Indonesia's Best-Kept Secret?

Expat Living’s MEGAN HOBSON explores Tanjung Kelayang Reserve on Belitung Island in Indonesia, and discovers an untouched slice of paradise just an hour’s flight from Singapore!

I stepped off the beach into a traditional Indonesian boat, ready to sail on the clearest water I’d ever seen. We passed uninhabited islands, slowing down to see coral reefs teeming with life. In front of us, turtles descended into the crystal blue ocean, and eagle rays with spotted backs soared gracefully past.

About the Reserve

This natural paradise can be accessed from Tanjung Kelayang Reserve, an area on the north coast of Belitung Island. Belitung is around six times the size of Singapore, located east of Sumatra and surrounded by 470 smaller islands. It’s also a UNESCO Global Geopark – one of 195 in the world. Just offshore from the reserve, the handful of tiny islands with ancient balancing boulders and interesting historical sites are arguably the jewel in its crown. No wonder Belitung Island has been called the “Seychelles of Indonesia”!

In the reserve, the sand is so white that it doesn’t even get hot in the sun. The water changes each day from glimmering to glassy and at night the sky is full of stars. There’s a gentle vibe, too, not only in the calm ocean but in the aforementioned granite boulders that look almost soft from a distance. On a day with no waves, you can see the outline of the nearby islands, sea eagles flying overhead, and the region’s historical lighthouse reflected on the water from miles away.

This stunning nature is the true gift of Belitung – and one of the reasons why there is such a keen focus at Tanjung Kelayang Reserve on preserving the environment.

Magical island moments

Island exploration on a boat was a definite highlight of my visit to the Reserve. Here are four that we explored, all of them only a few hundred metres across, or smaller.