Havana Mutiara Hotel

Havana Mutiara is a straightforward city hotel on Jalan Endek, right in the middle of Tanjung Pandan near the Batu Satam monument roundabout. With almost 900 Google reviews and a solid average, it is one of the most popular budget options on the island.

Rooms are plain but cover the basics, with air conditioning, hot water (which can take a moment to arrive) and reasonably sized standard rooms that fit two or three people. Breakfast is included and guests describe a decent variety of dishes. Parking is limited, so it suits travellers using drivers or scooters rather than those with a hire car.

What you are paying for is the location. You can walk to Tanjung Pendam beach, the original Kong Djie coffee house, Mie Belitung shops, cafes, souvenir stores and street food that keeps going into the evening, which makes it easy to eat well without transport. For island hopping, arrange a pick-up to the Tanjung Kelayang jetty, around 40 minutes north. A dependable, good-value choice for a night or two either side of the beaches.