Coral Triangle · Indonesia
Belitung
Granite boulders above and below the water, with coral and wrecks among them.
Belitung, an Indonesian island known for its giant granite boulders, carries the same topography underwater: boulder formations and coral reefs around the offshore islets, plus several wrecks. Day boats from Tanjung Kelayang run to Lengkuas Island, the Indomarine wreck and the channel at Cepar Cepor, with most dives between 5 and 20 m. The draw is granite scenery on calm reefs, best in the dry months.
About diving in Belitung
Diving here is a boat day out of Tanjung Kelayang Beach. The islets that hold the sites lie a short run offshore; Lengkuas Island, with its lighthouse, is about 30 minutes by boat. A typical fun-dive day starts at Cepar Cepor in the morning, stops on Kelayang Island for lunch, then dives the Indomarine wreck in the afternoon before calling at Lengkuas. The island is remote and little developed, so only a few dive centres work its waters.
Underwater the coast repeats what shows above it: large granite boulders that house small coral reefs. Batu Berlayar has dramatic rock formations above and below the surface, and Cepar Cepor has diverse coral formations and bommies that shelter tropical reef fish. The Indomarine wreck, covered in coral, is home to angelfish, damselfish and yellow-striped fish, along with a pufferfish about the size of a pillow. Lengkuas has a thriving coral reef full of reef fish.
The diving suits newer divers and anyone after calm reefs set among unusual granite scenery: it is easy and shallow, and the clear water makes the trips good for snorkellers too. Beginners are allowed on the Indomarine wreck, though it is better to dive it with an instructor or a buddy and to know the basics of wreck diving; the mooring line is the safest path between wreck and boat. Experienced divers have the Lighthouse Wreck, which sits in a channel between islands and is rated for advanced divers.
Best time to dive Belitung
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair |
The rainy season runs from October to March, and its torrential rain can cut visibility and make the boat ride choppy. The better window opens towards the end of March and lasts until early October. May to September is the dry season, with calm seas and excellent visibility, so those months rate prime. April sits between the two and rates good, while October, at the start of the rains, rates fair with the rest of the wet season.
Dive types & marine life
Schooling fish at Cepar Cepor are a matter of luck rather than a fixture, and sea turtles at Lengkuas turn up only occasionally. Clownfish, parrotfish and moray eels live on the Lengkuas reefs, and Pulau Leebong adds seahorses, lionfish, nudibranchs and sea cucumbers.
- Reef
- Wreck
- Drift
- Reef fish swarms
- Nudibranchs
Best dive sites in Belitung
- 1
Indomarine Wreck
Ship about 40 m long that sank around 1995 and now lies at 20 m, grown over with coral.
- 2
Cepar Cepor
Drift through a channel between two granite islands, 5 to 25 m, with a chance of schooling fish.
- 3
Lengkuas Island
Calm coral gardens from 5 to 20 m beneath the island's historic lighthouse.
- 4
Batu Berlayar
Sailing Rock Island: granite pinnacles with narrow swim-throughs and coral-covered walls.
- 5
Batu Malang Penyu
Coral between Lengkuas and Kepayang Island, crossed by schools of reef fish.
- 6
Pulau Leebong
Calm lagoon and mangrove-edge reef dives over a shallow, sandy bottom suited to macro.
Site guides
Coral garden
Bommie-hopping along a granite channel off Kepayang Island
Wreck
A coral-grown hull that newer divers can visit on a mooring line
Coral gardens below a century-old lighthouse that still works
Muck & macro
Seahorses and nudibranchs on a calm, sandy bottom
How to get to Belitung
H.A.S. Hananjoeddin Airport (TJQ) is the only airport serving the island. Dive boats leave from Tanjung Kelayang Beach, where boats can also be hired for the 30-minute crossing to Lengkuas Island. Dive centres are based at Tanjung Kelayang and in East Belitung.
Photos from Belitung
HeyFromINDO · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ayufib · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dive videos
EAST BELITUNG UNDERWATER - DIVING BELITUNG TIMUR · Visit East Belitung on YouTube
Questions divers ask
When is the best time to dive Belitung?+
May to September, the dry season, brings calm seas and excellent visibility. From October to March heavy rain can reduce visibility and make the boat ride choppy, though the better conditions begin towards the end of March.
Can beginners dive the Indomarine wreck?+
Yes. Beginners are allowed on the wreck, though it is better to go with an instructor or a buddy. It lies at 20 m, so newer divers should follow the mooring line down and back.
How do divers get to the Belitung dive sites?+
By boat from Tanjung Kelayang Beach: about 30 minutes to Lengkuas Island and 40 minutes to Cepor Cepor. Pulau Leebong is reached instead by a 20-minute boat from Tanjung Ru.
Sources
- Belitung Island Dive Site Guide — theDiveGlobe
- 7 Best Diving in Sumatra Indonesia — Medan Tour
- Activities — Rock & Wreck Dive Resort
- GWEN Dive Centre — GWEN Dive Centre
- Belitung — Wikivoyage
- 10 Best Diving & Snorkeling Spots in Belitung Island — Indonesia Impression Tour
- Paket Diving Belitung — Billitone Capture
- Enjoying the Attraction in Indomarine Wreck — Indonesia-Tourism.com
- Paket One Day Tour Fun Diving Belitung — Belitung Wonderful
- Diving | Bangka-Belitung Islands — Scubago
Photo credits
- Clear turquoise shallows among huge rounded grey granite boulders, with a white sand beach and trees behind under a blue sky by HeyFromINDO, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A small wooded islet ringed with grey granite boulders in a calm, pale sea under an overcast sky by Ayufib, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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