Belitung: Batu Buyong (The Buyong Rock)

One of the tourism objects which is often visited by the domestic or international tourists is Batu Buyong (English = The Buyong Rock). It is located at the end of the southern part of Belitung Island (in Tanjung Batu Itam Village – Simpang Pesak Distric). It is about 110km from the capital of Belitung Regency, Tanjungpandan Town, or about 70 km from Manggar Town and it can be reached by car or motorcycle.

The Buyong Rock has the size as large as a tennis court, its outlook is rather unique and it lies on another big flat surface rock. People who live near there say that it has a very strong supranatural power. Many visitors go there to worship or pray for good luck, so that they can win the lottery. Perhaps some of them wish to be King of Gamble!

It is said that the shape of the rock was in fact, as small as a baby’s head in the days of Majapahit Kingdom.

One day, in a mission of territorial expansion, a small group of Majapahit soldiers discovered a new island. All the soldiers and workers in the warship were charmed by the attractiveness of that island, so they stopped working and began to keep the eyes on it. But they were not brave enough to set foot on that wonderland immediately. They thought there had to be someone hiding.

When they were back to Java Island, the commander of that group of soldiers reported to the King about their discovery of the new island. After listening to what the commander said, the King felt that it was necessary to take action. Then a short meeting was held to determine whether they had to put a sign to verify that the island belonged to their Kingdom. At the end of the meeting, the King ordered his commander to design a symbol which was made of hearthstone. It had a round shape as big as a baby’s head.

After receiving the King’s order, the commander then instructed his workers to make a round hearthstone symbol attached by a long chain. It was the symbol of binding the new island with Java Island.

As everything was prepared, then a big group of soldiers took the long journey to that mysterious island. The soldiers divided themselves into two groups after they had put their symbol. One group stayed there as the guards of that island, and the other sailed back to Java Island.

Some say that the baby’s head symbol then increased its size into a big rock after a few hundred years of evolution, and it will roll into the sea if it is pushed. The spirits that guard the Buyong Rock are: Bujang Tanggok (Malay)