TJQ 101 - INTRODUCTION TO BELITUNG ISLAND, INDONESIA

Geographically speaking, Belitung Island is located to the south east of Sumatera Island, in the middle between Sumatera and Java Island. There is another bigger island which is Bangka Island, its counterpart in forming an Indonesian province called Bangka Belitung (BABEL). The main city of Belitung Island is Tanjung Pandan which is situated on the west side of the island. How big is Belitung Island you may ask - it is 4/5 the size of Bali.

Belitung Island is made famous by the box office Indonesian movie entitled "Laskar Pelangi" adapted from the novel of the same title. Therefore, you are advised to watch the film before going, especially if you are planning to visit the replica of the school seen in the movie or to the museum dedicated to the author of the book Andrea Hirata. It is gaining more popularity now among tourists especially when the airport is now opened to direct international flights and soon tourists will be flocking the place. I read somewhere on the internet that Belitung is even nicknamed the Maldives of Indonesia.

The best way to get there from Kuala Lumpur is by AirAsia which offers direct flight to Tanjung Pandan. Or else, one has to transit to Jakarta first in order to get here which could be a hassle to most travelers. Just hope the carrier will retain its route to the island for a longer period.

WHY do people go to Belitung? To be soaked in sea water under the hot sun and to walk on the fine, white sand barefooted all the time. Beautiful beaches adorned many corners of the island but we only managed to visit a few as we spent longer time at these spots. There are also museums and a lot of souvenir shops and even factory outlets. Tourism is blooming and there could be more hotels to accommodate growing number of visitors. Getting one place to another on the island could be a challenge without a tour agent, but one could always rent a car or motorcycle to go around.

As the majority of the population are Muslims, halal food is in abundance. Either you just eat the regular Indonesian food or you could also try Belitung's own signature dishes. If you are adventurous enough, there could be places for you to savour the seafood that comes fresh from the fisherman's village.

One thing I love about Belitung Island is that the place is calm and more relaxed. Unlike other cities in Indonesia I had been to, there was no traffic jam at all and people did not honk at each other on the road. The place was clean and houses and buildings were more organized. Most importantly, there were not many tourists coming here yet so going on a holiday without a huge crowd was definitely a bliss in life.

That information should provide some basic background to this paradise island on earth for now. More stories and photos of my short trip to Belitung Island coming your way real soon. Don't forget to come back for more.

OTHER RELATED LINKS:

The Adventure Was About To Begin...
Rumah Makan Timpo Duluk
Belitung Museum and Animal Park
Laskar Pelangi School
Andrea Hirata's Museum of Words
Buying Kuih at a Roadside Stall
Fishing Village at Serdang Beach
Living at a Home of a Director's House
Having Breakfast at Hanggar 21
Tanjung Kelayang
Klapa Souvenir Shop
Kong Djie Coffee at Klapa
MbM Factory Outlet
Belut Souvenir Shop
The Boat Ride to Lengkuas Island
Lengkuas Island [Part 1] [Part 2]
The Lighthouse on Lengkuas Island
Kelayang Island
Aka Ula Cafe
Dinner and Breakfast at a Home in Belitung
The Home of A Director's House: Outside
Pulau Pasir [Sand Island] off Leebong Island
[Part 1] [Part 2]
Leebong Island
Lunch on Leebong Island
Chicas Beach on Leebong Island [Part 1] [Part 2]
Dinner at Gorong Gorong
Traditional Market at Tanjung Pandan
Breakfast at La Lucia Hotel
La Lucia Hotel