Bintan Travelogue: 10 Tips before Visiting Bintan

There is one thing that matters to us during our visit to Bintan and that is finding activities that are suitable for families. With so many family-friendly activities in store, we concluded this is the first and certainly not the last time Bintan will be seeing us. We compile everything you need to know about Bintan when planning your itinerary. Read on about 10 things to do in Bintan:

1: Book an Awesome Hotel

So you have decided to explore Bintan. Some may say there’s nothing much to see but we beg to differ. Bintan is a beautiful island with interesting spots to explore with kids and it’s going to take more than a day to complete your itinerary. Having said that, getting a right accommodation is important for you. We stayed at the charming Swiss-Belhotel Lagoi Bay which has a slew of kids’ friendly activities for your family and most important of all, accommodation rates are wallet friendly!

Spacious hotel lobby with no lack of sitting spots to chill out.

Hop onto a buggy and let’s go for a ride!

Immerse yourself with fun and excitement at the Games & Entertainment Room.

Check out our blogs on the exciting amenities in Swiss-Belhotel Lagoi Bay and its Executive Suite here and here.

MAD DEAL! Fr as LOW as S$160NETT, 2ND PAX 50% OFF!

2-Way Ferry Tickets + 2 Way Land Transfer, 1N in Deluxe Room

Activity Pass: Kayak, Buggy, Bicycle, Fishing, Int’l Buffet Breakfast

BOOK NOW, here. Tel:(+65) 627495555

Email:ssecsblb@swiss-belhotel.com

2: Explore Amazing Crystal Lagoon

If you have not been to Crystal Lagoon, you just need to check it out. The largest sea water body in South-East Asia, Crystal Lagoon occupies a whopping size of 6.3 hectares with  115,060m³ or 115,060,000 liters of sea water. This is a perfect place for water sports lovers and adventure seekers.

Complimentary shuttle services are provided for Swiss-Belhotel’s guests to visit Crystal Lagoon which is less than 10 min away. Hop onto a Ford Model T Buggy and take a tour around Crystal Lagoon.

The lagoon is that gigantic that I’m wondering where is the ending point?

This vintage buggy ride costs IDR 40,000 (SGD $4) per pax.

We are not sure about you but how can we not swim when visiting Bintan? In Crystal Lagoon, the pool is not fresh-water but salt-water. It’s double the fun!

You can swim to your heart’s content or rent a jumbo float to explore the pool.

For the adventurous, try wakeboarding. This is the first time Big M is attempting this water sport of riding on a surfboard and performing mini manoeuvres while being towed She gets to wear a life-vest and is well-guided by an instructor.

This was a memorable experience for her. You should try it too.

Go for a Boat Ride with your family.

3: Dinner at Kelong Seafood Restaurant

We live in a concrete jungle back in Singapore and it’s rare to find an exotic place to dine. Here in Bintan, visit a Kelong and tuck into the freshest seafood caught locally.

We were at Kampoeng Kelong Seafood Restaurant @ Mangrove River.

The restaurant offers different kinds of seafood. Ask the friendly chef to cook the way you want it and feast on the delicacies!

Mangrove River
Tel: (62) 823 8756 7777
200 pax capacity
Chinese Live Seafood
Daily, 10.00am to 10.00pm

4: Mangrove Discovery Day Tour

Feeling adventurous? Hop onto a speed boat and explore the quiet waterways of Sebung River in Mangrove Discovery Day Tour.

We fitted onto the life vests before making our way to the boat.

A perfect day out in an unconventional way!

Apart from exploring nature, you will get to catch a glimpse of the orang laut (sea gypsies) and kelongs (over-the-water fishing houses built on stilts.

At first, we thought this was a gigantic ant nest. Not at all. It was actually a traditional charcoal kiln.

The river plays host to a variety of exotic wildlife. Don’t be surprised to spot some of the shy wildlife includes the macaque and silver leaf monkeys, monitor lizards and snakes.

We also picked clams along the way.

