Lighthouses of Indonesia: Bintan and Lingga, Riau Islands

The Republic of Indonesia has been independent since 1945 after having been the Dutch East Indies for more than 350 years. It is a huge country, stretching along both sides of the Equator for more than 46 degrees of longitude (roughly 5100 km or 3200 miles). Comprised of some 17,000 islands (more than 6000 inhabited islands), it has hundreds of major aids to navigation.

Indonesia is divided into 38 provinces (provinsi) and the provinces are subdivided into county units called regencies (kabupaten). The Riau Islands Province includes four groups of small islands located between Sumatra and Kalimantan (Borneo). Formerly considered to be a southern extension of the South China Sea, these waters are now known as the Natuna Sea. The Riau group is south of Singapore and off the east coast of Sumatra; the Lingga group is farther south, straddling the Equator in the Karimata Strait; the Anambas group is off the east coast of West Malaysia; and the Natuna group is also in the Natuna Sea northwest of Sarawak in East Malaysia. In all there are more than 3000 islands in the province. This page includes lighthouses of the Bintan and Lingga regencies. Other pages for the province cover Karimun and Batam and Anambas and Natuna.

More than 700 languages are spoken in Indonesia. The official national language, Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia), was standardized from a form of Malay that served as a lingua franca across the archipelago. In Indonesian a lighthouse is a mercusuar or a menara suar. Tanjung is a cape, ujung is a headland or point of land, bukit is a hill, sungai is a river, kuala or muara is an estuary or river mouth, pulau is an island, karang is a reef, batu is a rock, laut is a sea, selat is a strait, teluk is a bay, pelabuhan is a harbor, and labuhan is a port.

Aids to navigation in Indonesia are operated and maintained by the Directorate of Marine Navigation within the Directorate General of Sea Transportation.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume F of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.

General Sources
Online List of Lights - Indonesia
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas. Many photos for the Singapore area are by Capt. Theo Hinrichs ("Capt. Theo").
World of Lighthouses - Indonesia
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Indonesia
Historic postcard views from the collection of Michel Forand.
Riau Islands Map
A useful map showing the regency boundaries.
GPSNavigationCharts
Navigation chart information for the Riau Islands.
Navionics Charts
Navigation chart for the Riau Islands.
 

Pulau Tekulai Light, Bintan, February 2020
Google Msps photo by Maliki _Malik

Bintan Regency: Pulau Bintan Area Lighthouses

Pulau Bintan (Bintan Island), the largest of the Riau Islands, lies roughly 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Singapore at the eastern entrance to Singapore Strait. The Riau Strait separates the west side of Bintan from the neighboring island of Batam.

East Coast (Natuna Sea) Lighthouses
Tanjung Berakit
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 68 m (223 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 30 m (98 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Part of the Tanjung Pinang Navigation District's drone view is at right and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse marks the south side of the eastern entrance to Singapore Strait from the Natuna Sea. Located on the northeastern tip of Pulau Bintan, near the village of Berakit. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1812; NGA 21176.
Pulau Sentut
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 10 s. 30 m (98 ft) square skeletal tower, painted white. Ririn Ambar has a view from the sea and Bing has a satellite view. Located on a small island in the Natuna Sea off the north side of the larger Pulau Mapor about 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Tanjung Berakit. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1808.4.
Pulau Merapas
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 121 m (397 ft); three white flashes every 5 s. 40 m (131 ft) square skeletal tower, painted white. Four 1-story Coast Guard buildings. No photo available but Google has a satellite view of the station. Located on an isolated island in the Natuna Sea about 25 km (15 mi) east of Pulau Bintan and 55 km (35 mi) southeast of Tanjung Berakit. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-168; Admiralty F1809; NGA 22694.
Pulau Kayuara
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); white flash every 4 s. No description available and the islet is only a fuzzy spot in Google's satellite view. Located atop a small island about 11 km (7 mi) south of Pulau Merapas. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1810.

South Coast Lighthouses
Pulau Kambat (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 13 m (43 ft); white flash every 3 s. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) square white skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. NGA lists a tower with a focal plane of only 5 m (16 ft). This light and the next several lights guide vessels to Kijang, a port at the southeastern end of Pulau Bintan. The approach is first west through the Telang Strait and then north through the Kijang Strait. Located on a shoal on the south side of the eastern entrance to the Telang Strait. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1807.5; NGA 22692.

