even food delivery to your hotel.
- Malaria: According to this Lancet study from 2018, malaria has been eliminated in Belitung. That’s great news, but it’s still a good idea to wear mosquito spray to protect from dengue fever.
Belitung Hotels
Is Bangka Belitung Safe?
Yes, Sumatra is safe! We spent weeks here and I’d say it’s a very safe place.
Indonesia is a low crime country in general. Do be sure to wear mosquito spray when out and about, because parts of Sumatra (including Belitung) are known to have dengue fever, just like most of Indonesia.
With that said, we got more than two dozen bites each on our trip and never got sick with anything, so dengue is not exactly rampant here.
Belitung Private Driver & Motorbike Rental
If you want to explore Belitung in the comfort and safety of a private car with a driver, my recommendation would be Billitone Capture (+62 853-1555-5288).
Their price is 400k Rupiah ($26 USD) for a day tour of driving and sightseeing in Belitung for 1-5 passengers. That's the total price for the whole car + driver + petrol. For longer distance trips, there may be a surcharge.
If you'd rather travel by motorbike, they have that too. Their scooter rentals start at 75k Rupiah (~$5) in Tanjung Pandan city.
Best Time To Visit Bangka Belitung
The best time to visit Belitung is generally from April to September.
This is Indonesia’s dry season, so it’s less rainy, with more sun, smoother seas, and better snorkeling visibility.
Months to avoid are November to January, when there’s 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.
Map Of Things To Do In Belitung
Here’s a map of some of the best things to do in Belitung island. Keep in mind this is far from a complete list, and I’m sure you could find some more interesting sights if you look around.
How Long To Stay
You can see the top highlights of Belitung island in 3 or 4 days, although there are plenty of hidden gems to explore if you have extra time.
We spent two weeks in Belitung and still didn’t see everything.
Our Belitung Video
Last but not least, here’s a 4K Belitung drone video from our trip to get you excited about experiencing everything this island has to offer.
Happy travels!
More Indonesia Travel Tips
I hope this travel guide gave you some ideas for what to do in Belitung. The Bangka Belitung islands are full of amazing scenery and natural attractions.
Don’t forget to check out my complete guide for the best places to visit in Indonesia!
See Also
- Most Beautiful Indonesian Islands - Best Places To Visit In Indonesia
- Best Hikes In Indonesia - Volcanoes, Jungles, & Waterfalls
- Indonesia Waterfall Guide - Best Waterfalls In Indonesia
- Indonesia Beach Guide - Best Beaches In Indonesia
- Best Things To Do In Indonesia - What To Do In The Islands
- Indonesia Travel Guide - Tips, Info, & Photos
6 comments
Hi , that is a fantastic guide of Belitung , really help us to organize our tour for this summer but unfortunately Kloot is not offering the island hopping, nor driver . could you recomemend us another contacts. Thanks
Hi Laura, thanks for pointing that out. I just updated the article with new information. For a driver, you can arrange that with Billitone Capture (+62 853-1555-5288). They can do airport pickups or a private driver for a full day of touring. This company has scooter rentals and island hopping boat tours in Belitung too.
Otherwise, your hotel in Belitung should also be able to arrange these things if needed. I hope this helps. If you have any other questions just let me know. Have a great trip to Belitung!
Hi, I’m wondering if it’s expensive to spend 2 weeks in Belitung. Is it easy to find accomodations there?
Hi Kay! Sure, it’s pretty easy to find accommodation in Belitung. The prices are normally a bit higher than Bali, but still not too expensive. You can browse Belitung hotels here. Most of the accommodation is in Tanjung Pandan town.
Thank you very much for introducing this place. Belitung has special significance for me. My father was born here, and when he was in his twenties, he left Indonesia for China for some reasons. Until his death last year, he never returned to the place where he was born. Therefore, I am curious about Belitung where he lived when he was a child. Perhaps one day I will visit here to fulfill his last wish.
Thanks for sharing. Yes, a lot of Chinese Indonesian families live in Belitung. It’s a great island. I hope you can visit someday.