Solop Beach in Mandah Sub-District, Indragiri Hilir District

Riau Province has lots of interesting tourist spots and each of its districts even has their own specialties. For example, there is Indragiri Hilir District or so-called Inhil. The region hides a stunning beach which belongs to Mandah Sub-District – Solop Beach. It is famous for its breathtaking sea scenery and flawless white sand among the locals. Recently, in fact, outsiders start recognizing the charm of the beach and recommend it to their families or friends. Not to mention many types of tourist activities can be done there, including sightseeing, exploration, photography, and relaxation.

The Nuance
When it comes to the nuance, visitors would be impressed by the soft and astonishing white sand of the beach. The locals even name it “Pasir Sirsak”, which means the soursop sand. Perhaps the name represents the white color of soursop’s flesh, which is white and soft. Some traditional boats or canoes are also seen, parked on the sand. What about the seawater? Well, it has a unique color of brown and the waves are calm. Another feature of Solop Beach is the formation of mangroves, which grow near to that tourist spot. It has the size of 40 km2.

Exploring Solop Beach
The charm of Solop Beach is its serenity. This makes it a recommended tourist spot for relaxation and lessening. Beach walking is also popular there because the sand is soft and comfortable for walking. Not to mention the air is clean and fresh, especially in the morning. The locals say the white color of the sand comes from the fossils of sea creatures like sea slug, clam, and others. It even looks more appealing during the sunrise, so all visitors are recommended to come at the time.

Apart from beach walking and witnessing the sunrise, visitors have other fun activities to do in Solop Beach. For instance, they can explore the mangroves and enjoy its beauty. The forest has become another signature attraction in the beach, after all. During the exploration, it is recommended to take some pictures of the site using either a smartphone or camera. The fact is that those mangroves have been chosen as the most beautiful one in Indonesia. It makes the beach more popular too among travelers.

For those visiting Solop Beach should take the chance to learn a bit history of it. According to the locals, travelers start recognizing the potential of the beach due to a promotion which is done by Rusli Zainal, former governor of Riau. He sang a beautiful song entitled Zapin Pantai Solop. Still, the beach would get its popularity without the song perhaps. It is because Solop has many features and attractions for tourists to enjoy.

Nearby Attractions

• Kuala Mandah
• Sembuang Port

How to Get There
From Tembilahan City (the capital of Indragiri Hilir), travelers need to take about 2 hours to reach Cawan Island where the beach resides. It requires a boat trip to reach the beach, though. As an alternative, they can come from Mandah Sub-District, which takes only 30-40 minutes. For those who come from Pekanbaru City, they may spend about 6-7 hours.

Where to Stay
Cawan Cottages