Bintan
From World travel guide
Bintan is one of the Riau Islands of Indonesia.
Contents |
Understand
Bintan leads a double life: the northern portion of the island, Bintan Resorts (Lagoi), is a colony of Singapore in all but name, full of expensive resorts and manicured lawns. As it has very little in common with the rest of the island, the Resorts are is covered in in its own article.
Separated from the resorts by checkpoints and armed guards, the southern half of the island is "real" bordertown Indonesia, home to electronics factories, fishing villages, many prostitutes and some low-key beaches.
Cities
- Tanjung Pinang — the main town of the island
- Tanjung Uban
Other destinations
- Bintan Resorts — a chunk of Singapore in Indonesia
- Trikora — the eastern beach
Talk
Get in
Bintan is an island with no airport, so your only choice of arrival is by boat. Most travelers arrive from Singapore.
Frequent ferries to Tanjung Pinang leave from Singapore's Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. The trip takes 45 minutes and costs around $40 round trip. There are presently four operators plying the route:
- Berlian, tel. +65-65468830, [1]
- Dino Shipping, tel. +65-65426310
- Indo Falcon, tel. +65-62757393, [2]
- Penguin, tel. +65-65427105, [3]
There are also daily connections to Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
For connections to the other Riau Islands, there is a daily speedboat from Telega Punggur on Batam to Bintan's Tanjung Uban, and two daily services out westward from Tanjung Pinang to the islands of Galang, Moro and Tanjung Batu (Kundur). Transport practically anywhere can be chartered given enough money, time and bargaining skills.
Get around
There is no public transportation to speak of Bintan.
By taxi
Taxis compete furiously for your custom and cutthroat bargaining is a necessity. The safety of these is dubious though, and it is generally advisable to avoid the taxi touts at Tanjung Pinang's ferry terminal entirely and arrange transportation with your lodgings.
See
There is not much to see, it is just a typical previously laid-back, now commercialised place.
Do
Bintan has beaches and sea games, but it is also known to be a place for prostitution, unless this is what you are looking for.
Buy
Bring cash, but be aware of thefts. What to buy ? Souvenirs.
Eat
Drink
Stay safe
Tanjung Pinang has a partly deserved bad reputation. Do not carry large quantities of cash or flash it about, and do not take unfamiliar taxis (particularly the touts at the jetty).
Get out
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