Tanjung Berakit Light, Pulau Bintan, July 2017
Google Maps drone view by Disnav Tanjungpinang
Pulau Kelong (Gabi Bay)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green flash every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) square green skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has an indistinct satellite view. Located off the southwest end of Pulau Gabi (Pulau Kelong) on the north side of the Telang Strait. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1807.3; NGA 22687.
Karang Koyang
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 13 m (43 ft); green light, pattern unknown. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) round barbell-shaped green fiberglass tower on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located on the east side of the Kijang Strait off the west end of Pulau Koyang. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1807.6.
Pulau Angkut
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green flash every 4 s. 13 m (43 ft) round barbell-shaped green fiberglass tower on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located on the east side of the Kijang Strait off the west end of Pulau Angkut. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1807.7.
Pulau Mana
2008. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 13 m (43 ft) round barbell-shaped fiberglass tower on a platform supported by piles. Tower painted green with one red horizontal band. The light is centered in a dark photo, it is partly seen at the right edge of Dinaria Xu's photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was formerly described as all green; the red band indicates that although the preferred channel is to port (left) there is also a channel to starboard (right). Located off the southern tip of Pulau Mana opposite the waterfront of Kijang in southeastern Bintan. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1807.8.
Maga Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) square white skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. Eko Susanto has a video with a closeup view at 0:05 (seen at right) and Google has a satellite view. The range guides vessels leaving the Kijang Strait. Located just off the northwest point of Pulau Siolong. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1807. NGA 22680.
Maga Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 14 m (46 ft) square white skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a good satellite view. Located 740 m (0.46 mi) southwest of the front light. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1807.1; NGA 22684.
Pulau Mantang (Tanjung Punggung)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 62 m (203 ft); white flash every 3 s. 20 m (66 ft) square skeletal tower, painted white. Four 1-story Coast Guard buildings. No photo available but Google has a good satellite view of the station. Located at the southwestern tip of Pulau Mantang, an island off the south coast of Pulau Bintan. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-219; Admiralty F1806; NGA 22672.

Maga Range Front Light, Pulau Mantang, February 2023
Google Maps video frame by Eko Susanto

West Coast (Riau Strait) Lighthouses (see also Karimun and Batam)
Pulau Pangkil
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); red flash every 3 s. 19 m (62 ft) square skeletal tower, painted red and mounted on a square platform supported by piles. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located off the southwest point of Pulau Pangkil, an island in the southern Riau Strait. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1798; NGA 22660.
Tanjung Batu Hitam
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); white or red light, depending on direction, 1 s on, 1 s off. Like NGA, an Indian Notice to Mariners describes this light as a 3 m (10 ft) white beacon. The listed location, in deep forest, is clearly incorrect. The Navionics charted location suggests strongly that this light is atop the main building of a naval installation (Koarmada 1). Agus Ginanjar has a 2023 photo of the building and Google has a satellite view. Located on a headland in Tanjung Pinang, the capital of Riau Islands Province. Site and tower closed. Admiralty F1790; NGA 22656.
* Sengarang (Senggarang) Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 46 ft; white light, 2 s on, 3 s off. 10 m (33 ft) square white skeletal tower. Google has a street view (also seen at right) and an indistinct satellite view. The front light is on a much shorter tower. This light was extended about 3 m (10 ft); NGA has the older data. Located in Sengarang, a small port on the south coast of Pulau Bintan. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1796.1; NGA 22668.
Pulau Tekulai (Terkulai) (2)
Around 2019. Active; focal plane about 43 m (141 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. Approx. 40 m (131 ft) square tower with lantern and an observation level surrounding the tower near the top. The lighthouse is white with red trim, lantern red. Several station buildings. This lighthouse replaces a 20 m (66 ft) square pyramidal white skeletal tower. A 2020 photo of both lighthouses is seen at the top of this page and Mes Rant has a 2021 closeup. Ririn Ambar has a photo of the earlier lighthouse and Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island off the west coast of Pulau Bintan. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1786; NGA 22652.
Pulau Loban (Lobam Kecil) (2)
2016. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 4 s on, 4 s off. 19 m (59 ft) white skeletal tower on a platform supported by piles. The tower is described as black by NGA. Google has a satellite view. This light replaced a light on the island that was removed about 2018. Located on a small island west of Pulau Bintan, guiding vessels in the passage between Bintan and Batam Islands. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1776; NGA 22640.
Pulau Buau
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 2 s. 12 m (39 ft) white skeletal tower on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but a Google satellite view may show the light. NGA lists the light as Pulau Buan. Located off the northwestern tip of Pulau Buah. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1775; NGA 22636.