Mangrove Discovery Tour

Tour schedule (Bintan time)	9 am, 10.30 am, 1 pm, 3 pm (1.5-hour guided tour)
Tour pricing (min. 4 pax to go)Mangrove Day Tour	Adult: IDR 380,000 (~S$38) weekday / IDR 450,000 (~$45) weekend Child (3–12 years of age): IDR 250,000 (~S$25) Child (below three years of age): Free, no insurance coverage
Tour pricing (min. 4 pax to go)Mangrove Day & Night Tour	Adult: IDR 610,000 (~S$61) weekday / IDR 710,000 (~$71.00) weekend Child(3–12 years of age): IDR 400,000 (~S$40) Child (below three years of age): Free, no insurance coverage
Optional Lunch/dinner at Township	IDR 180,000 (~S$18) /person
Price includes	Two-way land transfers Fully guided tour Bottled mineral water Insurance coverage

 Premium Mangrove Tour

There is also the option of Premium Mangrove Tour, an exclusive and private tour along the Sebung River to enjoy the natural scenery of the mangrove forest.

You will get to bring home a Bintan Resorts souvenir and certificate as proof of participation in mangrove conservation.

Tour schedule (Bintan time)	10 am (1.5-hr guided tour)
Tour pricing (min. 4 pax to go)Mangrove Premium Tour	Adult: IDR 540,000 (~S$54) Child (3–12 years of age): IDR 380,000 (~S$38) Child (below three years of age): Free, no insurance coverage
Price includes	Two-way land transfers Fully guided tour Bottled mineral water Insurance coverage Bintan Resorts Souvenir worth IDR 380,000 (~S$38) Certificate

*All tours are subject to weather and tidal conditions as well as operational considerations.

5: Firefly Night Tour

Have you seen fireflies before? We missed it during our Taiwan trip so it was timely for us to have the chance to go on firefly discovery in the mangrove swamp. You can book the tour at your hotel reception and transport will be arranged to fetch you to and fro. Well, sometimes the best could be hard to be captured on camera due to lighting. You should experience this magical tour.

6: Eco-Farm Trek

Visiting an eco farm never fails to bring back memories of kampung days. This 17 hectare eco-farm is nestled amongst rolling hills where farmers will grow their fruit, vegetables and herbs. Watch farmers as they go about their daily chores tending to the greens.

Peanut plants.

Sweet corns.

Chilli plants.

Padi fields.

Toss food into gurgling pools of catfish and other commercial freshwater fish bred here for the market.

You can find a sanctuary for local birds being nursed back into the wild.

7: Explore the Beach

With fine powdery sand, great sun and beautiful beach, it’s hard to resist taking a dip in the waters.

Spot some mini-crabs along the way.

Not forgetting to sit by and watch the sun set on the beautiful horizons.

That’s not all. Nestled at the beachfront at Lagoi Bay is the Flyboyz Beach Bar. We are pretty sure the party animals will love this bar to bits. The ground floor is Flyboyz, a diner serving hearty pizzas and burgers; the second floor is hoobar, a retro bar with a live band playing music from the 1970s to the 1990s; and the top floor is Cuba, a sky lounge for those who wish to dance to Cuban jazz and salsa music.

Open daily from 11am to 2am, this bar is the brainchild of radio personality The Flying Dutchman.

8: Fishing at Lake Lagoi Fishing Farm

Forget about squeezing with anglers at fishing ponds back in Singapore. Over here in Lake Lagoi, pick up the fishing rod and be a fisherman.

Enjoy the beauty of Lake Lagoi while waiting for the harvest.

9: Air Adventure

It doesn’t mean you can’t fly if you are not a pilot. Enjoy the bird’s eye view of beautiful Bintan coastline up in the air and be blown away by the wonders of nature. It doesn’t come cheap though. It cost you S$120 for 20 mins ride at Air Adventure.

10: Local Market in Bintan Island

It was by chance we discovered this local which is near to Pasar Oleh Oleh and Kampong Lagoi. We learned from our driver that this market mainly caters to the hotel employees who are staying in nearby workers’ quarters. The beautiful part of this market is it bears much resemblance to our hawker centres.

The provision shops remind us of the old ma-ma shops.

So what are you waiting for? Check out Bintan today!