Museum Kata Andrea Hirata

Museum Kata Andrea Hirata was founded by the author of Laskar Pelangi in Gantung, the East Belitung town where he grew up, and is often described as Indonesia's first literary museum. The traditional Malay house has been painted in bright colours, inside and out, and filled with quotations, photographs, book covers from translated editions around the world and rooms dedicated to the characters of the novels.

It is a playful, personal place rather than a formal museum. Some rooms recreate scenes from the stories, others celebrate reading and education, and the walls are covered with words in Indonesian and English. At the back, a traditional coffee shop serves kopi brewed over a wood fire in the old Belitung style, a pleasant place to rest.

The museum is a few minutes from the Replika SD Laskar Pelangi, so visit both together. Allow about an hour. There is an entry fee that contributes to the museum's educational work. Opening hours can vary, so check by phone before making the trip from Tanjung Pandan, around 90 minutes away.