Natuna Islands, located at the northern tip of Indonesia. Bunguran, Jemaja, and Serasan island are the three largest islands in this archipelago. Natuna Islands was a district in Riau Islands Province, with capital Ranai Bunguran Island.
Surrounded in the Natuna Sea, bordering Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The islands have beautiful scenery, with beaches that are still virgin. There are beach tourism, such as the Tanjung beach, Sebagul, Selahang Gulf, Setengar, and so forth. Suitable for snorkeling, turtle habitat observations, and lovers of the underwater tour.
Senoa Island is the outermost islands of Indonesia, can be reached by pompong (small boats). This Island shape looks like pregnant women who were lying on the sea. In Senoa Island, visitors will find a turtle that roam freely on the beach. On this island there are also a number of swallow nest in the cave.
There are also rocks and cave tourist attraction such Batu Sindu cave, Batu Kapal, Alive Stone Park, and so forth. Natuna has a number of large boulders scattered throughout the island. The rocks are protected and used as tourist objects by local government. This form of rocks are also unique, like Batu Kapal in the form of two large boulders that lined. The shape resembles like a huge ship that dumped off on the beach. Alive Stone Park is in the form of a standing ellipse stone.
Natuna has one of the rare ape species commonly known by the name “kekah”. Kekah only live in Bunguran Island at Sintu Mountain region (Pian Tengah, Sepang, Seberang), Ranai mount and Ceruk Mount. Kekah are eating fruit, leaves, and roots; live in groups, rather difficult to be approached as shy and timid.
How to get there
To reach Natuna Islands we can use the small Fokker aircraft with a capacity of about 45 passenger from Hang Nadim Airport, Batu Besar, Batam, or from Airport Kijang, Tanjung Pinang. Plane trip takes 1 hour 30 minutes; ticket prices Rp 830.000 – 900.000.
Schedule: Pekanbaru – Tg Pinang – Natuna three times a week; Batam – Natuna once 1 week
We can also use the pelni ship from Kijang Harbor, Tanjung Pinang. This ship will return to the Natuna one week later. The trip by boat takes approximately 12 hours at a cost of Rp. 150.000.