Belitung, surreal island paradise you never knew existed

Better known as Billiton, Belitung Island, may be a hidden gem right now, but it will not be a secret for long. It is the perfect paradise for your next island getaway with its impeccable pristine beaches, blue waters and natural granite rock structures. It is hard not to linger on its beauty as the island is now determined to reach its goal to become one of world’s best Geoparks. A Global Geopark is a UNESCOdesignated area that contains natural sites with particular geological importance and is intended to be conserved on account of its heritage. Tourism is expected to act as booster to spread knowledge and awareness of this unique natural wonder.

Belitung lies midway between South Sumatra and Kalimantan, 340 km north of Jakarta, in the Java Sea, Indonesia. It is a small island flanked by the Gaspar Strait and Karimata Strait. The word Belitung is taken from the local language means sea slug. Belitung’s population of 270,000 is mainly Malay, with a range of other ethnicities. The island is circular, 85 km across, with low hills, and its major towns are Tanjung Pandan in the west and Manggar in the east. This tiny island paradise is part of the Bangka-Belitung province in Indonesia, which also includes several other smaller islands ripe for exploration. The island is noted for its tin production. Interestingly, BHP Billiton (2001), the world’s largest mining company, had part of its origin in the 1851 Dutch discovery of tin in Belitung. Belitung is blessed with some of the best beaches of the country. The area is made up mostly of small hills, lower plains, and white pepper fields. Mount Tajam is the highest point in the islands and has a height of less than 500 meters. Coastlines alternate between stunning white beaches to mangrove forests. The most distinct features of Belitung’s many beaches are the fascinating granite rock formations along the shallow shores. These rocks can reach the

size of houses and lie in bold contrast to the white sand. A great number of islets, banks, and reefs lie off the coasts, up to a distance of 30 miles, and only a few are inhabited.

Island hopping is a must-do while visiting Belitung Island. The white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters are the two main reasons you should rent a boat from Tanjung Kelayang Beach and visit the outlying small islands. A boat that goes for a rental can accommodate up to 10 passengers. An island hopping tour usually stops by at least five islands: Batu Garuda, Batu Berlayar, Lengkuas, Kelayang and Kepayang. The island of Batu Garuda took its name from the large boulders there that resemble the head of the mythical bird. Meanwhile, Lengkuas Island is known for the site of a 19th century antique light house. The L.I. Enthoven Lighthouse was built in Dutch colonial times in 1882 and offers a beautiful overview of the area. Visitors can climb up to the third level to take in a view of the green seas below. Those who want to witness marine life may snorkel off the eastern and western shores of Lengkuas Island. Kelayang Island is also a must-visit spot during your island-hopping excursion. In addition to its white sand and giant boulders, the island also has interesting caves to explore. If the weather is good, the boat usually takes travelers to Burung (bird) Island and Pasir Island.

As with all regions across the archipelago, Belitung has two seasons: the wet season that runs from October to March, and the dry season, from April to September. The best time to visit Bangka Belitung is on the dry season, when it is less rainy, with more sun, smoother seas, and better snorkeling visibility. With the impacts of climate change, however, this is for general reference only, be sure you pack for sudden changes in the local weather.

Cruise ships to Belitung Island anchor at Tanjung Pandan - port town on the western coast. As the largest town as well as the capital of the Belitung Regency, 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 pier and fish market an interesting place.

Other Popular areas:

The Kaoline Lake

Kaolin Lake

This is an abandoned kaoline or white clay mine located in Tanjung Pandan that has been transformed into a hotspot for travelers and photographers. Bright turquoise water against a white rugged stone cradle is just a photogenic spot in an unexpected site. It is still restricted to enter the water due to safety precautions, but you will surely get a great experience even if you stay dry.

Teluk Gembira Beach

Recently developed, Teluk Gembira Beach is a convenient yet quiet tourist destination that offers a wonderful view of crystal clear waters beyond a local pier. From the pier, you can hop on a fishing boat and sail to Seliu Island.

Penyabong Beach

Sandwiched between the Arumdalu Resort and Teluk Gembira Beach, Penyabong features giant boulders and crystal clear waters and it is even quieter than Teluk Gembira Beach. However, you may need to prepare your own meals and drinks to visit Penyabong Beach, as the beach does not have restaurants or other tourist facilities.

Batu Berlayar Island

Batu Berlayar means the Sailing Rock. Its name is derived from the shape of the island’s rock formation that resembles a sailing ship. This is a small island that has some secluded spots with tiny beaches and huge granite structures. Getting here needs an experienced boatman, to navigate across the shallow and rocky seabed around the island.

Lengkuas Island

Tanjung Tinggi

A serene and tranquil beach that is perfect for swimming. A few hotels are situated along this lovely waterfront to serve tourists, offering an incredible view just outside the window. Be aware of the wind and current though, they may blow your sunhat away.

The Satam Monument

This is an iconic monument in the heart of Tanjung Pandan, capital of the district of Belitung, located in the middle of a traffic roundabout of this lovely city. Satam is derived from the word Hitam, meaning Black. It is a kind of black rock that is considered sacred and powerful by the locals but can be bought in many forms of jewelers and other ornamental handicraft. Around this monument are shops and restaurants to indulge your shopping spree for special mementos.

