Forget the beaches in Bali, Lombok and Gili islands. The Kei Islands in the far and remote South-East Indonesia offer beaches that easily compare to the Maldives and The Seychelles. Want to talk some serious beaches? Do yourself a favor and hop on a domestic flight from Bali or Jakarta to Langgur in the Kei Islands and find yourself in the dazzling warm sun, flour-like white sand and azure blue ocean without the crowds. Today, I am talking about Ngurtavur Beach also known as snake island and in my opinion the most beautiful beach I have seen in Indonesia.
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Ngurtafur Beach at Warbal Island offers an exotic natural beauty with so many attractions. The beach is not surrounding the island like any other beaches. Instead, it is basically seven meters wide and it spreads out to the sea for two miles long from Warbal Island towards a row of stunning coral reefs and atolls. The beach is fully visible once the tidal is low and you can walk on the stunning white sand carpet into the middle of the sea, offering spectacular ocean and uninhabited island views.
Hiring a boat from the main island Kei Kecil will take you to Ngurtavur Beach. Savana Cottages offers a great day tour package and the staff at hotel Grand Vilia in Langgur city are also able to set up a day trip for you. Make sure to pack a lunch, snacks and lots of water as there are no restaurants on and around Ngurtavur beach. Yes, this beach is that remote. It will take you about an hour to get there from the main island. When the weather is calm you can view the coral reefs through the crystal clear waters. If you bring your snorkeling gear, you can jump straight from the boat for a refreshing swim and experience the spectacular underwater sea life. Last year, we went snorkeling a few times and let me tell you it was so beautiful you couldn’t get me out the water for the life of it. Hello, tropical fish and leatherback sea turtles! The leatherback sea turtles called Penyu Belimbing or Tabob by the locals are on the WWF rare species list and therefore protected, so nobody is allowed to harm them. You might bump into one, so bring your camera!
1- Make sure to travel to Ngurtavur when the wind is really calm. The ocean get’s rough when there’s a strong wind, and it can get quite scary on a small open boat with waves crashing into it. The wind was pretty strong that day and I was a bit afraid the boat would capsize! I might look happy and relaxed on these photos, but the truth is that I was just happy we all survived the trip. Check my happy smile. The funny thing was that the captain of the boat was super relaxed and the wind didn’t seem to bother him one bit. On the other hand, when the wind is calm, it is an amazing experience with lots to see – think passing by uninhabited tiny islands. Do check the weather beforehand and bring life vests just in case! On our last trip, we were not provided with those and it made the trip nerve wrecking because we had a few friends on the board who couldn’t swim. The best time to visit Ngurtavur is from April through May and from October until December. The ocean will mostly be still like a sparkling mirror
2- Another safety rule is to bring enough sunscreen. The sun rays are killing here and you can burn your skin in this part of Indonesia in a matter of minutes. Don’t go any lower than an SPF50. Trust me you will thank me for it.
3- Swimming and snorkeling are amazing here, just be careful with the sharp coral reefs. You can easily hurt or scratch yourself, so enjoy your swim, but keep that in mind. Nothing spoils your perfect get-away more than spending time in a hospital injured. It’s always a good idea to carry a first aid kit anyways. Thankfully there are lots of amazing spots with no reefs to swim for you, so this should not be a problem at all. I have lived in Indonesia for six months and visited many, many times and have never hurt myself. So there!
1– The water is clear like glass. It’s out of this world beautiful.
2– Kei island’s white sandy beaches are nothing like anywhere else in the world. The sand has the softest texture you have ever seen! It looks and feels like white flour. National Geographic crowned this incredibly special white sand as the softest sand in Asia
3– Ngurtavur Beach is an untouched paradise. There are not many tourists here, so you can basically have the whole beach to yourself and feel like a total rockstar. I mean rockstars own tropical beaches right? You get the point.
4: If you are lucky enough you can meet flocks of pelicans hanging out on Ngurtavur Beach. These birds migrate from Australia and choose these islands to become their habitat.
Photos shot by: @tukangphoto_ewcolletion
Tick off your bucket list by visiting Ngurtavur, one of the most beautiful beaches in Indonesia. I promise, you won’t regret it. If you ever wish to visit this magical place and have any questions, don’t hesitate to shoot me an email with your questions. I will be happy to help you to get there.
With love:
Tamara Chloé
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