Bintan

We recently spent a few relaxing days on the island of Bintan, Indonesia. Bintan is very close to Singapore, just an hour away by ferry. This is a destination to hit for pure Sun-sea-sand relaxation. There is nothing local, cultural or historical that can be explored, since the island has been divvied up amongst resorts and the visitor will be stuck in his resort while here.

The sea off Bintan is far better than the oily waters off Singapore and the sand is white and clean. There was a bit of a drizzle on our first day, but the Sun was faithful for the rest of our stay. We ended up de-stressing by the beach for 3 full days doing nothing but playing in the water, drying off in the shade, eating, rinse and repeat. All the Singapore tourists left by Sunday evening and we had the beaches to ourselves on Monday! Even the book I had brought along stayed unread.

Bintan is a quick and relaxing destination if you live in Singapore. Stay and food is expensive, expect to pay just as much (or more) than you would in Singapore. We found the Trip Advisor page on Bintan useful to compare and pick a place to stay. The ferry to-from Singapore can be booked online at Bintan Resort Ferries. Indians need an Indonesian visa, which can be obtained on arrival at the Bintan ferry terminal for USD 10. Since the Bintan resorts cater solely to Singapore visitors, cash transactions on the island are conducted in SGD.