'''Bintan''' is one of the Riau Islands of Indonesia.

Understand

Bintan leads a double life: the northern tip of the island, Bintan Resorts ('''Lagoi'''), 1 hour from Singapore by ferry, 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 covered in the Bintan Resorts article.

Separated from the resorts by checkpoints and armed guards, the rest of the island is "real" border town Indonesia, home to electronics factories, fishing villages and local style resorts (beach and adventure type) along the East Coast Bintan.

The colorful capital of Bintan, Tanjung Pinang, 1.5 hours away from Singapore by ferry, used to be a local destination for prostitution and gambling (just like neighboring Batam), but after a clamp-down by the local authorities it is regaining its rightful reputation as one of Indonesia's most historical cities, with its ancient vibrant market partly located on stilts in the sea.

Cities

  • Kijang
  • Tanjung Pinang - the main town of the island
  • Tanjung Uban
  • Other destinations

  • Bintan Resorts - a chunk of Singapore in Indonesia
  • Trikora and the rest of Bintan's East coast
  • Talk

    Bahasa Indonesia, which is spoken throughout Indonesia, is modeled on the version of Malay which originates from Riau on the Sumatra mainland and the Riau Islands. In fact, Riau Malay is regarded as the purest form of the Malay language and visitors from Malaysia will find the Malay spoken here very similar to Bahasa Malaysia, which is the version of Malay spoken back home.

    Tanjung Pinang, the largest town on Bintan, has a large Chinese population who speak the Fujian and Chaozhou dialects as well as Mandarin.

    Get in

    For detailed information on visas, please see Indonesia page. All Bintan ports, namely Sri Bintan Pura - TanjungPinang, Lobam and Bandar Bentan Telani or Lagoi (Bintan Resorts) are visa-free and visa-on-arrival points of entry.

    By plane

    Bintan's '''Raja Haji Fisabilillah Airport''' ({{IATA|TNJ}}, {{ICAO|WIDN}}) only caters to a limited number of flights, none of which are international. The main operator is [http://www.riau-airlines.com Riau Airlines] which provides connections to Jakarta, Pekanbaru, Palembang, Jambi and the remote Natuna Islands. [http://www.sriwijayaair-online.com Sriwijaya Air]offers daily flights from Jakarta. Alternatives include flying into Singapore and taking the ferry across (see next section), or using the larger airport in neighboring Batam.

    By boat

    You are most likely to arrive by boat. Most international travelers arrive from Singapore and Johor Bahru. Bintan is also the major domestic seaport for the Riau Islands and is a port of call for Indonesia's major passenger shipping company Pelni. The ride across itself (return ticket around S$50) is worth the trip. Make sure you get on the open deck (most locals stay in the air-conditioned cabin). Close to Singapore, hundreds and hundreds of oil tankers, freighters and huge container ships from all over the world literally fill up the horizon in any direction. Later on on the ride, there will be small islands dotted across South China Sea, most seem uninhabited, with mysterious jungle coastlines, and dark volcanoes in the background. Just use your imagination and think about the pirates that have been hiding on those islands for centuries (and are still now), or how participants of the "Survivor" TV series would cope on such an island, with huge pythons all over the jungle.

    There are several passenger ports in Bintan. The most common one is at '''Tanjung Pinang''' where most short-distance inter-island ferries and those from Singapore and Johor Bahru dock. The other ferry terminals are at '''Tanjung Uban''', '''Kijang''' (where Pelni boats dock), and '''Teluk Sebung''' which serves the Bintan Resorts area on the northern part of the island. Please see Bintan Resorts for details to get to that part of Bintan.

