After our interesting first day in Lampung (READ: First-time in Lampung, Indonesia) where we had a morning of heritage surprises and an afternoon with nature, it was high time to hit the seas and ride ourselves to excitement and adventure.
We first had breakfast at Emersia Hotel (READ: First-time in Emersia Hotel and Resort) before we proceeded to an almost one-hour car ride towards the coast of Lampung, towards Mutun Beach, where we hopped into a speed boat that got us for about five minutes or less to our destination — Tangkil Island. As it turned out, the one driving the speed boat was island resort owner, Naldo, who graciously hosted our trip there.
When we got to the island, we immediately placed our bags on the picnic tables and had our coconut drink, then roamed the resort’s white sand beach for some selfies and Instagram-worthy photos. The quiet blue waters looked inviting. Mutun Beach, and even Bandar Lampung, can be seen at the horizon. I stood there enjoying the tranquility of the place, before we huddled in front of the colorful Tangkil Island signage for some group photos.
Then we were beckoned to the sea. A huge inflatable was being blown from a machine. In a few seconds, it floated on the water, readily waiting for us to get on it. Wearing a life jacket, I reluctantly sat on one of the hollowed portion and strapped myself to it. My heart was pumping hard, though I appeared calm. There was a mixture of fear, excitement, apprehension and wanting to get it done with, which have been playing a tug of war inside of me. I know it’s fine to fall in the waters, since I had my life jacket on, but imagining that brief moment when you are being thrown into the water was giving me the nerves.
The speed boat that was pulling the inflatable started to move and I held on tighter to the rubber handles. I wanted to sit upright but the force of the pull, plus the weight of my life jacket, was keeping my head from facing the front. So, I allowed my head to rest on the inflatable like I was lying on it. With my eyes trained on the sky above and the sun streaking high, I closed my eyes so I won’t get dizzy from the motion, and allowed myself to feel the wind blowing on my face. I swear, I could have dozed off right then and there, as the motion was being lulling me into sleep. However, it was the anticipation of a fall, which never happened, that kept me from sleeping. Then I felt the boat slowing down and bringing us back to shore. Another inflatable ride was waiting there but I passed the opportunity to ride it. Instead, I hopped into the speed boat with Indra as we pulled the next inflatable round and round the sea with our friends riding it.
They fell a number of times and they were all wet from that expedition. We had a good laugh after that fun activity, but our tummies had enough of the laughs. They were craving for something else. It was already high noon and we headed to our table where our lunch was waiting for us. The food was placed on banana leaves – fish, vegetables, shrimps, squids, tempeh (a local food made of soybeans), fruits and other Indonesian food – beckoning for us to dig into the feast. We had a sumptuous lunch, paired with a good chat with Naldo and his brother.
We talked and discussed on the opportunities and endless possibilities that Tangkil Island can still achieve, despite the number of guests that have already visited the island. Its white sand beach, the blue waters, the water activities, and proximity to the city are sure crowd drawers. And as we were on the topic, a huge fish was seen popping in and out of the sea, jumping above the waters and back to the deep. It elicited a cheer from those who saw it. At one side, groups were cheering and laughing as they were thrown from the banana boat into the sea. Another group was enjoying a swim at the other side of the island. It really looked promising. Only time will tell when more and more travelers will find their way to this pearl of Sumatra in Lampung, Indonesia.
To inquire or make reservations in Tangkil Island, contact Naldo at+62 812 859 60146. They also offer private trip packages that include pick-up by speedboat, snorkeling, diving, island hopping, and various water sports activities.
This is part of my 12 Days in Indonesia journey that took me to four cities within this Asian country.