Getting There and Best Season in Belitung

Part of the Belitung travel guide — see every topic in All Belitung Guides.

Belitung is easy to reach by air. All flights land at H.A.S. Hanandjoeddin Airport near Tanjung Pandan, the main town on the west coast. The island is quiet and spread out, with good roads but almost no public transport, so planning how to get around matters. The weather also matters, because island hopping depends on a calm sea.

Flights

Several airlines fly from Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta to Tanjung Pandan many times a day, and the flight takes about one hour. There are also flights from Pangkal Pinang on nearby Bangka island. In 2026 Scoot started flights from Singapore, which makes Belitung easy to reach from abroad. Schedules change often, so check current routes before you plan. The airport is small and close to Tanjung Pandan, about 20 to 30 minutes by car from the centre and about 45 minutes from the north coast beaches.

Getting around

Belitung has almost no public buses for visitors. Most people rent a car with a driver for the day, which is affordable and easy to arrange through hotels. Self-drive cars and motorbikes are also available, and roads are good and quiet. Ride-hailing apps work in Tanjung Pandan, but cars can be hard to find on the coast. Distances are bigger than they look: the north coast is about 40 minutes from town, and Manggar in the east is about 1.5 hours.

Best season

The drier months, roughly April to October, are the best time to visit. The sea is usually calm, the water is clear and island hopping boats run every day. From about November to March the wet season brings heavy rain and strong winds, and on rough days boats may not sail to the islands. Even then, there are often sunny breaks. Temperatures are hot all year, around 25 to 32 degrees. Indonesian school holidays and long weekends are busier, so book rooms early at those times.

Where to stay

There are two main bases. Tanjung Pandan has the most hotels, restaurants and shops, and it is close to the airport and Kaolin Lake. The north coast, around Tanjung Kelayang and Tanjung Tinggi, has beach resorts and guesthouses, and it is close to the boats and the best beaches. Many visitors spend two nights on the coast and one in town. Three or four days is enough to see the main sights at a relaxed pace. If you only have two days, stay on the north coast and visit town on the way back to the airport.

Getting There and Best Season at a glance

More in Belitung

All 5 Belitung guides·Indonesia tourist maps

Featured Videos