Sungailiat: fishing boats, tin and the sea

Sungailiat is the second town of Bangka and the old capital of the island, a place that grew rich on tin and fishing and still feels like a working town rather than a resort. The harbour is full of boats, the streets are wide and quiet, and the beaches that made Bangka famous are a short drive south.

Most visitors head straight for the beaches and the offshore islands, and that is fine. But Sungailiat itself is worth a morning: the fish market, the old shophouses, the Chinese temple and the food. It is also the best base for the northern half of Bangka, with more choice of hotels and restaurants than anywhere else on the island.

The harbour and the town

Sungailiat's harbour is the reason the town exists. Fishing boats come in through the morning with mackerel, squid, crab and reef fish, and the market beside the quay sells it as fast as it lands. Go early: by nine the best of it is gone and the ice is melting.

Behind the harbour, the town is a grid of shophouses, government offices and old villas from the tin era. Some are beautifully kept, with tiles and shutters and courtyards; others are falling down. It is not a heritage trail, but a walk through it gives you a sense of how prosperous this coast was before the mines declined.

The town is also where Bangka's administration sits, so it has schools, a hospital and a wider range of shops than the villages. That makes it a practical base: you can buy what you forgot, find a mechanic and eat something other than fish. It is not a beautiful town, but it is a useful and friendly one.

Tin and the island's history

Bangka has been the centre of Indonesian tin mining for centuries, and in the colonial period it was one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in the archipelago. Sungailiat grew as the administrative centre, with offices, schools, churches and a hospital for the mining community.

The industry still operates, though at a smaller scale, and the landscape bears its marks: pits, tailings, dredges and roads built for trucks. Offshore, dredgers work the seabed. It is not pretty, but it is honest, and it explains a lot about the economy and the people of the island.

The mines also brought workers from Java, Bali and China, which is why Bangka has a more mixed population than its size suggests. That mix shows in the food, the churches and temples, and the names on the shopfronts. Sungailiat is a good place to notice it, because the town is small enough to see the whole picture in a morning.

The beaches

The coast south of Sungailiat has the best beaches on this side of Bangka. Parai Tenggiri is the closest and most developed, with a long curve of pale sand, granite boulders and a row of warungs. Matras is further south, wider and quieter, with shallow water and good swimming at high tide.

The water is warm and usually calm, though the tide moves a long way and the beach changes shape through the day. The granite boulders that make the beaches photogenic also make some of the swimming risky, so pick your spot. There are lifeguards at Parai at weekends, but not elsewhere.

• Parai Tenggiri is the easiest beach to reach from town.
• Matras is quieter and better for swimming.
• The tide moves a long way: check it before you swim.
• Warungs sell grilled fish and coconut water.
• Weekends are busy with families from Pangkal Pinang.

Food and the Chinese quarter

Bangka has a large Chinese-Indonesian community, and the food reflects it: noodles, bakmi, seafood, pickles and sweets, alongside the Malay and Sumatran kitchen. The night market is the best place to eat, with stalls selling grilled fish, satay, rice dishes and ice.

The town's temples are worth a look, especially around Chinese New Year and the festivals. The Kong Fu Tzu temple is the best known, with a colourful facade and a courtyard that fills with worshippers at festival time. Ask before you photograph inside, and dress respectfully.

Getting there and around

Pangkal Pinang airport, Depati Amir, is about an hour south of Sungailiat, with flights to Jakarta, Palembang and Batam. From the airport, taxis and ride-hailing cars cover the drive. There is also a ferry connection from Palembang to the port at Pangkal Balam, near Pangkal Pinang.

Within Sungailiat, ojek and bemo are the local transport, and a scooter is the best way to reach the beaches if you are comfortable riding. Hire a car with a driver for a day if you want to combine the beaches, the town and the temple without worrying about parking.

Questions people actually ask

Is Sungailiat worth staying in?

Yes, if you want a base for northern Bangka with more hotels and restaurants than elsewhere on the island. The town has a working harbour, old shophouses and a good night market, and the beaches at Parai Tenggiri and Matras are a short drive away.

How far are the beaches from Sungailiat?

Parai Tenggiri is about fifteen minutes south of town, and Matras is a little further. Both are reached by road, by scooter or with a hired car. The tide moves a long way, so check the water before swimming.