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Voykit pocket guide · Indonesia
Belitung
Belitong
Go for 3–4 nights if you want quiet beaches and island hopping; skip if you need nightlife, ATMs or easy public transport.
Belitung is a small island off Sumatra's east coast, about four-fifths the size of Bali, with white-sand beaches, granite rock formations and offshore islands. It is quiet, low on infrastructure and best explored by rented car with driver or motorbike from Tanjung Pandan. Most visitors come for three or four nights of beach and island hopping.
- Country
- Indonesia
- Local name
- Belitong
- Best months
- Apr–Sep (dry season)
- Avoid
- Dec–Mar (rain, ferry cancellations), Lebaran week, Chinese New Year
- Stay
- 3–4 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- IDR
- Money
- Rupiah (Rp) in small notes for warungs, parking, offerings and drivers; large cards are common in tourist restaurants but not everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rp350,000–600,000 excl. bed · Mid Rp600,000–1,200,000 excl. bed · High Rp1,200,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telkomsel, XL and Indosat sell tourist SIMs at airports; foreign phones must be IMEI-registered if staying over 90 days — check.
- Emergency
- General emergency 112 · Police 110 · Ambulance 118
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European round pins.
- Tipping
- Warung: Nothing.; Restaurants: Often 10% service + tax on the bill; nothing more needed.; Drivers and guides: Rp50,000–100,000 a day.; Spa: Rp20,000–50,000.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; refill stations common in Bali.
- Toilets
- Western in hotels and cafés; squat toilets with a water scoop elsewhere; paper in the bin.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a warkop | Rp10,000–20,000 |
| Mie Belitung | Rp20,000–35,000 |
| Seafood meal for four, communal | Rp300,000 |
| Ojek short trip | Rp25,000 |
| Taxi airport to Tanjung Pandan | Rp50,000 |
| Motorbike rental, one day | Rp80,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TJQ · H.A.S. Hanandjoeddin Airport (Buluh Tumbang), Tanjung Pandan
- The island's only airport. Book to Tanjung Pandan (TJQ), not Pangkal Pinang or Tanjung Pinang. About 50 min from Jakarta; some flights from Singapore.
Typical fares
- Airport → Tanjung Pandan, taxi
- about Rp50,000, under 30 min (check)
- Car with driver, one day
- Rp500,000–700,000 (check)
- Express Bahari ferry, Bangka → Belitung
- Rp200,000–400,000, 4–5 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Public transport is very limited. Practical options are a rental car with driver (about Rp500,000–700,000 per day), a rented motorbike (about Rp80,000 per day plus delivery), or local ojek for short hops (about Rp25,000). From Tanjung Pandan most island destinations are under two hours.
See and do
Known for
- Tanjung Tinggi and Tanjung Kelayang beaches
- Granite rock formations and offshore islands
- Lengkuas Island lighthouse
- Laskar Pelangi literature sites
- Seafood and Mie Belitung
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lengkuas Island | Boat from Tanjung Binga beach, about 30–45 min | Half day |
| Kepayang Island | Boat from Tanjung Binga, about 30 min | Half day |
| Tanjung Tinggi Beach | Car or motorbike from Tanjung Pandan, about 40 min | About 1 h |
| Museum Kata Andrea Hirata, Gantung | Car from Tanjung Pandan, about 1 h 30 min | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Tanjung Pandan
- Main town on the west side; most hotels, restaurants and the airport. Best base for a first visit.
- Tanjung Kelayang / Tanjung Tinggi
- North-coast beach cottages near the main beaches; quieter, fewer services.
- Tanjung Binga
- West-coast fishing village and main departure point for island-hopping boats.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Permisi / Maafper-mee-see / ma-af |
| Thank you | Terima kasihte-ree-ma ka-see |
| How much is it? | Berapa harganya?be-ra-pa har-ga-nya |
| Can I pay by card? | Bisa bayar pakai kartu?bee-sa ba-yar pa-kai kar-too |
| Where is the toilet? | Di mana toilet?dee ma-na toy-let |
| I don't want it | Tidak mautee-dak mau |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Light handshake then hand to chest; smile; avoid: Firm grips
- Left hand: Give and receive with the right; avoid: Passing anything with the left
- Temples: Sarong and sash; step around offerings; avoid: Standing higher than priests
- Keeping calm: Patience; indirect requests; avoid: Anger in public
- Pointing: Thumb; avoid: Index finger
Scams and watch-outs
- Book flights to Tanjung Pandan (TJQ), not Pangkal Pinang or Tanjung Pinang.
- Foreign-card ATMs are scarce; bring rupiah cash from Jakarta.
- Island-hopping boats can be cancelled in the rainy season.
- Agree taxi and boat prices before you start.
Belitung is generally safe for tourists; the real risks are cash access, unlicensed taxis and boat trips cancelled by weather. Agree prices first and keep rupiah on you.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Belitung yet. Suggested stay: 3–4 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tanjung Tinggi and Tanjung Kelayang beaches
- Granite rock formations and offshore islands
- Lengkuas Island lighthouse
- Laskar Pelangi literature sites
- Seafood and Mie Belitung
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Indonesia.travel — Belitung: www.indonesia.travel/gb/en/destinations/sumatra/belitung-island
- H.A.S. Hanandjoeddin Airport (Wikipedia): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.A.S._Hanandjoeddin_International_Airport
- Wikivoyage: Belitung, revision 5340451 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5340451
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
BelitungBelitong
Ke alamat ini, ya
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies on Belitung; most are in Jakarta. The US, UK, Australia and Canada have embassies in Jakarta (check addresses).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/belitung). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.