Located just one hour away from the hustle and bustle of Singapore, the Bintan Resorts in Indonesia, is considered as one of the leading sports destinations in Asia, with world-class sporting events taking place on the idyllic island, such as the International Bintan Marathon this September, in addition to the more well-known Bintan Triathlon and Ironman Bintan events.

So as a result of this, many athletes would come and take part in these sports events in Bintan, combining the race with a weekend getaway and a good break from the monotony of everyday life in Singapore.

And Bintan Island is so much more than a sports and resort destination, with many hidden gems to discover, as well as finding out more about its rich history and culture.

Seeing and exploring Bintan Island

Thanks to Bintan Resorts and the International Bintan Marathon, I had the opportunity to see and explore Bintan island and visit some of its many attractions, through a guided media tour.

Beginning our tour 

We began our trip early in the morning, with our group arriving at the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore, at 7:15am, in order to catch the first ferry for the day which departed at 8:10am. 

Due to the early start, I was still feeling a bit sleepy and sluggish, but my efforts to catch some 40 winks on the ferry ride proved futile.

Reaching Bintan

Upon reaching Bintan an hour later, and soon after clearing immigration, the feasting on the yummy Indonesian foods began.

We stopped off at the Pujasera Food Center for breakfast, where I tried some of their local snacks, namely the goreng pisang (fried banana fritter) and Tahu isi (deep fried tofu fritter). Both of these were delicious and they tasted amazing.

The Mangrove Discovery Tour

We then headed to the Mangrove Discovery Tour. One of the activities offered by Bintan Resorts and priced at IDR380,000 per adult, this is a sightseeing tour that showcases the sights and sounds of the mangrove forests at the Sebung River in a 60-minute boat ride.

This being my first time doing such a ride, I didn’t really know what to expect at the beginning of the tour, but I would say that I had enjoyed it. There had been so much to see, ranging from intriguingly-shaped mangrove roots to wooden kelongs, and even animals. And I saw a bird perched high up on a tree too.

I admit that I must have taken so many photos along the way that by the end of the mangrove tour, my phone’s battery was beginning to protest.

As well, there had been a point halfway during the tour, when the engine of our boat failed – and we were stuck in the middle of the river for a while! Apparently according to our tour guides, this is the first time that something like that has happened, so I suppose that we were the “lucky” ones in that regard!

Looking on the bright side, this unintentional stop had meant that I had been able to capture some amazing photos of the reflection of the mangrove plants in the water.

Treasure Bay

After the tour, we headed to the Chill Cove @ Treasure Bay Bintan, which is a vibrant adventure playground filled with non-stop water and land activities set around the 6.3 hectares Crystal Lagoon.

There are plenty of things to do in the area, and these range from swimming and kayaking, WakeBoarding and water-skiing to ATV off-road rides. If it’s too hot, some indoor activities available, including Karaoke Lounge and a children’s indoor playground.

For those who simply want to explore the premises, there are scooters that are available for rent too.

Lunch

Soon after arriving, our group booked a buggy to ride around Chill Cove @ Treasure Bay for a quick sightseeing tour, before we headed for lunch at The Patio Restaurant & Bar within the premises, and which offered iconic views of the Crystal Lagoon together with an all-day dining menu featuring both local cuisines and international favourites.

For my lunch, I ordered a Nasi Goreng and also shared a few side dishes with my group, which had included keropok, fried calamari and satay.

The food portions there had turned out to be substantially bigger than I had anticipated, but I thought that the flavours were great. The rice they had served, was much fluffier than the rice that you would typically get in Singapore, too.

Our Accommodation at ANMON

After lunch, the group checked into our accommodation, ANMON, which is a new luxury desert-themed glamping resort with 100 deluxe tipi-style glamping tents each with private bathrooms and enclosed patios.

