Slow down with your Singapore itinerary by adding 2 days in Bintan, an Indonesian island easily accessibly by a 60 minute ferry from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and Visa-on-arrival for Indians. Bintan is a laid-back island where farming or fishing are the main sources of income for the locals while tourism is a major contributor to the islands economy. Below are some places we loved:
Chilling at Lagoi Beach
We stayed at Grand Lagoi hotel which is located in North Bintan and got a complementary shuttle service between the ferry terminal and the hotel (this service is available for many major hotels/resorts). Lagoi beach, plaza and the bay were all at walking distance from the hotel. We had a chill time at Lagoi beach both during sunset and sunrise. You can book tours from the Bintan resorts office in Plaza Lagoi.
Admiring the calmness of Lagoi Bay
The Lagoi bay was a point of immense peace with the beautiful lake surrounded by lush greenery. The bay was also wholly visible from the rooftop of the Grand Lagoi hotel making for a picturesque view.
Sand dunes at Gurun Pasir Busung
This location had blown us away because we didn't expect a stretch of sand dunes after having seen plenty of greenery in Bintan. The hilly sand dunes are all natural and was a former excavation site. The site also has a captivating crystal blue lagoon against the background of the hilly dunes that is extremely photogenic and our most favourite spot of the trip.
Sea of statues at Lohan Temple
South Bintan starts here for us, this temple is located near the capital. Known as 500 Lohan temple, this Chinese temple now has an array of 1000 life-sized statues each one with a unique facial expression.
Exploring the capital of Tanjung Pinang
Unsurprisingly, the capital was a densely populated compared to rest of the island, bustling with lots of restaurants, local markets selling fruits and fishes as well as a Mall with J.Co and Matahari at the city centre.
A different pace of life in Penyengat Island
This tiny island which is 15 mins boat ride from Tanjung Pinang felt like going back in time. We got to travel the narrow alleys in a colorful seated box latched to a bike (see image below). The highlight was the Sultan of Riau's Grand Mosque which is believed to be made with egg whites added to cement, built by the Sultan. The vehicle took us around the island to see other points like cemetery of the royal members and customs hall.
Local food and drinks
Sea food is the speciality in Bintan, especially gonggong which are sea snails. In the Lagoi area, we had most of our meals at Warung Yeah! which is a beach facing restaurant with chill vibes. Almost, everything we tried was delicious there. In the South, we had a meal package at Nelayan resturant, food was decent and the Ayam soup was just lip-smacking.
Check out more photos and videos on this link.
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