Pulau Batu Berlayar

Batu Berlayar, meaning 'sailing stone', is a small group of granite boulders and a sliver of sand set in shallow, very clear water a short boat ride from Tanjung Kelayang. Its name comes from one tall, flat-sided rock that from some angles looks like the sail of a boat.

There is little to do here beyond wading, swimming and taking photographs, but that is the appeal: the colours of the water over the white sand and the shapes of the rocks make it one of the most striking short stops of an island-hopping day. At low tide you can walk around the rocks; at higher tides the sand shrinks and the boulders appear to float.

Batu Berlayar is almost always visited on a boat tour together with Lengkuas, Pulau Pasir and Kepayang, and you will usually stay for 20 to 30 minutes. There are no facilities, shade or food on the islet, so bring water and sun protection. Visibility and tides vary through the day, and boat crews generally plan the route to arrive when the water is at its clearest.