When I first saw ANMON for myself, I was impressed. Located just steps away from the Crystal Lagoon and next door to the more popular Canopi glamping resort, ANMON was so picturesque and Insta-worthy, so I could not stop taking dozens of photos of my amazing surroundings, before even stepping into my tent.

I would say that the colour scheme for ANMON is very earthy, giving off a charming, relaxed and elegant mood to it. So I thought this makes it a great place to simply chill out.

Inside my tent was even more impressive. Everything was still relatively new and looked so comfortable. This is probably because though ANMON is available for bookings, it has not officially launched yet.

My queen-sized bed was soft with plush pillows that I could sink right into, and the air-conditioning in my tent was wonderfully cold too. With the searing heat outside, this had been very welcome indeed.

As well, my tent also featured a fridge and minibar too, as well as an en-suite bathroom with the amenities provided.

And most importantly though, there was free WiFi available in not only my room, but throughout the entire ANMON premises.

Just within the first few minutes of seeing my accommodation, I have to admit that I was falling in love with ANMON already.

WakeBoarding at the Crystal Lagoon

We had some free time after checking in, so after my ANMON photo spree, I went out with the group to explore the activities at the Crystal Lagoon. I tried the WakeBoarding, as this is something that I have always wanted to do, but I can’t usually find the time in Singapore to do so.

To help us get around Treasure Bay, we decided to rent scooters, which had turned out to be a great idea, because as I was to discover soon, the Crystal Lagoon grounds are really huge. For instance, just the perimeter of the Lagoon alone, is two kilometres.

I had a half-hour WakeBoarding slot booked for myself. Unfortunately 15 minutes into my activity, just when I was getting the hang of things, lightning lit up the sky and it started to rain too. 

So unsurprisingly, the activity was called off, with my instructor telling me to come back again to resume my WakeBoarding activity the next day. As I was scheduled to assemble with the group again at 5pm, I had been unable to wait out the rain to continue that day.

While I found that there is a lot to see and do at Treasure Bay during my time there and that the assortment of activities are definitely worth the money, I would have to say that all the costs can add up, though. So be prepared to spend quite a bit.

Plaza Lagoi and Dinner

In the evening, we headed to Plaza Lagoi, which is the start and end point for the International Bintan Marathon.

This is a 12-minute bus ride away from the Treasure Bay Bintan, and here, we had a quick briefing on the race routes for the different event categories (3.5km Fun Run, 10km Run, 21.1km Half Marathon and 42.195km Full Marathon) before then walking over for dinner at the nearby Warung Yeah! cafe.

Located at the back of the Plaza Lagoi, Warung Yeah! serves up classic Indonesian comfort food, from nasi goreng to mee goreng and novelty takes on the country’s legendary instant noodle, Indomie.

I tried out their Indomie for dinner – and I thought that it was really good. Furthermore, to top off the sinful carb-heavy meal, too, I got a Magnum ice cream from the convenience store nearby, before taking the bus back to ANMON for the night.

Breakfast at ANMON’s Marine Cafe

My second day began with me finishing off with my last 15 minutes of WakeBoarding at Treasure Bay, before washing up and heading for breakfast at the temporary breakfast venue for AMMON @ Marine Discovery Park, which was a short walk from my tent. This breakfast is inclusive for each booking.

Do note that the breakfast here is not a buffet style breakfast, but we were each allowed to choose our a-la-carte breakfast set from the restaurant menu. 

A few of the choices had included American breakfast with sausage and eggs, pancakes, waffles and granola, as well as local options such as congee and nasi goreng.

Each set comes with a choice of juice, coffee or tea, as well as toast served with butter.

However with our whole group being seated together at the same table and each tent being entitled to two different breakfast sets, it certainly felt as though we were having a buffet instead, as a result, I got to try several of the items, and many of them were really enjoyable. 

Personally, from all the sets that I tasted, my favourite picks had to be the fluffy pancakes and the yummy American breakfast. I was already beginning the day on a sinful note!

