VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Beras Basah is a small island located in the Makassar Strait. Administratively, this island is included in the area of Bontang City, East Kalimantan. This beautiful island is now a destination for diving and snorkeling lovers. The fastest access to reach this island is via the Badak NGL pier by using a speedboat about 15 minutes. Another access is via Tanjung Limau Pier and Tanjung Laut Bontang City by using a motorized boat approximately one hour.

The name Beras Basah in English means Wet Rice. According to the local folklore, a long time ago, there was a ship belonging to the Kutai Sultanate that was sailing in the Makassar Strait. The ship was carrying food; one of which was rice. Then, the ship sank when hit by a big wave and spilled its baggage. Because the sea where the ship sank was shallow, the ship's cargo, which was mostly rice, did not sink, but some appeared like a mound. Over time, the mound of rice turned into a white sandy island like rice, which is always wet because it is surrounded by the ocean.

Beras Basah Island, which is located in the middle of the sea, used to have an area of approximately 5 hectares. Because it has been eroded by sea water, the island is now only about 2 hectares wide. But its beauty is unquestionable. The beach is clean and it has white sand with sea water, which is clear turquoise, adding coconut trees scattered in several places to provide shade. This area is comfortable for relaxing. In addition, on this island, there are also gazebos, changing rooms, toilets and stalls. On the island of Beras Basah, you can also play with banana boats and other activities. If you like the beauty of the sea, you can try diving and snorkeling. You can also walk along the beach and if you are lucky, you can find marine animals, such as sea urchins, squid and sea cucumbers.