Natuna Islands
The Natuna Islands (Kepulauan Natuna) are an archipelago of 272 islands, forming the Natuna Regency (Kabupaten Natuna) of Indonesia's Riau Islands province. The islands are in the South China Sea, about halfway between Peninsular Malaysia's East Coast and the island of Borneo.
Regions
- Great Natuna (Natuna Besar) — Often referred to simply as Natuna, this is by far the largest island in the archipelago, and the main centre for trade and transportation.
- Serasan — An island district (kecamatan) that comprises several small islands in which are closer to Sarawak and West Kalimantan.
- Subi Island — First destination from Lampa Strait Port before hopping to Serasan and Pontianak. Comprises remote beach and island such as Karang Aji Island
Other destinations
- 🌍 Pulau Laut. Northernmost island district/kecamatan in Regency with long pier on its Port. If there's no transportation activities, local often use the pier for fishing.
Understand
History
The first recorded mention of the Natuna Islands dates back to a visit by Chinese monk-explorer I-Tsing in 671 AD. In 1597, Sultan Abdul Jalil Shah III of Johor claimed the islands, which were already settled by this time. In 1824, the Dutch and British signed a treaty which carved the Johor Sultanate into three parts: Johor proper (now Malaysia), Singapore as the Straits Settlements, and Riau-Lingga Sultanate as a sphere of Dutch influence. During Riau-Lingga Kingdom, each of the islands were ruled by one Datok Kaya, except Great Natuna, which was ruled by two.
After the King of Riau-Lingga was forced to exile to Singapore in 1911, Natuna Islands became part of the Dutch division of Pulau Tudjuh ("Seven Islands") together with the other island groups between Riau and Sumatra, namely the Anambas, Tambelan and Badas Islands. This split carried over into independent Indonesia, but in 1999 Tambelas and Badas were moved into Bintan and in 2008 Anambas became its own regency.
In 2007, a Marine Protected Area (MPA) was declared around the Natuna Islands. Alas, enforcement has been minimal and rampant overfishing continues, further complicated by a territorial squabble with China over fishing rights at the northernmost tip of the area.
People
The 2000 census stated that, at least, almost 86% or 85,27% people in Natuna Regency registered as people with Malay ethnicity. 6,34% of the whole Natuna Regency population comes from Java and 2,52% of them are people with Chinese background. From people with Malay background, several can be broken down into some regions such as Terengganu, Pattani, Batam, Bintan, and plenty other Malay from mainland Sumatra.
Climate
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Located only a few degrees north of the equator, the Natuna Islands are tropical, hot and humid throughout the year. October to December is the rainy season, when it's frequently overcast for days, while February to April is the driest period.
Talk
Indonesian is the main language of the islands. Plenty of Terengganu and Pattani people came over here for decades so knowledge of Malay is helpful for travelling around the regency. Few locals understand English.
Get in
The Natuna Islands are a long way from anywhere, so the vast majority of visitors arrive by plane.
By plane
- 🌍 Ranai Airport (NTX IATA) (Bandara Ranai) (from town centre of East Bunguran, go straight on Jalan Soekarno, then turn right into Jalan Bandara Ranai). Formerly known as Raden Sadjad Airport. Daily flights from Batam operated by Wings Air at 08:00 departure and 09:45 a.m. arrival.
Flights from Sriwijaya or Nam Air operate with 12:30 departure and 13:45 arrival on Thursday and 11:50 departure and 13:05 arrival on Saturday. No flights operated on Sunday.
By boat
- 🌍 Serasan Pioneer Port/Pelabuhan Perintis Serasan. First port stop for every MVs from Pontianak.
- 🌍 Subi Port/Pelabuhan Subi. Stopover port before arriving at Great Natuna/Bunguran Island.
- 🌍 Midai Port/Pelabuhan Midai. It is between Natuna and Anambas Islands but the vessels from Pontianak often stop here before arriving at Natuna.
