BINTAN ISLAND (PART II)

Location Bintan is the largest island in the Riau province, area 1.140 sq. km, with a coastline of about 105 km. It is truly an unique paradise. Simple life, beautiful beach, friendly people which bring us the leisure. The island gives the refreshment to our mind and body. Tanjung Pinang, Kijang, Kawal, Trikora Beach, Senggarang, Tanjung Uban and Lagoi / Bintan Resort sites, are places that should not missed when you are in Bintan. The People The island has a population of about 200.000, and like the rest of Riau this is a true mix of cultures like Malay, Bugis, Chinese and the Orang Laut (sea people). Bintan Currency In Bintan island, most of the resorts accept Singapore Dollars (SGD) & US Dollars (USD). However if you plan to take a trip to Tanjung Pinang city, all the transactions are in Indonesia Rupiah (IDR) so you're required to exchange your currency to Indonesia Rupiah when you plan to visit Tanjung Pinang city. You can also find many money changers are available in Tanjung Pinang city. Activities Recreational activities include snorkeling, jet-skiing, canoeing, wind surfing, golfing, fishing, sailing, diving, island hopping and shopping. Sun seekers may take a leisurely stroll along then white sandy beaches and enjoy sun bathing in the warm sunshine. Climate Bintan is very close to the equator and have a tropical climate throughout the year, with temperatures ranging from 21° to 32°, with an average of 26° Celsius. Humidity ranges from 61 to 96 percent. The period between October to March is characterized as the north monsoon season with more rainfall and stronger winds, but the weather is generally sunny all year around. Bintan Monsoon period starting from November to March. Getting There You can reach Bintan From Singapore, Malaysia (Johor Bahru) or Indonesia (Batam) by Ferries. Most international travelers arrive from Singapore and Johor Bahru. Bintan is also the major domestic seaport for the Riau Islands and is a port of call for Indonesia's major passenger shipping company Pelni. What To Do at Bintan? Water Sports Year-end wind and waves make Bintan ideal for wind surfing. Kayaking, jet ski, banana boat rides and wake-boarding are the favorites and available at water sports centers. Spa Relax and let a traditional Indonesian massage play on your preasure points to relieve you of your stress and gently ease away the strain in every node of your body. PaintBall A fun and exciting activity you must not miss! Test your tactical skill through an exciting game of Paintball. Strategise your own game jam-packed with actions. Mountain Biking The quiet roads of Bintan Resorts are ideal for biking. Try some of the off-road tracks. Ask your hotel for bike rental details. All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Set your adrenalin pumping and psyche up for a body workout with an ATV ride. Drive through our jungle trails specially designed with sharp bends and steep slopes for that heart-stopping ride. Or take the ATV for a wide ride freely along our white sandy beaches and feel the rush of wind against your face. Go-Kart Strap on your helmet and setp on it at our Go-Kart track! Race around the track with your friends and bring out the latent race driver in you! Bintan Elephant Park Home to seven Sumatran elephants, Bintan Elephant Park offers a wonderful interactive adventure! Take an elephant ride into the forest. Feed the elephants. Or simply sit back and enjoy our elephant show. Gunung Bintan Adventure Trek Challenge the 340-metre high mountain of Gunung Bintan and enjoy breathtaking panoramic views from the summit. Trek through Bintan's rainforest and see the giant trees which are more than 40 metres tall. Catch at glimpse of rare animals the Silver Leaf monkey, Sun Birds, eagles and many more. Step under the waterfall tho receive a shower of blessings according to local tradition Sri Bintan Kampung Eco Tour Explore the traditional Indonesian 'Kampung' (local village) of Sri Bintan and get a glimpse of the daily lifestyle of the villagers. See pandan leaves woven into usable products, and rubber tapping. Tour includes a local lunch featuring kampung dishes Mangrove Discovery Tour Experience the beauty and mystery of nature with our award-winning Bintan Mangrove Discovery Tour. Discover the flora and fauna of the mangrove. For a totally magical and out of this world experience, take a night mangrove tour and ride