Range Rear Light, Sengarang, March 2016
Google Maps street view
 
Bandar Bentan Telani
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 10 m (33 ft); green light, pattern unknown. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) octagonal white concrete tower. A 2006 closeup and a 2023 photo are available and Google has a satellite view. Bandar Bentan Telani is an importamt terminal for ferries arriving in Bintan from Singapore. Located on a tiny islet about 800 m (1/2 mi) west of the terminal. Accessible only by boat but easy to see from shore. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1771.65.
Bandar Bentan Telani Approach South
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 10 m (33 ft); green light, pattern unknown. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) round barbell-shaped green tower on a platform supported by piles. The light is seen in a 2006 photo and Bing has a satellite view. Located on the south side of the entrance channel for the ferry port of Bentan Telani. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1771.6.
Bandar Bentan Telani Approach North
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 10 m (33 ft); red light, pattern unknown. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) round barbell-shaped red tower on a platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located on the north side of the entrance channel for the ferry port of Bentan Telani. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1771.55.
Pulau Tondang
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); red flash every 2 s. 8 m (26 ft) round white concrete tower. Reio Kimura has a distant street view and Google has a satellite view. Located on a tiny island just off the northwestern tip of Pulau Bintan. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1771.5.

Bintan Regency: Tambelan and Badas Islands Lighthouses

The Tambelan Islands and Badas Islands are located in the Natuna Sea about 320 km (200 mi) east of Pulau Bintan and 250 km (150 mi) southwest of the Natuna Islands; this places them off the southwest coast of Kalimantan (Borneo) at the northern entrance to the Karimata Strait. Administratively they are grouped together as a district (kecamatan) of Bintan Regency.

Tambelan Islands Lighthouses
Pulau Tokong Mangirang (Tokongmengirang) (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); two quick white flashes every 8 s. Described by NGA as a white fiberglass tower but Abenk Bulyan's 2016 closeup photo shows a post light mounted on a round concrete base. The light is not shown in Google's satellite view. Located on a reef about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Pulau Tambelan Besar. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1887.5; NGA 25086.2.
Tambelan (Pulau Tambelan Besar)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 3 s. 12 m (39 ft) square white skeletal tower mounted on a square platform supported by piles. A distant view is available and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a reef at the entrance to the sheltered harbor of Pulau Tambelan Besar, the largest settlement in the islands. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1887; NGA 25086.
Pulau Dumdum
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); white flash every 3 s. 12 m (39 ft) white "beacon," probably a skeletal tower. No photo available; Bing has an indistinct satellite view that probably shows the lighthouse. Located on a small, uninhabited island at the northwestern edge of the Tambelan Islands. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1889; NGA 25086.5.
Pulau Tokong Kemudi (Tokongkemudi)
Date unknown (recent). Active; focal plane 130 m (427 ft); white flash every 5 s. Described by NGA only as a white beacon. No photo available but the light is is probably seen in Bing's fuzzy satellite view. Located on a remote island at the western edge of the Tambelan Islands. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1888.5; NGA 25086.4.
Pulau Jengkulan (Jangkulan)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 10 m (33 ft) white fiberglass tower mounted on a square platform supported by piles. No photo available but Bing has a distant satellite view. Located on a small, uninhabited island about 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Pulau Tambelan Besar, halfway between the Tambelan and Badas Islands. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1888; NGA 25086.3.

Badas Islands Lighthouses
Pulau Anakaur
Date unknown. Active; focal plane unknown; two white flashes every 5 s. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) square white skeletal tower. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located on the northwestern tip of Pulau Anakaur, the westernmost of the Badas Islands, about 65 km (40 mi) southwest of Pulau Tambelan Besar. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1888.2.
Pulau Pejantan (Penjantan)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 106 m (348 ft); white flash every 6 s. 40 m (131 ft) tapered square skeletal tower painted white. Arief Setiawan's photo is at right, Rusli Ponti has a closeup photo, and Bing has a good satellite view. Located on an isolated island of the Badas group, about 100 km (60 mi) south of Pulau Tambelan Besar. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1888.4.
Pulau Pengiki
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 206 m (676 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 15 m (49 ft) white 16-sided skeletal tower. No photo available Odir Harefa has a video taken inside the tower and a second video with the view from the top. Bing has a distant satellite view. Khafid Sofyan has a view of the island from the sea; at highest zoom the tower is barely visible on the summit. Located on an island about 65 km (40 mi) west northwest of Pulau Datu off the coast of Kalimantan. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1880; NGA 25080.

Pulau Pejantan Light, Badas Islands, August 2017
ex-Google Plus photo by Arief Setiawan

Lingga Regency (Lingga Islands) Lighthouses

The Lingga Islands straddle the Equator south of the Riau group and east of Riau and Jambi Provinces of Sumatra. The total population of the islands is about 100,000.

