So you've decided to explore this mystical tropical paradise, Anambas, that until recently you'd never even heard of but that fascinated you from the word get-go. Ok, great choice. Next step is finding out the best way to get there.

Now, getting to Anambas may not necessarily be the easiest thing to do, given that the Bounty island archipelago has yet to be discovered when it comes to tourism. Take it as the price you pay for being one of the first to venture out to an almost completely off-grid frontier territory.

With that said, the little bit of extra time and effort will almost certainly be worth it. After all, how many remote castaway islands are there left in the world that have yet to be discovered, let alone explored?

Air or Sea

In a nutshell, there are 2 ways to get to Anambas, one fast and one slow.

The plane will get you to your destination swiftly, but it won't be a surprise to learn that it comes at a higher price. Still, if you're keen to maximize your time in Anambas, then taking the flight is arguably the more suitable option, in spite of the frequent surprise cancellations the Anambas route appears to suffer from lately.

Your alternative is the ferry. Keep in mind though that the ferry trip will take upwards of 10 hours. Still, with the price for a ferry ticket at about one third of a plane ticket, budget travelers especially will appreciate the ferry option.

Incidentally, the ferry tends to the main option for the islanders, not only for its lower cost, but also in view of the way more generous luggage limits, as compared to the airplane. Something to keep in mind if you're planning to bring your own scuba gear or your kiteboard/foiling/windsurf equipment.

Additionally, at least for those who believe that getting there is half the fun, taking the ferry is really a lot more fun. And frankly, in light of the longer journey duration, you will find you have more opportunity to connect with the locals in the passenger cabin than during the way shorter plane ride.

One final thing to take note of is that, like most young nations, Indonesia is rather up and coming and, as such, is subject to rapid development. This applies to its economy in general, but to its infrastructure and transport sectors, in particular.

In other words, the result of this rather dynamic nature is that aerial and ferry services, too, tend to be in constant flux. So make sure you check you've got the latest schedule, route and ticket price.

Enquiry

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