into a mesmerizing blanket of glowing fireflies. Corporate & Adventure Training Discover highly impactful experience-based learning programmes! Training activities are diverse, ranging from thematic games, sea sports, telematches to obstacle rope courses. Traditional Fishing Tour Learn to fish the traditional way! Ride on an authentic sampan along the Sebung River. Cast with the jala (fishing net to crawl fishes. Entrap crabs and fishes with bubu (wire trap) and injab (bamboo trap) Places of Interest in Bintan Tanjung Pinang Tanjung Pinang is the main port town in Bintan island or Pulau Bintan, where trader and passenger ships links to all parts of Indonesia with Singapore. Tanjung Pinang has a busy harbour that is strategically located close to the Malacca Strait, one of the world's busiest sea lanes. A large section of the part of town was built in traditional buildings, houses on stilts and over the water. You can also find numerous types of dried seafood and the colourful varieties of crackers and snacks sold here. Tanjung Pinang can be reached by 2 hours ferry from Singapore. View more about Tanjung Pinang here Tanjung Uban Tanjung Uban is the second largest town after Tanjung Pinang at Bintan Island. It is located on the north western coast of Bintan Island. Tanjung Uban has oil storage facility and is Bintan's district center. Along the seaside there is a charming boardwalk called "Pelantar" with houses, accommodations and restaurants built above the sea. You can find a great variety of shops offering local art works and handicrafts there. Senggarang Island Senggarang is the name of a small village on the island of Bintan. Many locals believe that Senggarang was the first home for Chinese immigrants long time ago, who then spread throughout the other island of Riau. You can witness the over 200 years old ancient temple knowed as Banyan Tree temple in Senggarang. Bayan Tree Temple carries a rich historical story on how myseteriously the tree had formed into gigantic inspiring scenery. Other temples are not to be missed such as temple of Xuan Tian Shang-di, ruler of the North Pole Star, with its complex Chinese architechture. Penyengat Island Penyengat Island, 6 kilometers away from Tanjung Pinang, can be reached in 15 minutes by sampan boat. The seat of the powerful Bugis descended viceroys of Riau during the 18th century; Penyengat still bears the traces of its illustrious past. Ruins, abandoned for almost 70 years, were recently resorted. The oldest ruler's palace and royal tombs, among them the grave of the book respected Sultan Haji, author of the first Malay language grammar book among the legacies left by the Riau sultanate. A newly built cultural center for stage performances of Malay music and dances can be found. Trikora Beach / Pantai Trikora The most popular beach on the east coast is Trikora, where also the locals use to go for relaxation on the holidays. It can be difficult to get there, go by taxi or the occasional bus from Tanjung Pinang. Even if the beach is isolated we can find simple accommodation here, even a more luxurious alternative. The sand is white and the water clean, a great place for relaxation after the hot and busy streets of Tanjung Pinang. We can also visit a fishing village nearby and a small ship building facility to have a look at traditional boat building. Santa Maria Cave Santa Maria Cave was built in 18th century by a Dutch Pastor. On every sundays, devotees will come to pack the place and sing songs of praises while enjoying a short get-together with everyone in the community. Until today the place is still very well preserved and maintained. You shouldn't give a miss when you do visit Bintan. Pasar Oleh-Oleh The Bintan Resort’s very own market of gifts, Pasar Oleh-Oleh is a cluster of Indonesian-style huts offering everything Indonesian. From local Indonesian delicacies like Keropok (prawn or fish crackers), emping (belinjo crackers) and packets of dried seafood such as ikan bilis (anchovies), scallops and shrimps with A must-buy is the kueh lapis – a spongy and sweet square-shaped Indonesian cake baked to a layered perfection. Sebung Village If you're a seafood lover then Sebung Village is a place you should not be missed when you visit Bintan. You can taste the freshness of Bintan seafoods in the Kelong style restaurant with a very reasonable price too.

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