Pulau Sebangka Area Lighthouses
Pulau Kentar (2)
Date unknown (station established 1919). Active; focal plane 122 m (400 ft); two long (2 s) white flashes every 10 s. 33 m (108 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. Several coast guard station buildings. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view of the station. This light stands only 3.5 km (2.2 mi) north of the Equator. Located on a small island on the eastern edge of the Lingga group, in the Karimata Strait. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-207; Admiralty F1438; NGA 22696.
Pulau Senayang (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); flashing white light. Described as a 15 m (49 ft) square white skeletal tower. No closeup photo available but Bing has an indistinct satellite view. This light has probably been moved to a tall communications tower, the only tower seen at the end of the island in a 2017 aerial view by Syuriansyah Achmadi. Located at the northwest end of Pulau Senayang, a smaller island off the southwest coast of Pula Sebangka. Site status unknown. Admiralty F1440.2; NGA 22704.

Pulau Lingga Area Lighthouses
* Teluk Kelit (Pelabuhan Sungai Tenam)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); two white every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) square pyramidal white skeletal tower with gallery. A 2020 photo by Muhamad Andries is at right, Hendra Saragih has a 2018 photo, Yanto Lie has a photo, a 2022 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at a small port on the northwest end of Pulau Lingga. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F1445; NGA 22708.5.
Pulau Lingga (Tanjung Jang)
1897. Active; focal plane 56 m (184 ft); white flash every 19 s. 10 m (33 ft) iron skeletal tower, painted white. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on Tanjung Djang, the southeastern tip of Pulau Lingga, the largest island of the group. Site status unknown. ARLHS IDO-215; Admiralty Q0954; NGA 22708.
Daik
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower with gallery, mounted on a concrete platform supported by piles. Lighthouse painted white. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Daik, on the central south coast of Pulau Lingga, is the capital of Lingga Regengy. Located on the south side of the entrance to the Daik estuary. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q0956; NGA 22709.
* Tanjung Buton
Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane about 14 m (46 ft); red light, pattern unknown. Approx. 14 m (46 ft) square red skeletal tower on a platform supported by piles. Widiana Safaat has a photo, Chairul Chairul Syah Arol Boot has a sunrise photo, and Google has a satellite view. Charted as an inactive beacon by Navionics. Located just off the pier at Tanjung Buton, a ferry terminal on the south coast of Pulau Lingga. Site open, tower closed. Not listed by the Admiralty.
* [Pelabuhan Penarik]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 12 m (39 ft); white light, pattern unknown. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) post on a triangular platform supported by piles. Gibran Toto has a photo, Manuel Sitepu has a 2019 photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located at a small ferry terminal near the southwestern tip of Pulau Lingga. Site open, tower closed. Not listed by the Admiralty.
 

Pulabuhan Sungai Tenam Light, Lingga, January 2020
Google Maps photo by Muhamad Andries

Pulau Singkep Area Lighthouses
* Pulau Penuba (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white flash every 3 s. 13 m (43 ft) square white skeletal tower mounted on a platform supported by piles. Efrydinata Putra has the 2019 photo at right, Mohammed Nur has a photo and Google has a satellite view. Located on the waterfront of Pulau Penuba, a small island between Pulau Lingga and Pulau Singkep. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q0957; NGA 22710.
* [Pelabuhan Jagoh (Tanjung Jagoh)]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) post on a square platform supported by piles. Dedi Supriyatna has a closeup photo, Joel Frankiy has a 2019 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the ferry terminal at Jagoh on the northern coast of Pulau Singkep, opposite Pulau Penuba. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty Q0957.5; NGA 22711.
* Dabo
Date unknown. Inactive sinve 2021. 12 m (39 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower with gallery, mounted on a concrete platform supported by piles. Lighthouse painted white. Triawan Herdian has a 2020 photo, Yan Cahyadi Anas has a 2023 photo, Dewindry Wisnu has a 2012 photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Dabo is the principal port of Pulau Singkep, the second largest island of the Lingga group. Located adjacent to the jetty at Dabo, on the east coast of Singkep. Site open, tower closed. ex-Admiralty Q0958; NGA 22712.
Pulau Saya (Saja)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) "white beacon," probably a white skeletal tower. No photo available but Bing's indistinct satellite view may show the lighthouse. Located on a small island about 40 km (25 mi) southwest of Pulau Singkep. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q0953; NGA 22706.
Pulau Muci (Mutji)
Date unknown (station established 1914). Active; focal plane 67 m (220 m); continuous white light. 21 m (69 ft) skeletal tower, painted white. Several coast guard station buildings. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island about 10 km (6 mi) west of Tanjung Sebayur on the west coast of Singkep. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty Q0980; NGA 22724.

Pulau Penuba Light, Lingga, January 2019
Google Maps photo by Efrydinata Putra

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Singapore | Northeast: Anambas and Natuna | East: Kalimantan (Borneo) | South: Bangka | West: Karimun and Batam

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key

Posted April 13, 2006. Checked and revised March 20, 2024. Lighthouses: 40. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.