- 🌍 Lampa Strait Port/Pelabuhan Selat Lampa, ☏ +62-822-6895-4007. There is a main port in Strait of Lampa, south of Bunguran Island, the main island, where the Pelni MV Bukit Raya and MV Bahtera Nusantara 01 stops between Jakarta to Pontianak almost every 15 days. There are also Sabuk and Perentis, which serve various places in the archipelago.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there are uncertainties in MV's departure schedule. However, MV Bukit Raya's February 2021 schedule and June 2021 schedule was as follows:
Priok Cape/Tanjung Priok North Jakarta, departed on Thursday (11/2) at 23.00 ≫ Belinyu Bangka Island, arrived on Friday (12/2) at 03.00, departed at 04.00 ≫ Batam, arrived on Saturday (13/2) at 22.00, departed at 24.00 ≫ Letung Jemaja, arrived on Sunday (14/2) at 14.00, departed at 15.00 ≫ Tarempa Anambas, arrived at 19.00, departed at 20.00 ≫ Natuna, arrived on Monday (15/2) at 07.00, departed at 09.00 ≫ Midai, arrived at 13.00, departed at 14.00 ≫ Serasan, arrived at 21.00, departed at 22.00 ≫ Pontianak, arrived on Tuesday (16/2) at 12.00
Pontianak, departed on Sunday (13/6) at 20.00 ≫ Serasan, arrived on Monday (14/6) at 10.00, departed at 11.00 ≫ Natuna, arrived on Tuesday (15/6) at 00.00, departed at 01.00 ≫ Tarempa Anambas, arrived at 11.00, departed at 12.00 ≫ Letung Jemaja, arrived at 16.00, departed at 17.00 ≫ Batam, arrived on Wednesday (16/6) at 06.00.
Any attempt to book the ticket should be made to official website of PELNI and contact them through WhatsApp line on +62-811-1621-162
Get around
From Strait of Lampa, in the main harbour, you can get a small boat to Sabang Mawang Island, Kumbik Island or Sedanau Island for Rp15,000-20,000, where you can stay on a simple guest house. The trip takes a half hour.
In Bunguran Island, there is a share car, 1 hr. There is an immigration office in Ranai where you can extend your visa.
There is no public transportation on the island, but you can either rent a bicycle, motorcycle (sepeda motor or just motor in Indonesian or motosikal in Malay), or a car in Ranai. Most islands in Natuna Islands are accessible by motorcycle or petrol powered scooter.
See
Great Natuna/Bunguran Island
- 🌍 Aleph Stone Park/Taman Batu Alif, Jalan Raya Sepempang. Giant Rock beach that is similar to Laskar Pelangi movie scene in Belitung.
- 🌍 Great Natuna/Agung Natuna Mosque. Completed in 2009, the mosque is the central place for Muslims across Natuna Islands Regency to pray. As a sign of respect, remove your shoes and wash your face and hands before entering. Make sure you wear appropriate clothing although full-length jeans are sufficiently modest to be tolerated.
- 🌍 Kumbik Island/Cape of Kumbik.
- 🌍 al Qiam/Qiyam Mosque. Historical mosque in Natuna Islands. If you're lucky, the locals will show you historical cemeteries in Pulau Tiga Island District/Kecamatan Pulau Tiga.
- 🌍 Root Island/Pulau Akar Geosite. Trees are growing from cracks of the rocks in this "Island".
- 🌍 Sabang Mawang.
- 🌍 Sedanau Island (45 minutes southwestward travel from Ranai City). Main settlement in West Bunguran which is more populated than villages in West Bunguran District. 70% of the residents of this island live on houses floating on water and can be compared to Brunei's Kampong Ayer.
Mangrove parks
- 🌍 Pering Mangrove Ecotourism (2.5 km from Pering Pier and 600 metres from East Bunguran Public High School №2/SMA Negeri 2 Bunguran Timur), ☏ +62-822-8412-9248, +62-813-7166-4440. M-F 13:00-17:00, Sa Su 07:00-17:00. Also spelled as "Pring Mangrove Ecotourism". Opened in March 2022, the park consists of one kilometre exclusive wooden pier for boardwalk
- 🌍 Sebuton Mekar Jaya Mangrove Park (at least 70 km southwest 9f Ranai Town, the entrance gate of the park is 1.2 km from Sebuton/Sibintun River pier), ☏ +62-822-8412-9248, +62-813-7166-4440. Make sure to call the phone number if you want to go to restaurant for its crab or its Pilsbryoconcha exilis/freshwater clam. The locals called clam as kerang lokan/lukan. Try coconut drink in a hard shell mixed with mangrove syrup.
Spend the time by walking over the wooden track for at least 900 metres, seeing endangered Natuna Island surili known by local as kekah monkey/kekah, tracking the stream by wooden motor powered boat, or catching black crab/Scylla serrata/kepiting bakau and blue crab/Portunus armatus/kepiting rajungan.
Serasan Islands
Do
Diving
- 🌍 Genting Island (Acessible by traditional fisherfolk boat from Lampa Strait Port for at least 90 minutes or an hour and 30 minutes. Boat will stop at Serantas Village Pier of Pulau Tiga District). People will usually use these opportunities to do snorkeling and diving by equipment that usually rented in Great Natuna Island, especially in Ranai Town.
- 🌍 Senua/Senoa Island. A tiny island east of Sepempang Village in East Bunguran. The island is noted for its tiny cave, public bath, seeing kekah monkey, and coral reef. Snorkeling and Diving also can be done here
Fishing
- 🌍 Setai Island (30 minutes by traditional fisherfolk boat from Lampa Strait Port). Bigger island than Setanau island, this island is the destination not only for snorkeling and diving but also for spear fishing. estimated from Rp400,000 to Rp500,000.