  • '''From/to Singapore''' - three companies - '''[http://www.penguin.com.sg/ Penguin], [http://www.indofalcon.com.sg/ Indo Falcon] and Berlian/Wavemaster''' - operate ferries between Singapore's '''Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal''' and Tanjung Pinang. Together, they operate six ferries on weekdays, increasing to nine during weekends and public holidays. Tickets cost around S$50-59 return / S$40 one way (excluding Indonesia port tax).
  • * Berlian/Wave master (Tel: ''+65''-65468830 in Tanah Merah FT)
  • * Indo Falcon (Tel: ''+65''-62706778/62757393 in Singapore)
  • * Penguin (Tel: ''+65''-65427105 in Tanah Merah FT)
  • :The various ferries from Singapore take around 2 hours to get to Tanjung Pinang. When you arrive you should confirm your return at the ferry company offices ASAP as the ferries can get full. It is impossible to get out of the terminal without a guide latching on to you, so take advantage and get them to show you where the office is, they may offer to do this anyway. It is roughly - left out of the terminal, then take the first left and the office is at the end of the street and should only take a couple of minutes to reach.

  • '''From/to Malaysia''' - around five ferries daily to/from the Johor Bahru International Ferry Terminal at Stulang Laut, Johor Bahru, to Tanjung Pinang. Tickets cost RM75/125 one-way/return excluding taxes. Journey takes 90 mins. Call '''[http://www.dfzcapital.com.my/dfzc/services/JohorBahruFerryTerminal.php Tenggara Senandung]''' (Tel: ''+60-7''-2211677) at the Johor Bahru ferry terminal for more information.
  • '''From/to Batam'''
  • * '''Baruna''' (Tel: ''+62-771''-28578 in Tanjung Pinang, ''+62-778''-479162 in Telaga Punggur) and '''Sentosa''' speedboats run virtually every 15 minutes between '''Telaga Punggur''' on the southeastern end of Batam and '''Tanjung Pinang''', the main town on Bintan. The fare is Rp. 30.000 before port taxes of Rp. 3.500 (1 hour). Slightly less frequent speedboats run between Telaga Punggur and '''Tanjung Uban''' on the western end of Bintan.
  • * Several ferries which originate from cities in the Sumatra mainland also call at '''Sekupang''', the main domestic ferry port on Batam, before continuing to '''Tanjung Pinang'''. One such operator is Dumai Express.
  • '''From/to Dumai, Sumatra''' - several ferries daily by '''Dumai Express''' run to Tanjung Pinang via Sekupang, Batam. Some ferries also stop at Tanjung Balai on Karimun Island.
  • '''From/to Pekanbaru''' - '''SB Kurnia Usaha Baru''' runs daily ferry to Pekanbaru, departing at 6:30 am. The fare is Rp 220.000 before port tax of Rp 3.500.
  • '''From/to Tanjung Balai, Karimun Island''' - daily ferries by '''Arena''' to/from Tanjung Pinang.
  • '''From/to Tanjung Batu, Kundur Island''' - one daily speedboat operated by '''SB Giam Mas''' (Tanjung Batu agent at port, Tel: ''+62-779''-431589) departs daily from Tanjung Batu, the main town on Kundur Island, at 0745 for Tanjung Pinang. The boat returns to Tanjung Batu on the same day, departing Tanjung Pinang at 1200. The boat has scheduled stops at Galang Island and Moro on Sugibawah Island, while unscheduled stops may be made at various little settlements along the way. Journey time is about two and a half hours each way. The fare from Tanjung Batu to Tanjung Pinang and vice-versa is Rp130,000 before port taxes.
  • '''From/to Singkep Island''' - ferries '''Batavia''' and '''Superjet''' run daily between Tanjung Pinang and Dabo on Singkep Island, departing at 11 am. The fare is Rp 105.000 before port tax of Rp 3.500. You can catch boat connections to the Lingga Islands from Singkep.
  • '''From/to Natuna Islands'''
  • * Fortnightly ferry from Tanjung Pinang to the isolated Anambas and Natuna Islands.
  • * [http://www.pelni.co.id Pelni's] KM Bukit Raya sails from Kijang port in Bintan to Letung, Tarempa. Natuna and Midai on the way out to Pontianak, West Kalimantan. It however returns to Tanjung Pinang via a different route.
  • '''From/to other parts of Indonesia''' - [http://www.pelni.co.id PELNI] ships link various Indonesian islands with '''Kijang''' port on Bintan. These ships provide direct links with Jakarta (KM Ciremiu), Pontianak and other more distant ports. '''Getting there/away:''' From outside Kijang harbour there are bemos (public minibuses) going the 26 km to Tanjung Pinang.
  • Get around

