7 things to do at Bintan Resorts
Bintan Island in the Riau Islands province, although still overshadowed by Bali as a holiday haven in Indonesia, offers a quiet and pleasant place for a weekend getaway -- or even a rejuvenating week-long holiday.
While Bintan is better known as a destination for golfers looking for better rates and more accessible courses, the island is actually a perfect option to escape the bustle of big cities such as Singapore, Jakarta and Medan. The island also serves as a tropical charm to other international travelers.
Lagoi Bintan, commercially known as Bintan Resorts, is an integrated resort area that covers the entire northern coast of Bintan and offers a complete holiday package for honeymooners, families, golfers and even corporate groups.
With a new international airport project currently under way, the number of visitors to Bintan Resorts is expected to increase from 500,000 per year to over a million by the end of 2015.
A ferry service run by Bintan Resorts Ferries (BRF) currently operates regularly between Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore and Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal in Bintan. The trip, taken on a catamaran boat, will take you to Bintan in just 55 minutes.
But what to do when you finally reach Bintan Resorts? Here are some recommendations.
Ride a Sumatran elephant
Located at Nirwana Resort Center in Nirwana Gardens, The Jumbo Park presents a wonderful opportunity to get up close and personal with these gentle giants. The 40-minute elephant show allows visitors to observe their varied diets and eating habits.
Home to seven Sumatran elephants, the guide will take you on a brief tour and share information about the elephants' individual characteristics, food sources, living habits and group behaviors.
All the elephants at the park have been trained to perform different kinds of tricks such as raising their forelegs or lifting their trainers carefully with their trunks. Naturally social creatures, you can enjoy elephant rides into the surrounding forest or hand-feed them after the show.
Watch turtle hatching
The turtle conservation initiative at Bintan Resorts started back in 2004 as an effort to preserve the marine ecosystem. Every year, hawksbill and green turtles visit and nest on the beaches of Lagoi, with one or two nests a month found during the nesting season.
The peak of the hatching-and-release period is from mid-May to the end of June. To date, more than 4,000 turtles have been released to the sea. The hatching continues to offer proper shade and protection for turtle eggs as well as an incubation area until the hatchlings are ready to be released.
The hatchery is located in Nirwana Gardens and attracts many guests from other resorts in Lagoi to come and see this unique and rare activity.
Practice your golfing skills
Situated within the Bintan Resorts area, Laguna Bintan Golf Club, Ria Bintan Golf Club and Bintan Lagoon Golf Club give golf enthusiasts an ocean-view golfing experience.
Designed by golf luminaries Greg Norman, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, the golf courses feature undulating fairways that meander through thick forests and wetlands, coconut groves and foliage-framed greens.
If an 18-hole game is not enough, an unlimited golfing package is available, and golfers can also stay overnight to try out other courses.
Novice golfers can sign up for a tailored lesson to pick up the rudiments of the sport, correct a swing, or refine a technique. Golf clubs and shoes are also available for rental.
Experience the local culture
Explore the traditional Indonesian kampungs (local villages) of Sri Bintan to get a glimpse of the villagers' daily lifestyle. A 3-hour guided tour called Kampung eco tour is available to take you to experience various interesting village activities.
You can watch the local women weaving pandanus leaves to create crafty products like handbags and hats and see how the local blacksmith makes agricultural tools from scrap metal. You can also visit a rubber plantation to learn how rubber is made from the latex of the trees.
The tour concludes with an optional traditional village lunch accompanied by a traditional Indonesian dance performance.
Enjoy fishing and kayaking
The latest attraction at Bintan Resorts is the Lagoi Park & Reservoir. It is the largest reservoir on the island, spanning an area of 14.7 square kilometers. It can hold up to 6 million cubic meters of water. The collected water is treated with standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and provides a source of potable water to the resorts around Lagoi.
Water sports such as kayaking, paddle-boating or fishing are just a few of the activities you can do at the reservoir. Alternatively, you can also organize a Barbecue or picnic with family and friends there. A deer enclosure is nearby so you can visit it too for a glimpse of the gentle creatures.
A two-way shuttle bus is available from Bintan Resorts (except at the Angsana Resort & Spa and Banyan Tree Bintan) to take you to the Lagoi Park & Reservoir.
Stay in luxurious beach-front resorts
With its breathtaking views of shimmering azure sea and powdery white sandy beaches as far as the eye can see, the northern part of Bintan Resorts offers travelers many attractive places to relax and unwind.
The long list of luxurious resorts include Nirwana Resort Hotel, Club Med Bintan, Bintan Lagoon Resorts, Banyan Tree Bintan, The Sanchaya and the recently added Alila Villas Bintan. Besides its private beach, these establishments also promise five-star service and amenities as well as water sports and activities.
Enjoy a relaxing spa day
Rejuvenate your body, mind and soul with a single day or multi-day spa package in Bintan. The spas at Bintan Resorts offer many therapeutic treatments, from ancient remedies to modern western therapies and beauty care treatments.
You can choose from several spas from around Lagoi Bintan including Banyan Tree Spa, Martha Tilaar Salon Day Spa, Taman Sari Royal Heritage Spa, Angsana Spa Bintan and Bintan Natural Spa Centre.
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