Manggar & East Belitung

East Belitung (Belitung Timur) is the quieter half of the island, about ninety minutes' drive from Tanjung Pandan. Its main town, Manggar, calls itself the town of a thousand coffee shops, and the morning ritual of strong kopi and conversation is a real part of local life.

Gantong, near Manggar, is the home of the Laskar Pelangi story, and a replica of the school from the film stands there alongside the Andrea Hirata literary museum. The coast has long, empty beaches such as Serang and Nyiur Melambai, and the Burung Mandi Buddhist temple overlooks the sea.

Facilities are simpler here, with small hotels and homestays, but the drive across the island is part of the experience, passing old mining lakes and pepper gardens.