    There is no public transportation to speak of in Bintan. Taxis/car rental are the only ways to get around Bintan. Car rental could cost between S$50 - 100/day for a sedan, depending on how far you go (all the way around the island, visiting Tanjung Pinang, the east coast, and the resort belt in the north would be a 4 hour, 200 km venture, while a short day visit to Trikora coast might be had for $ 50).

    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.

    By Angkutan Kota (Mikrolet)

    ''Mikrolet'' (minibuses which operate on fixed routes. They carry six to eight passengers and charges per person vary with the distance), known as Angkutan Kota / Angkut in Bintan is another useful way to roam around, fare around the town is Rp. 5,000 (as of 2008). To stop at your destination, just shout "''kiri''"!

    See

    Go to Trikora Beach. It is beautiful and there are many seasports readily available. More untouched beaches can be found in the area around Sumpat.

    Also, the primary rainforests, although reduced in size due to commercialism, they are still majestic and magnificent.

    Do

    Bintan has excellent beaches and plenty of sea games, but it is also known to be a place for prostitution, if this is what you are looking for. Bintan Resorts have fantastic '''golf''' and other sea sports. Sea sports are also available at the [http://www.agrobeach.com Bintan Agro resort] located on the eastern side of the island. A good option would be to stay at the sister resort, Nostalgia Yasin Bungalow, at cheaper acomodation rates, while at the same time enjoying the water sports from Bintan Agro.

    You can also go island-hopping from the main ports. From Tanjung Pinang, going to a nearby island would only be about S$5-10.

    Buy

    The local wooden handicraft is worth buying, if you're on the lookout for a souvenir or two. The prices are generally cheap if you can find the right places to buy from.

    Both Indonesian rupiah and Singapore dollars are universally accepted. Note that the Rupiah-dollar conversion rate is very high, and it can be a gruesome task to compare prices. Prices on the "Indonesian" part of the island are on par with or slightly higher than other islands in Indonesia, while the price level on Bintan Resorts is quite expensive even by Singapore standards.

    The major shopping centres in town, like Ramayana Mall or Bintan Mall, hardly compare to those in Singapore, Jakarta, or Kuala Lumpur, but the items sold are generally cheap, varied, and acceptable quality.

    Eat

    <!-- Please put restaurant listings in the town articles, not here -->

    Seafood in Bintan is fresh and affordable (about S$3-7/pax) and Tanjung Pinang has many restaurants, although they usually have sub-standard fans and minimal or gaudy decoration. However, service is good and waiters are friendly. There isn't always an English menu, so take a look at the Indonesian phrasebook and learn the basics. Also remember that 'vegetarian' is defined differently here than other parts of the world, so if you are a strict vegetarian, make sure you mention no meat is to be included.

    Hygiene may be a problem, but restaurants here depend on repeat customers, so generally they will do their best to make sure you have an enjoyable experience.

    Drink

    Drink bottled water. Except for a few 4/5* hotels, tap water is generaly not potable.

    Fresh tender coconut water may be available at a few places, if not at your own resort.

    As the locals are generally Muslims and thus do not usually drink alcoholic beverages, beer and wines are not available in every shop, but major shopping centres/hotel concierges can tell you where to buy them.

    Stay safe

    While better than it used to be, 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).

    Locals will readily befriend you, but be warned, they will inflate your bills and take a cut. However, since the cut they take isn't very large unless they are really unscrupulous so they still make good, friendly, and knowledgeable guides.

    Get out

  • Batam - Like Bintan, only less resorts, more factories and more nightlife
  • Singapore - less than an hour by ferry to the north