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The Crystal Jade of
If you wish for an exotic vacation in the tropical lands of Indonesia and far away from modern way of life with lively cultural atmosphere or just want to satisfy your sanity with luxurious resorts to stay and a flavor of wild nature, coral reefs, tropical rainforest and delicious seafood, the Island of Bintan is the finest place for you. Here, among the golden sand beaches, warm weather almost the year with sunshine, you would discover the other side of the Asian life. Facing the WELCOME TO THE
Most of the tourism of
The resort destination spreads crossways the northern shores of Bintan and faces the
HOW TO GET THERE
You can reach Bintan from
From
There is a regular ferry service operated by Bintan Resorts Ferries that plies between Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in
From
Telaga Punggur is a ferry terminal located 20 minutes by taxi from
TRANSPORTATION NEAR
There’s no public transportation in the resort area. There are cars for rent including the driver at the hotel lobby, shuttle service within the resort area or to other places on Pulau Bintan. The cost depends on the type of car, but mostly around SGD80 until SGD100 for 12 hours rental. From the resort area, there are shuttle services from the hotels to Tanjung Pinang. It is rather expensive at about SGD88 for a return trip per person on the shuttle bus. The journey will take about 1.5 hours.
RESORTS & SPA
There are many hotels and luxurious resorts with cozy atmosphere for you to choose from, but mostly fairly expensive and using Singapore Dollar and American Dollar, even if using Rupiah it will convert again into Dollar. The resorts area is a private place with a strictly security, even the locals are not allowed into the resort area. There’s police and army guarding the entrance into and out of the resort area. Once after the guarded entrance, you will get to feel and see the real Indonesian way of life.
Rest and relax at the private beach on the resorts or getting a smooth spa and massage on the pavilion facing the beach. There are also services for Aromatherapy and yoga for body and soul relaxing. In some resorts there are many hammocks near the beach free for you to relax on or have a swing.
ACTIVITIES
Recreational activities include snorkeling, jet skiing, canoeing, wind surfing, golfing, fishing, sailing, diving, island hopping and shopping. Sun seekers may take a leisurely walk along the white sandy beaches and enjoy sun bathing in the warm sunshine. ‘Whether your trip is for business or pleasure, golfing is truly an unforgettable experience for everyone. Golf is popular, with several excellent golf courses charging much lower prices than in neighboring
PLACES OF INTERESTS
Among the various leisure activities that this exotic island has to offer to its visitors, including paradise beaches, golfing, spa treatment at the resorts and delicious seafood, there are a number of attractions that reflect the island’s past and deserve tourist’s attention. Most of the tourism is concentrated on the north coast around Lagoi, while the east coast is still untouched and worth a visit. A wonderful experience will take you deep into the tropical rainforest or back in time to Bintan’s glorious royal past or right into the villages to meet the locals and experience their simple way of life.
TANJUNG
About an hour and forty-five minutes from Lagoi by car or 50 minutes by speedboat to Tanjung Pinang. Tanjung Pinang is the main port town on
Shopping at Tanjung Pinang is pleasantly affordable, with its colorful variety of goods and cheap bargains. The shop houses here offer all kinds of dried foodstuffs, electronic goods, antique ceramics and handicrafts but the best bargain is to be made with the street side peddler. With their display of jeweled stones, hand-made toys, local artifacts, hand-made Javanese batik clothes and light cotton wraps (also known as sarong) dyed in various vibrant hues, the roadside peddlers are ever willing to explain their wares if you asked them. The famous food from Tanjung Pinang is otak otak - grilled over a charcoal stove - is actually fish meat cooked in coconut milk blended with Indonesian spices and wrapped ingeniously within two cuts of coconut leaf.
TANJUNG UBAN
The second main town and also district centre in Bintan is Tanjung Uban. It also serves as a take off point for Batam. The main thoroughfare is the ‘Pelantar’ (boardw ilk) with its houses accommodation, shops and restaurants built over the sea. The simply local way of life we can see in this Tanjung Uban region. There’s also Kampong Eco Tour will takes you to one of the traditional villages where you can experience the real Bintan village life. In local market featuring an amazing variety of fish, gigantic prawns, dried shrimps, crunchy crackers, savory ikan bilis (anchovies), and all kinds of sweet, sour or salty tidbits, fresh green vegetables, and local tropical fruits all stacked high on wooden carts the rock bottom prices are still open to bargaining Do note that most peddlers deal in the local Indonesian Rupiah so it’s best to have your money changed before you head down south.
BERAKIT
Fisherman Village, for those who prefer a more hands on experience in the mangrove take a crack at the Traditional Fishing Tour where guests can ride authentic sampans with fishermen and fish using their traditional traps and nets Berakit is an incredibly traditional fishing village largely at the north eastern summit of Bintan, comprises ‘atap’ (thatched roof) houses over tidal estuary. Many of the sea faring 'orang laut, the original settlers of this myriad of islands h ave relocated here. At this village you can see the daily activities of the Riau fishing community, such as the thousands of ikan bilis (dried fish) are dried in the sun.
SERUNG PEREH & BUSUNG
Sebung Perch and Busung are typical of the small Malay fishing villages that can be found around the coastal coconut plantations. The settlers in these villages live in unique traditional houses on stilts, elevated over the water and lead fairly simple lives often getting by without modern amenities or even electricity.
KAWAL
Kawal Located a few minutes away from Trikora is Kawal, a charming fishing port where fish auctions are frequently held. Being the only deep water canal in the North East, Kawal is also the fishing centre of Bintan. From the bridge in the centre of the town, observe a vista of fishing boats, houses and storage yards all built on stilts. A remnant of the past at Kawal is the large kilns once used to make charcoal from "bakau” (mangrove wood).
SENGGARANG & PENYENGAT
The best way to experience in
PASAR OLEH-OLEH
Pasar Oleh-oleh located at Lagoi, Bintan. This is an artificial market in that it is built solely to tap into the flow of tourists into Bintan who demands an alternative place to shop, eat and buy groceries. There are many shops here selling arts and crafts, to swimwear, to sunglasses and office wear. Some folks argued that this is a tourist trap, but the groceries here are indeed cheaper than those at the resorts. Pasar Oleh Oleh has a collection of shops selling the local handicraft items and the prices are reasonable. The handicraft items are mainly wooden crafts and a lot of items made of sea shells too. You can buy your travel souvenirs in here.
PUJASERA
This is the local vendor centre, ideal for tourist on a budget. The food here are mainly Indonesian and the Indonesian Rupiah is used and ‘not’ the Singapore Dollar. This vendor centre was originally meant for employees and their families working within the resort grounds. So, if you want to have real Indonesian fare at cheaper prices, this is the perfect place. Take the shuttle bus to Pasar Oleh Oleh and then walk out towards the employee barracks. The walk should take 5-10 minutes to get there. The vendor centre is in the middle of town.
