Natuna Islands

The Natuna group sits at the northern edge of Indonesian territory in the South China Sea, closer to Vietnam and Malaysian Borneo than to Java, and the largest island, Natuna Besar, has the district town of Ranai under Gunung Ranai, a granite massif rising to over a thousand metres. The coastline is the thing: enormous rounded granite boulders piled along beaches at Alif Stone Park and elsewhere, weathered into shapes and scattered into the shallows, with white sand between them. Offshore are reefs and small islands. The waters are economically and strategically significant - the Natuna gas fields are large, and the surrounding sea has been the subject of disputed fishing and jurisdiction claims, which is why Indonesia has invested in the area. Tourism is minimal.

What you actually see

• Piled granite boulders - the weathered rock coast at Alif Stone Park and along the shore.
• Gunung Ranai - the granite massif over the district town.
• Reefs and offshore islets - clear water with very few boats.
• Indonesia's northern edge - closer to Vietnam and Borneo than to Java.

When to go

March to October; the monsoon makes the sea rough. Four days.

Honest expectations

Access is by small aircraft on limited schedules. Accommodation and food options are basic. Banking is limited. The area is strategically sensitive; be sensible about photographing installations.

Nearby

The Anambas Islands are south-west; Pontianak and Borneo are south.