Gurun Pasir Busang

Soon after our rather heavy breakfast, we headed to Gurun Pasir Busung.

Originally a mining site, Gurun Pasir Busang is located on the Western bay of Bintan Island and with its mysterious and picturesque hilly sand dunes, is one of the most Insta-worthy spots on Bintan.

It may be quite hard to imagine coming across a “desert” in the middle of a tropical Indonesia island, but it is an experience like none other, when you see for yourself, the gentle desert slopes with varying hues of light brown and yellow, accompanied by tints of red in the sand.

Interestingly, there were also standees of camels parked on the sand, for photo opportunities and this had caught my eyes. Unfortunately though, I later discovered that if you wanted to “ride” these camels, an additional charge applied. Otherwise I would definitely have posed with one of them.

In fact when the bus dropped us off here, I could hardly believe that such an amazing place actually existed. And of course, I went photo-crazy again. Fortunately I had charged up my phone fully, the night before.

I have to point out, however, that Gurun Pasir Busang is not the most accessible place in Bintan, as there is no public transport going there. So you will need to rent a car, if you plan on heading down.

Because we had been visiting at noon, it got really hot after a while of exploring and taking photos, so I needed somewhere to chill out and cool down, while waiting for the rest of the group to finish their photo-taking spree.

In the end, I wound up at a local food stall within the vicinity, drinking some refreshing coconut juice straight out of the fruit. The coconut juice tasted really good, but that’s probably because I was quite tired and thirsty at that point in time, too.

A Scrumptious Seafood Lunch

After spending almost 90 minutes at Gurun Pasir Busang, we went to the Aneka Seafood Kelong Restaurant for a late lunch.

Do note that this restaurant is quite far (45 minute’s drive) from the Bintan Resorts area and they close in the early evening, so you have to plan your time well if you want to head there.

But the food tastes really good, though, and it is definitely worth the long trip. We ordered an assortment of dishes to share.

For myself, I tried their Seafood Nasi Goreng and this rice dish was not only really yummy, but also tasted very authentic too. As well, I simply could not stop eating several of the other dishes, such as the hotplate tofu and the salted egg yolk calamari, as they were really tasty as well.

In addition, some other dishes that we also ordered, had included the Lala and the soft-shell crab with salted egg yolk. I thought that the seafood items were all very fresh and that it was a very satisfying and filling meal indeed. The prices here are also very reasonable too for the quality that you get, and will not burn a hole in your wallet.

So I would highly recommend this restaurant if you are heading to Bintan and wish to try some of their local seafood.

The 500 Lohan Temple

We went to the 500 Lohan Temple after lunch. This is considered as one of Bintan’s best hidden treasures. 

And I could immediately see why, upon setting foot into the temple.

This is because once you get to the temple grounds, you will be transported into surreal settings of towering structures. And the highlight at the temple is more than 500 life-sized (Lohan/arhat) stone statues with intricate physique and facial expressions, each one unique and different from the next. I have to say that these are truly a sight to behold.

Moreover, some of the statues even include famous characters in Chinese mythology, such as Journey to the West’s Tripitaka or Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ Guan Gong and it was fun to attempt to spot them.

There is an entrance fee of IDR30,000 to get in, but I would say that this is well worth paying, from what I had seen at the temple.

Shopping Time

After our temple visit, we went to the Tanjung Pinang City Center – to do some shopping. 

The newest and biggest shopping mall within the town of Tanjung Pinang, Bintan, this mall opened in 2016 and houses plenty of food and beverage, fashion, accessories, gadgets and entertainment tenants – to provide an integrated shopping experience for everyone. 

Moreover, the prices of many of the items are also cheaper than those in Singapore, so if you love shopping, then this is definitely somewhere that you should check out in Bintan.

There is also a massive hypermarket housed within the mall too – in case you are looking for some good Indonesian snacks at reasonable prices, to bring back home.

