If Your Are Seeking Seclusion Look No Further - Bangka Island

Looking for that great escape? 

Want to find something that is really off the grid? Seeking seclusion? Then maybe Bangka Island is just what you're looking for.

Not to be confused with the Bangka Island east of Sumatra, the small, verdant island I speak of is just off the northeastern tip of North Sulawesi, Indonesia. This hidden gem best known for its unspoiled beaches and dive sites, can boast of no real roads, three main coastal villages, and only five eco-resorts which cater to divers and snorkelers. Of its three villages, Lihuni is the largest, followed by Kahuku and Libas. The easiest way to get from place to place, be it village or resort, is by boat.

Green forests and pristine beaches

Geographically speaking, Bangka features lush forests & hills, coconut plantations, rocky outcrops, mangroves and pristine beaches.  Local commerce consists of dive tourism, fishing, and agricultural products such as coconuts, copra, cloves, maize and vegetables. Most of the sandy beaches and coral reefs which attract tourism are located in the southern and southwestern region of the island. The waters off the northern coastline are rockier and contain mostly seagrass rather than coral.

Unforgettable dive destination

Bangka's popularity as an international tourism destination has been on the rise ever since Dr. Hanny Batuna of Murex Dive Resorts opened the very first dive resort in North Sulawesi in 1987.  Close to Bunaken Marine National Park, many of the coral reefs surrounding Bangka attract tropical fish species such as the Napoleon wrasse, a variety of frogfish, pygmy seahorses, and an abundant collection of nudibranchs. Also known to dwell and feed off Bangka's coastal waters is the protected marine mammal, the dugong. Another treasure to be found in Bangka is the waters surrounding this island lie along a whale migration path.

So why not step onto the sands of one of Bangka's secluded beaches and step into a world of release and relaxation?  Let life go as you nestle into a hammock under the shade of trees and gaze across it's tropical turquoise waters.  Laze in the warmth of the Indonesian sun and wade in the warm waves that lap against you while you soak in the serenity of this small island paradise.

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