- 🌍 Setanau Beach (20 minutes ride from Lampa Strait Port. Island located next to Setai Island). An island in Sabang Mawang village.
Buy
Exchange some Indonesian rupiah before coming to Natuna, since while there are some banks in the islands, exchange rates will be very poor.
- 🌍 Chinese Construction Bank, General Sudirman Street (close to Ahmad Yani Street), ☏ +62-773-31292. M-F 08:00-16:00.
- 🌍 Mandiri Bank, 96-98 Datuk Kaya Wan Muhammad Benteng Street (3km Southward of Great Natuna Mosque), ☏ +62-773-31497, +62-773-31498, fax: +62-773-31623. M-F 08:00-16:00.
- 🌍 National Bank of Indonesia (BNI), Datuk Kaya Wan Muhammad Benteng Street (3km Southward of Great Natuna Mosque), ☏ +62-773-31473, fax: +62-773-31390. M-F 08:00-16:00.
- 🌍 People's Bank of Indonesia (BRI), Datuk Kaya Wan Muhammad Benteng Street (on the same side of the road with BNI, but closer to Great Mosque than BNI), ☏ +62-773-31074. M-F 08:00-15:00.
- 🌍 BRI, 68 Soekarno-Hatta Street (2 km from the airport and close to Mira Guesthouse), ☏ +62-773-31393. M-F 08:00-15:00.
- 🌍 State Bank of Riau-Kepri, Kampong Pelimpak Street, Setelung Cape/Tanjung Setelung Village, ☏ +62-821-7031-5022. M-F 08:00-16:00.
- 🌍 Bank Riau-Kepri, Liberty Street/Jalan Merdeka (close to Midai Island Pier), ☏ +62-857-6561-3847. M-F 08:00-15:00.
Eat
- 🌍 Old Town of Penagi, Pelantar Penagi Street (Out of Terminal 1 Airport, then turn right and stay straight until the corner on the left (about 4 km)). Contains an inactive pier, a Confucian temple and a Muslims' prayer room/Surau constructed next to each other, and Sambal/Spicy Resto "Cak Kirun". Most were left in 1999, when the new port and seat of the government were set at Ranai.
The locals will introduce you to try kernas meatball, a meatball made from mixture of sago grains and tuna fish. The sambal will be provided in different dish/plate.
Sleep
Budget
- 🌍 Nasywa Guesthouse, Kampong Pelimpak, ☏ +62-822-5323-2675. Rp100,000 with bathroom outside the bed and Rp120,000 with bathroom inside bedroom.
- 🌍 Mira Guesthouse/Penginapan Mira, 55 Soekarno Hatta Street (next to bridge and Piwang Beach/Play Ground. Quite close to BRI), ☏ +62-821-4515-1475. Ranai has plenty of hotels. Mira guest house is one of the cheapest with Rp50,000 for a simple double room with fan and bathroom. Rp50,000.
- Pulau Sabang Mawang: From Strait of Lampa you can ask to drop at Sabang Mawang Balai, where there is a Abdul Ghafur Home Stay, (Rp50,000, 2017), a warm family, with no english speaker.
- In Sabang Mawang Barat, there is a guest house for Rp50,000.
- Pulau Kumbik has two guest house, Rainbow guest house (Rp50,000, 2017), on the harbour, another a few meters from there.
Mid-range
- 🌍 Madani Sharia Hotel, 30 Soebrantas Street (below the foot of Mt Ranai), ☏ +62-821-4515-1475. Its building design really fits an Indonesian ordinary people's house. Rp200,000 for one person and Rp250,000 to Rp300,000 for a double.
- 🌍 De Best Hotel Natuna, Datuk Kaya Wan Muhammad Benteng Street (1.5 km to Aleph Stone Park), ☏ +62-819-5959-3939. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Standard room for Rp200,000 and VIP for Rp250,000.
- 🌍 Hotel Central, 109 Soekarno Hatta Street, ☏ +62-773-31248.
Splurge
- 🌍 Elmas Hotel, Datuk Kaya Wan Muhammad Benteng Street, ☏ +62-821-8159-2023, +62-812-8189-1861. Rp380,000 to Rp550,000.
- Adiwana Jelita Sejuba Natuna (Natuna Besar). Natuna's first barefoot luxury resort. From Rp. 2 million.
Stay healthy
Don't expect to find good hospital here since Natuna is far from any metropolitan city in Indonesia. But, if you are Indonesian and you bring BPJS, you can come to all of Puskesmas/Government Clinics in every village/desa or Island District/kecamatan free without charge around M-F at 06.00 to 10.30. Make sure that you bring your own BPJS card and your BPJS status is active.
