Bangka Belitung: granite beaches and the Laskar Pelangi islands

Bangka Belitung is a province of two big islands and several hundred small ones, sitting between Sumatra and Borneo in the shallow, turquoise water of the Karimata Strait. Belitung is the one people mean when they talk about the beaches: granite boulders the size of houses, white sand, and water that stays clear because the sea here is sheltered and relatively shallow.

The other island, Bangka, is the working half: tin mines, pepper farms, Chinese-Malay trading towns and a coastline that is less photographed but just as empty. The two islands have separate airports, separate characters and a ferry connection, and combining them makes a week that feels like two different trips.

Two islands, two airports

Bangka and Belitung are about 40 minutes apart by plane or several hours by ferry. Belitung's airport, H.A.S. Hanandjoeddin, is at Tanjung Pandan and receives direct flights from Jakarta and Palembang. Bangka's airport, Depati Amir, is near Pangkal Pinang, the provincial capital. Most beach travellers fly into Belitung and skip Bangka entirely, which is a loss.

The islands have different histories. Bangka was a tin island, worked by Chinese miners and later by the state tin company, and its towns still have the shophouses and temples that came with that trade. Belitung was quieter, a pepper and rubber island whose fishing villages became famous after Andrea Hirata's novel Laskar Pelangi was published in 2005 and filmed here in 2008.

Rent a motorbike on either island. The roads are good, the traffic is light, and the best beaches are the ones without a sign.

Tanjung Tinggi and the granite coast

Tanjung Tinggi is the signature beach of Belitung: a long curve of white sand with enormous rounded granite boulders arranged along the shore and in the shallows. The water is calm, shallow and warm, and the rocks make natural pools and shade. It is about 30 minutes from Tanjung Pandan and has a strip of food stalls and guesthouses behind the sand.

The beach is famous because Laskar Pelangi was filmed here, and the boulders are now a backdrop for every Indonesian couple's pre-wedding photos. Go early in the morning or after four in the afternoon, when the tour groups have gone and the light is better. The rocks are slippery; wear sandals.

The granite coast continues north to Tanjung Kelayang, the departure point for island hopping, and south to Tanjung Binga, a fishing village with a long beach and a row of seafood restaurants. Each beach has a different arrangement of rocks and a different crowd.

Pulau Lengkuas and the lighthouse

Pulau Lengkuas is a small island about 20 minutes by boat from Tanjung Kelayang, and its lighthouse is the most photographed structure in the province. The tower was built by the Dutch in the 1880s, is still active, and can be climbed for a view over the reef, the neighbouring islands and the open sea. The stairs are steep and the top is hot, but the view is worth it.

The reef around Lengkuas is shallow and in reasonable condition, with table coral, small fish and the occasional turtle. Most island-hopping boats stop here for snorkelling, along with Pulau Batu Berlayar, Pulau Pasir and Pulau Kepayang. The sandbars shift with the tide, so the order of the stops depends on the day.

A full-day boat trip from Tanjung Kelayang costs roughly IDR 600,000 to 1,200,000 for the boat, not per person, and includes snorkelling gear and lunch at a floating warung. Go with a boatman recommended by your guesthouse, bring cash, and do not expect a life jacket that fits.

Bangka: pepper, tin and the other coast

Bangka is the larger, more populated island and the one that supplies the province's pepper. White pepper from Bangka is exported worldwide, and you can see it drying on mats beside the road in the villages south of Sungailiat. The island's tin mining history is visible everywhere: old pits, dredges and the strange, sandy landscapes left behind.

The main beach is Parai Tenggiri, about 40 minutes from Pangkal Pinang, a long curve of white sand with food stalls and a modest resort. Further north, the coast at Batu Rakit and Tanjung Pesona is quieter. The interior has hot springs, Chinese temples and the old mining town of Muntok, which has a lighthouse and a good market.

Bangka is not as immediately beautiful as Belitung, but it is more interesting. The food is better, the towns have more life, and the beaches are empty on weekdays. Give it two nights if you have the time.

Island food and what it costs

The food here is a blend of Malay, Chinese and Palembang influences. Mie belitung is a yellow noodle soup with fish, prawns and vegetables, and it is the local breakfast. Otak-otak is a grilled fish cake wrapped in banana leaf, rusip is a fermented fish condiment, and the seafood restaurants at Tanjung Binga grill whatever came in that morning.

Belitung is no longer as cheap as it was before Laskar Pelangi, but it is still reasonable. A guesthouse room near Tanjung Tinggi costs IDR 300,000 to 600,000, and a motorbike rental is IDR 100,000 to 150,000 a day. Boat trips and seafood are the main expenses; a full day on the water with lunch is IDR 700,000 to 1,200,000 for two.

ATMs are reliable in Tanjung Pandan and Pangkal Pinang and scarce on the beaches. Bring cash for boats, homestays and warungs.

When to go, and a plan that works

The dry season runs roughly April to October, with the calmest seas and the clearest water. The wet season brings short, heavy storms and rougher crossings, but the islands are still visitable and the crowds disappear. August is the busiest month, when Indonesian school holidays and the Laskar Pelangi effect combine.

Four days is enough for Belitung; add two or three for Bangka if you want the contrast. The two islands are connected by ferry from Tanjung Pandan to Pangkal Pinang or by a short flight, and the ferry is the more interesting way to see how the province fits together.

• Day 1: Tanjung Pandan — Tanjung Tinggi at sunset, seafood at Tanjung Binga.
• Day 2: island hopping from Tanjung Kelayang — Lengkuas, snorkelling, sandbars.
• Day 3: south Belitung — Tanjung Kelayang, Batu Berlayar, the Laskar Pelangi museum.
• Days 4 and 5: optional Bangka — Parai Tenggiri, Sungailiat, pepper villages, Muntok.

Questions people actually ask

Which island should I choose, Bangka or Belitung?

Belitung for beaches, granite scenery and island hopping. Bangka for food, history and a less polished version of the same coast. If you have a week, do both; if you have four days, do Belitung.

How do I get to Pulau Lengkuas?

Boats leave from Tanjung Kelayang on the north coast of Belitung, about 20 minutes away. Most visitors join a full-day island-hopping trip that includes Lengkuas and two or three other islands.

Is Belitung good for swimming?

Yes, especially at Tanjung Tinggi and the sheltered beaches on the north coast. The water is shallow and calm in the dry season. Watch the current around the rocks and avoid swimming alone at dusk.

Do I need to book island-hopping in advance?

In peak season, yes. In quieter months you can arrange a boat at Tanjung Kelayang the day before. Always agree the price, the stops and the return time before you get on the boat.