The tropical island of Bintan in Indonesia is a popular beach holiday destination close to Singapore with beautiful white sand beaches, rainforests, cheap shopping opportunities, and several golf courses. It is a tranquil place to relax if you are tired of all the bustle of city life in Singapore.
Holiday island near Singapore, Bintan is the largest island of the Indonesian Riau Archipelago, located less than 40 kilometers from Singapore and just along the equator. Bintan is an affordable and popular tourism destination for Singaporeans who visit especially the Bintan Resorts area in the North Side of the island.
Bintan Resorts area, also called Lagoi, is a family-oriented resort area that is separated from the rest of the island. It includes high-quality hotels, beaches, and several excellent golf courses. During the winter monsoon from November to March, the beaches of Lagoi are good for surfing but not for swimming. The area accepts both Indonesian Rupiahs and Singapore Dollars as a currency.
Tanjung Pinang, the main town on Bintan is a busy port city and a trading center that hosts some nice sights as well as cheap shopping opportunities. The old part of town is built on stilts. There are also several Buddhist, Chinese and Hindu temples, as well as an impressive mosque on small Penyengat Island. Tanjung Pinang is one of the cheapest cities in Asia, so shopping is the major attraction here. In the eastern side of Bintan, Trikora is home to several beautiful and quiet beaches with water sports opportunities available. You can also explore the scenic Riau Archipelago or the Natuna Islands further away from Bintan by traveling on local ferries.
Holiday island near Singapore, Bintan is the largest island of the Indonesian Riau Archipelago, located less than 40 kilometers from Singapore and just along the equator. Bintan is an affordable and popular tourism destination for Singaporeans who visit especially the Bintan Resorts area in the North Side of the island.
Sights and activities in Bintan: beach resorts, water sports, golf and shopping
Bintan literally has two sides: the northern part of the island, called Bintan Resorts or Lagoi, is an exclusive resort area mainly for Singaporean tourists, equipped with many nice beaches, water sports opportunities, an elephant park, and all of the golf courses in Bintan, whereas the southern part of the island is home to great opportunities for cheap shopping in Bintan, as well as beaches, jungles, and fishing villages.Bintan Resorts area, also called Lagoi, is a family-oriented resort area that is separated from the rest of the island. It includes high-quality hotels, beaches, and several excellent golf courses. During the winter monsoon from November to March, the beaches of Lagoi are good for surfing but not for swimming. The area accepts both Indonesian Rupiahs and Singapore Dollars as a currency.
Tanjung Pinang, the main town on Bintan is a busy port city and a trading center that hosts some nice sights as well as cheap shopping opportunities. The old part of town is built on stilts. There are also several Buddhist, Chinese and Hindu temples, as well as an impressive mosque on small Penyengat Island. Tanjung Pinang is one of the cheapest cities in Asia, so shopping is the major attraction here. In the eastern side of Bintan, Trikora is home to several beautiful and quiet beaches with water sports opportunities available. You can also explore the scenic Riau Archipelago or the Natuna Islands further away from Bintan by traveling on local ferries.
Bintan travel information and practical tips
As situated very close to the equator, Bintan enjoys a tropical monsoon climate with warm weather throughout the year.
Photo: James Webbe, used under Creative Commons License (By ND 2.0)
There is a rainy season between November and March with strong monsoon winds, but in general the weather on Bintan is sunny all year round.
How to get there. The easiest way to travel to Bintan is by ferry from Singapore. There is also an airport in the capital of Bintan and Riau Province of Indonesia, Tanjung Pinang, with domestic flights to Bintan from elsewhere in Indonesia. Public transport on Bintan is handled by minibuses, taxis and motorcycle taxis. Car rental on Bintan is also available and inexpensive.
Services & safety. The main hotels on Bintan are beach resorts situated in the Bintan Resorts area. There are many restaurants on Bintan located both in the resorts, beach areas, and in the capital. Bintan Resorts area in the North of the island is separated from the rest of the island, and is thus very safe. The southern side of Bintan has more local color, shopping possibilities, and also some crime, especially in Tanjung Pinang. English is spoken mainly in major hotels and restaurants of Bintan.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Singapore
