Your visit to Lingga Regency seem no complete without traveling to island of Mepar. Located precisely in front of the Tanjung Buton Port, the island is not only beautiful but also rich in history. Its friendly peoples and strongly maintained its tradition is the additional bonus that you would find if you visit there. Do not forget, taste their typical culinary and also carry a variety of native crafts as a souvenir. Administratively, the Mepar island is part of the Lingga District, which has approximately, 5000 m2 wide, with a population of around 400 inhabitants. Most of the residents work as a fisherman, while others work in a private or a temporary craftsmen. Generally, they are Malay tribes, but there are also several heads of households ( families ) who come from diverse ethnic, including Chinese. If you enter this island, you will be greeted by a wooden houses, a typical fisherman house standing on the shoreline, protudes slightly into the sea. A concrete pier standing strong, ornate by wooden ships of considerable large sizes leaning against the front edge. Beside having inter – island port, the harbor of Mepar also known to have often visited by quite large cargo ships that serve the routes to various areas in Riau Islands, even some up to the cities in Sumatra. More typical fishing village atmosphere is so seen when you pass the entrance to the island. Its a cement roads, two meters wide, encircling the houses that are on the ground. Between them, growing leafy mango trees, jackfruit and sawo. One of two points, there is a pandan plants. Look beautiful and calming. Not far from there, if you walk a bit to the back side, you will feel a different atmosphere than before. From this point presumably, your adventure retracing the history of the island, begins. Just behind one of the kampong house, whose position between housing residents adjacent to the foot of the hill, you will find the cemetary of Temenggung Jamaluddin and Datuk Kaya Montel. That two leading during the reign of the Lingga kingdom was buried here with his family and descendants. After a religious visit to the cemetary, continue your heritage walk towards the hill. In the end, you will find the site of the former fortress and L shape fortress. Special in segi empat fortress, streching seven cannons that were piled on the cement pad. Its snout, entirely overlooking the sea, right in the direction of the port of Tanjung Buton. The cannons, before being moved to the top of the hill, previously scattered on several points. One of them is now in position near the entrance of Mepar Village. The typical culinary of the island are : fish crackers and “Tamban” fish salai.” The original production of fish crakers made by a ladies- housewife-of Mepar Island is very famous in Lingga. It fish flavor is very tasty, because when on process, the portion of the fish is more dominant than the other mixtures. While ” Tamban fish salai” it seem loss when you do not try it. How to eat this snack? Peel the salai fish skin, then put it on lime sauce and “sago lemal.” How does it taste? So delicious!



How To Get There :

Going to Mepar is very easy, its because the island is no more than a mile from the Port of Tanjung Buton. From this port, the island of Mepar looks very clear and to reach there, it only takes less than seven minutes. The simple pompong boats, made of wood lined up neatly on the docks of the port of Tanjung Buton, ready at any time to you take to the island of Mepar. One way fare is very cheap. Only with Rp 5000.-, you can cross to get there. When you want to go back, you do not need to be worry, the tekong will be ready anytime to take across to the Port of Tanjung Buton, when you are already satisfied exploring the island.

Source: www(dot)kepri(dot)travel(dot)com