If you're planning a trip to Belitung, Indonesia, make sure to take a boat tour around the islands! Belitung's island hopping is fantastic, and you can choose from half-day or full-day excursions.

The most breathtaking scenery is found on the small islands scattered along the northwest coast, where you'll encounter crystal-clear waters and rocky granite islands that resemble some of the Seychelles. These islands are part of Belitung's newly recognized UNESCO Geopark.

This travel guide will introduce you to island hopping in Belitung and the attractions you can expect to see during your journey. We loved this trip so much that we did it for several days consecutively!

Belitung Island Hopping

First off, if you're looking for a guide to explore the islands, Billitone Capture offers private Belitung island hopping tours for one day. You can contact them via WhatsApp at +62 853-1555-5288.

This tour includes visits to top attractions like Lengkuas Island, Batu Berlayar, and comes with free lunch, entrance fees, snorkeling equipment, life jackets, and hotel pickup services.

Alternatively, if you head to the main port in Tanjung Kelayang, you might be able to find a cheaper boatman by negotiating. That's what we did during one of our trips, and everything went smoothly.

Generally, Belitung island hopping tours cover 6-7 attractions, with expected stops at each major site for an hour or more.

The boatman will take you to different granite formations, underwater coral reefs, walkable sandbanks, and even a colonial lighthouse!

Lunch is usually served on Pulau Kepayang Island, featuring fresh seafood, vegetables, and rice.

Top Belitung Islands to Visit

• Lengkuas Island
  Lengkuas Island is a highlight of any Belitung trip.

  It boasts a 19th-century Dutch lighthouse, which you can still climb to the top! From the balcony on the 18th floor, you'll enjoy breathtaking views of the granite below and the azure sea.

  Last but not least, Lengkuas has the best beaches and snorkeling spots in Belitung.

• Pulau Kepayang
  Pulau Kepayang is one of the larger inhabited islands in the area and includes a seafood restaurant for tourist boats.

• Pulau Babi Kecil
  This is a small island next to Pulau Kepayang.

  There isn't much to see on Pulau Babi Kecil, but I still think it's one of the best islands in Belitung for photography.

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• Belitung Snorkeling
  All Belitung island hopping tours include snorkeling at one of the many excellent coral reefs in the area.

  Snorkeling in Belitung is fantastic, with plenty of healthy coral and friendly fish. But beware of spiny sea urchins; we saw many of them sitting among the coral. You wouldn't want to step on one!

• Batu Berlayar Island
  Batu Berlayar Island is a small circle of sandy islands dotted with rocks and boulders, resembling a natural Stonehenge in the ocean.

  There's even a small cave-like opening between the main boulders that you can walk through or climb onto smaller rocks for some unique photos.

• Pulau Pasir
  This is a cool sandbank that appears at specific times of the day.

  We visited Pulau Pasir in July, and the sandbank was biggest in the morning but still shallow enough to wade through in the afternoon!

  Shallow waters here often reveal sea stars due to the currents pushing onto the sandbank.

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• Pulau Kelayang
  This island holds more hidden secrets.

  If you take a quick 3-minute hike to the back of Pulau Kelayang, you'll find a rainbow-colored cave and natural pool between the boulders. It's a fascinating place.

• Tukong Kelayang Island
  This is a small island near Kelayang with snow-white beaches and not many tourists. There's a cabin in the woods, but I think it's uninhabited.

• Pulau Batu Garuda
  This island is named for a rock at its rear that resembles the beak of Garuda, a mythical bird-like creature in Hindu and Buddhist lore.

• Pegador Island
  Most Belitung tours seem to overlook this island, but it has a nice beach and some flat rocks to relax on.

  We didn't spend much time exploring this island, but it will be at the top of our list when we return to Belitung!

• Pulau Burung (Bird Island)
  Pulau Burung is named for its shape resembling a flying bird.

  You may need to pay the boatman a bit extra to visit this island, as it's 15-30 minutes off the main tourist route.

  We paid our guide an extra 100,000 Indonesian rupiahs (about US$7) to add Pegador Island, Pulau Burung, and Pulau Kraming to our boat tour.

• Pulau Buto
  This island is named for a penis-shaped rock. If you climb the main boulder in the center of the sandbank, you can overlook the entire island from above.

  You may need to pay the boatman a bit extra to visit this island, as it's 30 minutes off the main tourist route.

  We paid our guide an extra 100,000 Indonesian rupiahs (about US$7) to add Pegador Island, Pulau Burung, and Pulau Kraming to our boat tour.

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• Tanjung Kelayang Beach
  This is the main beach where all Belitung boat tours depart, but it's also a very beautiful beach in its own right.

  It boasts continuous white sand beaches, with some areas less crowded than the famous Tanjung Tinggi Beach.

Pulau Leebong

Apart from the popular island hopping in northwest Belitung, there's a beautiful island in southwest Belitung owned by the three-star Leebong Island Resort, which features sea-view villas and water villas.

There are day trips from the Pegantungan port to Pulau Leebong, or you can stay overnight at the resort. Their official website has more information about day trips. Leebong has beautiful white sandbanks and other attractions.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit the islands of Belitung is from April to September.

This is the dry season in Indonesia, so there's less rain, plenty of sunshine, calm seas, and better visibility for snorkeling.

Months to avoid are November to January, as they have more rainfall. If you must visit during the rainy season, plan to stay for a few extra days in case of bad weather.