Indonesia is known worldwide for its natural beauty that can hypnotize anyone. The leaders and delegations of countries who attended the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on 5-7 September 2023 were no exception. Indonesia successfully welcomed these VVIP guests in a friendly, comfortable, and safe manner. This made visiting country delegations feel at home in Indonesia for an extended period.
Many delegates are seeking a post-event destination after the 43rd ASEAN Summit. Eventually, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno recommended Belitung as a post-event trip destination for delegates of the 43rd ASEAN Summit.
The choice of Belitung as the post-event destination for the 43rd ASEAN Summit trip was not without reason. Its location is quite close to Jakarta, only taking about an hour flight from Soekarno-Hatta Airport. In addition, the natural beauty of Belitung is undoubtedly a visual delight for visiting delegates from various countries.
Featured Destinations in Belitung
One of the main attractions of Belitung is geopark tourism, which is included in the UNESCO Global Geopark (UGG) list because it has geological diversity, such as natural landscapes, rocks, minerals, geological and tectonic processes, as well as the evolution of the earth that has occurred in Belitung. This fact also contributes to the diversity of fauna and flora in Belitung, including toman fish (giant snakehead), hampala fish (Hampala macrolepidota), tarsiers, and herbal plants, which residents continuously look after.
The Belitung Geopark area consists of 4,800 square kilometers of land and 13,000 square meters of sea, divided into 17 geosites in the Belitung Geopark area. One of the most favorite geosite is Batu Bedil Trias Granite Rock. The expanse of towering granite rocks, which are gentle enough to climb, is the attraction of this geosite. A small pier extending towards the Natuna Sea is a favorite spot for taking selfies.
Besides Batu Bedil Trias Granite Rock, Juru Seberang is worth visiting during a holiday in Belitung. In this post-mining rehabilitation area, we can find interesting things, ranging from white sand beaches and mangrove forests to animal fossils estimated to have existed since 542 million years ago.
In addition to Juru Seberang, several former mining locations have now been transformed into tourist destinations that are no less beautiful to visit, such as Nam Salu Open Pit, Garumedang Tektite, and Lake Kaolin. Belitung is also famous for its beautiful beaches, such as Tanjung Kelayang Beach, Burung Mandi Beach, Punai Beach, and Siantu Pillow Lava.
Another interesting fact why you should go to Belitung is that it is famous for its nickname, "The City of 1001 Coffee Shops". So, don't miss the pleasure of a cup of typical Belitung coffee when you stop by Laskar Pelangi Island.
Two coffee shops worth visiting in Belitung are Warung Kopi Ake and Warung Kopi Kong Djie. Both coffee shops are over 50 years old, so there's no need to doubt the taste, right?
Photo: Shutterstock/Eddie Cheever