Not every government clinics have their own "24 hours service". But, if they do, make sure you come after 14:00 and bring Rp20,000 to Rp30,000 for registration
- 🌍 Natuna General Hospital/Rumah Sakit Umum Daerah Natuna, Ali Murtopo Street, ☏ +62-773-31128. 06:00 to 10:30. Make sure you come at least before 08:00 because, usually, they'll close the registration on 08:00 or 09:00. By showing activated BPJS card, most of services in the hospital asked referral from government clinic in villages/districts. Even if you don't bring BPJS card, the hospital will bill the prescription and services in a reasonably price rather than private hospital in most metropolitan areas
- 🌍 Yuniati Karyani Air Force Hospital (2.2 km southward from terminal 1 of the airport), ☏ +62-773-321-1156.
Respect
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Ramadan Ramadan is the 9th and holiest month in the Islamic calendar and lasts 29–30 days. Muslims fast every day for its duration and most restaurants will be closed until the fast breaks at dusk. Nothing (including water and cigarettes) is supposed to pass through the lips from dawn to sunset. Non-Muslims are exempt from this, but should still refrain from eating or drinking in public as this is considered very impolite. Working hours are decreased as well in the corporate world. Exact dates of Ramadan depend on local astronomical observations and may vary somewhat from country to country. Ramadan concludes with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which may last several days, usually three in most countries.
If you're planning to travel to Natuna Islands during Ramadan, consider reading Travelling during Ramadan. |
Riding motorcycle outside Great Natuna/Bunguran Island, especially in small islands, with 30 km/h speed can be considered as rude gesture. Make sure you ride your motorcycle for at least 20 km/h. 20-30 km/h speed can still be tolerated.
Cope
- 🌍 Ranai Immigration Office/Kantor Imigrasi Ranai, Jalan Datuk Kaya Wan Muhammad Benteng No. 74, Ranai, Bunguran Timur (3 km straight way from airport), ☏ +62-773-31366, +62-812-7619-4447. M-Th on 07.30-16.00, F 07.30-16.30. Expect lunch time from 12.00 to 13.00 and Friday prayer congregation from 11.30 to 13.00. Especially for non-Southeast Asian foreign passport holders, the office building is used to extend visas.
Religious services
- 🌍 Dharma Bhakti Temple. A Buddhist temple constructed above the water.
- 🌍 GPPS Sedanau. Pentecostal church near Buddhist temple and vegetables' market.
- 🌍 Hill of Mercy/Bukit Kasih GPIB Church, Jalan Lingkar Natuna (From roundabout of Great Mosque of Natuna, turn right to go to Red Cross of Natuna then keep straight until you find the first fork/pertigaan. Stay straight until you find three houses with blue-red-dark colour then turn right. Church is on the left). A Reformed church in outskirt of Ranai town.
- 🌍 Immanuel GPiD Church, Kelarik Air Mali Village (64 km by motorcycle ride from Ranai town by taking the way up and down the hillside of the island and 93 km car drive along the coast, the Church can be found by looking at the dark coloured roof on right side of the road). Small Pentecostal church that becomes the only church in North Bunguran town. The road along hillside still not designed for cars.
- 🌍 HKBP Ranai, River Upstream Village/Desa Sungai Ulu (From General Hospital of Ranai/RSUD Ranai, drive westward and continue uphill to Natuna Regency government office centre then slight left and keep straight until you find slight right road. Church is on left side of the road). A sole Lutheran low church in whole of Regency.
- 🌍 Samudera Bhakti Temple. Buddhist temple in Ranai.
- 🌍 Siloam GPIB Church, Batubi Jaya Village (43 km from Immigration Office and 34 km from Mount/Gunung Gundul Park, the Church is located in middle of village centre). A Reformed small church in West Bunguran town.
- 🌍 St Paul Church, Adam Malik Street. An outstation from Immaculate Heart of St Mary Parish in Tanjung Pinang. Part of Diocese of Pangkal Pinang.
- 🌍 GBI Church, Kampong Pelimpak (next to Nasywa Guest House), ☏ +62-853-7269-3165. Pentecostal church with quite similar atmosphere to Kampong Ayer Brunei
Connect
Mobile phone and Internet
The main networks in Indonesia are Telkomsel, Indosat, XL, 3, and smartfren. Not all of these have good coverage for the Regency. For example, Indosat have 2G coverage only on Harapan Jaya Village in Central Bunguran district and have no coverage in West Bunguran district at all. In West Bunguran district, don't expect to have internet coverage there.
For travelling in Ranai Town and South Bunguran district, you may purchase Indonesian SIM card and ask about internet data at their official store in