Hotels in Bintan

Bintan Island Hotels

Whether you want to escape from the hustle and bustle of Singapore for a weekend, or simply slow the pace and enjoy a couple of weeks' rest and relaxation, Bintan Island is a tropical getaway like no other. The smell of barbequing seafood fills the air, while the noise of waves breaking against the shore provides the island's music. Quality golf courses stretch along the coast, but beware – hook a drive and it will disappear into the brilliant blue ocean on a one-way journey.

Things to see

Trikora Beach is everything you'd imagine when asked to picture a stunning beach. Palm trees lean lazily out over dazzlingly white sand, and coral blue waves gently lap against the shore. While you could spend your entire trip doing nothing more than sipping from freshly felled coconuts, and feeling your stresses drifting out to sea, the local culture will motivate you to explore further. The Buddhist, Bayan Tree Temple is truly unique, with the snaking roots of a huge tree smothering the building. Golfers looking for a temple of their own will admire Ria Bintan Club – which offers 2 lush green courses. These are the only golf courses where you'll even love the water and sand hazards – as the scenic fairways slope down to pretty beaches, and the finely trimmed greens perch on rocky cliff tops above the ocean. If you're bringing the kids along, they'll enjoy Bintan Elephant Park, where they can learn all about the animals, and feed them apples by hand.

Hotels in Bintan Island

Luxury resorts are carefully spread across the sparsely populated coastline on Bintan Island. Whether you want the ability to fold back the front wall of your villa, to bring the glorious expanse of ocean inside - or to relax in a private plunge pool before heading to your own slice of sundrenched beach – anything's possible at Bintan Island hotels. Many of the resorts have beautiful golf courses attached, along with sensuous spas - where skilled fingers will work their way deep into your aching muscles. The basics haven't been overlooked either – you even get free WiFi access so you can check your emails on the beach if you want to.

Where to stay

Most of the hotels sit to the north of the island, and the standard of accommodation is incredibly high across the board. Choose between secluded villas surrounded by thick green forest, or wooden huts with thatched roofs, which sit on rocky outcrops over the calm sea. Quality restaurants are in good supply, so you can watch the sun dip below the horizon each evening to the taste of a different Indonesian delicacy – be it garlic smothered sea snails, or chilied crabmeat.

How to get to Bintan Island

Don’t worry, you won’t have to jump on a small, rickety plane to reach this slice of island paradise. Instead, you can fly into Singapore's huge Changi Airport, and then take a short boat trip across the Singapore Strait. The ferry journey takes just less than an hour, and the hotels will usually arrange for someone to pick you up, or run a shuttle bus that will drive you directly to your resort from the ferry port. Many hotels also run daily excursions to places of interest like the city of Tanjung Pinang.