Siantan’s God Vihara in Siantan Island, Anambas Regency - Indonesia

The trace of the existence of Chinese culture resides on Siantan Island. The name is Siantan’s God Vihara (Vihara Gunung Dewa Siantan). Not only it has a historical value, the Vihara has become a good choice when it comes to religious tourism. To be exact, it belongs to Tarempa City and has become one of the best tourist attractions in Siantan. The site opens in the morning starting from 7 am to 9 pm. The entry fee varies, depending on the occasion, and there is a parking fee for those who come with a vehicle. It is, without a doubt, visitors come to vihara to conduct a religious tour and explore the building thoroughly.

The Nuance
Siantan’s God Vihara resides in the corner of Tarempa City and it has a strategic location, as well. The unique thing is that the building is located on the shoulder of a rocky hill. In terms of design, it indeed represents Chinese architecture. It looks both majestic and beautiful, featuring a wide altar and other ornaments of regular Vihara. The front walls (under the fences) feature beautiful murals. In terms of nuance, tourists can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the hill including dense trees and valleys. Not to mention the atmosphere feels so cool and refreshing.

Exploring Siantan’s God Vihara
Once arriving at the vihara, tourists may find a majestic structure located on the hill. It has the dominant color of red and features some ornaments, which are similar to regular vihara. From the spot, they can witness stunning views of surrounding scenery as well, including the sea and Tarempa City. Overall, sightseeing becomes the first common activity to do once tourists arrive at the location. As for the tip, they must come in the morning when the weather is the nicest.

Siantan’s God Vihara, in a nutshell, is the place of prayer among Buddhists. Not to mention visitors take advantage of the place to learn more about Buddhism. The serene nuance of the environment makes it comfortable to conduct such activity, after all. What about tourists? Well, aside from sightseeing, they come to the vihara for other fun activities like photography. The structure and splendid views are worth a photo shoot, after all.

Here is the thing. Visitors should pay attention to several things when spending a vacation in this place. For example, they should take off their hat and shoes before entering the structure. Also, it is important to wear neat and clean clothes when getting in. It is a holy place, after all. What are other considerations? Make sure not to touch anything, especially statues of Buddha. For those carrying a phone, they need to turn it off as well.

Nearby Attractions

• Matak Island
• Bajau Island
• Temburun Tarempa Waterfall
• Anambas Tourist Site
• Tarempa City
• Gan Bang Tong Ancient Tomb

How to Get There
For those coming from Letung City, they can get a boat at Perintis Port and head to Siantan Island right away. The distance between the islands is around 124 km, so the voyage may take around 7 hours and 30 minutes. Once arriving at Tarempa Port, they can simply take local transportation service and reach the vihara within minutes.

Where to Stay

• Sakura Hotel
• Anambas Resort
• Konyok Inn
• Terempak Beach Hotel