The most remote island of Tristan da Cunha

In 1506 a Portuguese sea-captain called Tristao da Cunha came across a group of six little islands far out in the Atlantic between South Africa and South America. The largest of them, which he named after himself, has a volcano in the middle. It was the British military, however, who secured the political future of Tristan da Cunha, when, on 14th August 1816 a garrison aboard HMS Falmouth took possession of the island on behalf of King George III. Population slowly formed from members of a temporary British garrison, shipwrecked sailors, and other Europeans, as well as women from other islands. By 1886 there were 97 inhabitants, clustered at the settlement of Edinburgh on Tristan da Cunha.

Every inhabitant of Tristan da Cunha—269, at last count—lives in the island's only settlement, Edinburgh of the Seven Seas. Established in the early 19th century, the village is located on the north coast and home to 70 families, all of whom are farmers. Electricity is supplied by diesel generators. The island's lone road, a narrow, winding path, is flanked by bungalow-style cottages, potato patches and roaming cows. The looming volcanic cliffs and low-lying mist create a secluded, hazy setting.

For visitors, a stay on Tristan da Cunha might be not be a typical island vacation. There are no restaurants. There are no hotels. Credit cards are not accepted, the beaches are not safe for swimming, and every month brings between 17 and 26 days of rain. Precisely in the middle of the island lies a giant volcano. But Tristan da Cunha is enticing because it offers something that no other island destination can: the most extreme isolation. Located in the South Atlantic Ocean, the 8-mile-wide British overseas territory is the most remote populated island in the world. The nearest mainland city, 1,743 miles east, is Cape Town in South Africa. The journey from there takes seven days by boat—traveling by air is not an option, as there is no airport on the island.

The gateway to the island sits a mere 2800km away in South Africa. Vessels leave from Cape Town to make the often arduous six-day crossing to the island. Boats making the trip vary in the summer months, and the spiffy new SA Agulhas II research vessel visits each September. There are a few cruise ships that visit the Tristan da Cunha islands most years, and others that visit from time to time, usually during island hopping voyages between the islands of the South Atlantic. They normally visit during the austral summer when the weather is better and there is more chance of seeing Tristan wildlife, especially if the visit is timed to coincide with the breeding seasons. As the harbor is too small for ships to dock, passengers land in zodiacs or tenders, although sea conditions may sometimes prevent this. Very large cruise ships tend not to try to land passengers, but islanders will normally come aboard to talk and sell postcards and souvenirs. In any case, the islands and their rugged coasts are sights you will never forget. But for the rest, a rough-and-ready voyage awaits. There are certain cruises which are epic in nature, and are done more for adventure than for comfort for the joy of the unvarnished experience. Eight times a year, cargo and fishing boats leave Cape Town’s gleaming harbor to tackle the rolling waves to Tristan. On board amenities are few – a sole bathroom shared by the half-dozen passenger cabins, a TV room where surprisingly varied meals are served, a couple of chairs on the deck and plenty of banter with the crew heading off to the crayfish-rich waters around Tristan.

Tristan da Cunha is a peaceful, pared-back existence with few anxieties—unless the volcano erupts. Such was the case in 1961, when earthquakes, landslides, and an eruption from one of the north vents sent the entire population fleeing to England via Cape Town. Now that the volcano has calmed down, life on Tristan da Cunha is an exercise in patience and planning. There is a grocery store, but orders must be placed months in advance so the goods can be loaded onto scheduled fishing vessels and delivered. Harsh weather can cause delays by making it impossible to land on the island. A hospital equipped with x-ray machines, a labor ward, operating theater, emergency room and dental treatment facilities takes care of most health concerns, but patients needing more specialized treatment must be evacuated to South Africa or the UK.

In addition to farming, residents sustain themselves by selling souvenirs, handcrafts, and rare Tristan da Cunha postage stamps online. Among the more distinctive souvenirs is the traditional "love socks" knitted by island women—the size and number of stripes on each pair of socks denotes a particular meaning, from "friends forever" to "head over heels in love."

In a massive win for conservation, the tiny island of Tristan da Cunha is creating a marine protection zone that will make it the largest sanctuary in the Atlantic and the fourth-largest in the world. Except being the most remote inhabited island on Earth (according to the local tourist board and no less an authority than the Guinness Book of World Records), soon Tristan da Cunha will have another unique claim to make when it becomes the largest fully protected marine park in the Atlantic. In November 2020, the government of Tristan da Cunha made the announcement saying that the protected area will span almost 700 000 sq km, making it almost three times larger than the UK, and will protect 90% of the waters around the island chain by making them a “no-take zone,” in which bottom-trawling fishing, deep-sea mining and other harmful activities will be banned. The archipelago is home to many unique species including Southern right whales and their calves, the elusive shepherd's beak whale, sevengill sharks, the globallythreatened blue-nose albatross, and the Atlantic petrel, as well as 80% of the world's population of subAntarctic fur seals, and 90% of the world's population of Northern rockhopper penguins. Tens of millions of seabirds feed here too. The sanctuary will go a long way in safeguarding local and visiting wildlife and will help the UK reach its target of protecting 30% of the world's oceans by 2030 through its Blue Belt Program.

Stepping back in time is a big part of travelling to Tristan. In the end, of course, Tristan’s main attraction is its solitude. Walk the lanes of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas (referred to locally as simply ‘The Settlement’), seek out the resident rockhopper penguins with their striking carnival-like plumage, or sit and chat with affable locals over tea and cake. The journey to get here might be a little grueling, but then no one ever said that time travel would be easy.