A speciality Kueh Lapis shop also sits within the mall, if you are looking for some of this Indonesian dessert as a gift for friends and family members.

I would say that I had a whale of a time here, checking out the various shops and seeing what was available to buy.

Rimba Jaya Night Market

Our final stop for the day was Rimba Jaya, which comprises a night market and a handful of delightful unique eateries and bistros. So if you love eating street food, as I do, then this place is paradise.

There is also a food center here, which is like a mix between a pasar malam and a hawker centre, and contains all the Indonesian hawker favourites, that you can possibly wish for.

And it was at Rimba Jaya that I had the best goreng pisang that I have ever tried in my life. The moment that I bit into a piece, I immediately felt as though I was on cloud nine.

The bananas were deep-fried on the spot and cooked to order, and then topped with grated cheese and chocolate sauce as condiments. And the result was a dessert that was amazingly crispy on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. Now I’m not sure if goreng pisang in Singapore would ever taste the same, after this.

As well, I also had the Crispy Fried Enoki Mushroom at Rimba Jaya too, which had tasted really good. Even after they had cooled down substantially, the mushrooms were delicately crispy, and every piece melted in my mouth.

It was so sinful, but it tasted so amazing at the same time, and as a result of that, I ended up polishing off the whole lot by myself. 

Accommodation at Bintan Lagoon Resort

It was probably close to midnight when we checked into our accommodation for the second night, which was at Bintan Lagoon Resort. And I was so exhausted that I crashed almost immediately after sinking myself down into the bed.

Fortunately the following morning was free and easy, until our meeting time at 9:45am, to board the bus which would take us to the ferry terminal.

We had our breakfast that morning at the Bintan Lagoon Resort and this turned out to be an extensive buffet spread, consisting of everything ranging from Western fare like sausages and eggs cooked to order, bread rolls, croissants and pastries, and cereals, to Asian food such as prata, congee, nasi goreng and soup noodles.

As well, desserts such as cakes and muffins were available as well. I wanted to try literally everything, but unfortunately, I only had a limited amount of space in my stomach!

Lagoi Bay Lake

On the way to the ferry terminal, we stopped off for a few minutes at the Lagoi Bay Lake, which would be one of the sights along the routes for both the Half Marathon and the Full Marathon at the International Bintan Marathon, which takes place on 7 and 8 September this year. 

Lake Lagoi is a lovely 2.5-hectare freshwater lake adjacent to the Grand Lagoi Hotel, and is enveloped by the viridian greens.

And when I set my eyes on the lake, I had thought the lake was very picturesque and pretty and I felt that it would be an amazing place for a morning run. So it is indeed fitting, that this will be part of the race routes for the International Bintan Marathon.

Departing for Singapore 

Our ferry back to Singapore departed at 11:35am. We reached the terminal roughly an hour before that, where we had a bit of a rest, simply chilling out after the past couple of hectic days, before boarding the ferry.

And I was so tired that I fell asleep the moment I got into the ferry and sat down. And before I knew it, the ferry was already approaching Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore.

That marked the end of a whirlwind, but fun two and a half days spent in Bintan. I would say that the trip had been a very insightful and educational one, and had introduced me to a lot of places that I previously didn’t know, had existed in Bintan.

 International Bintan Marathon Promo Codes

If you too, are keen to check out the sights in Bintan for yourself and also run in the International Bintan Marathon at the same time, I have some special promo codes for you.

For those who wish to sign up for the 10km and family run category, you will get $5 off with the promo code IBMPRIS5.

And for the Half and Full Marathoners, use the promo code IBMPRIS10 to get $10 off from your registration fees.

Now that you know that Bintan has so much to see and do, why not make it a “run-cation” to remember, in Bintan, on 7 and 8 September?

For myself, I will be returning to this beautiful and scenic island, and taking part in the Half Marathon category at the International Bintan Marathon – so I hope that I will see you there.

Head over to http://www.bintanmarathon.com/ for more information on the race.