Published in Airports India Magazine in May 2018

 

Bintan --- An island for all seasons & reasons

 

 

The weather forecast for Bintan is not very encouraging as we depart from Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal for the short 50-minute ride, sailing through South China Sea.  We are on board the Indera Bupala, heading to Bintan, an island in Indonesia’s Riau Archipelago. 

As the ferry weighs anchor and begins its journey, it displaces the seawater to create a mesmerizing mosaic which resembles buckets of fresh and frothy sugarcane juice splashed across an even surface.

With 15 minutes to go for arrival time at Bintan, the sea gets a trifle rough with dark clouds hovering on the horizon. My paranoia of drowning in open waters is fed and fuelled by the turbulence we face as the vessel heaves and dips violently on the water. Much to the amusement of my family, I call upon every deity possible to deposit us safely on the shores of Bintan, even as I look around to see if there are other ships around that could possibly rescue us in case of an eventuality. 

 

We arrive safe and sound, all in one piece at the Bandar Bentan Talani Ferry Terminal, half an hour behind schedule. 

We complete immigration formalities and exit the terminal building to be greeted by a huge Garuda statue, the Indonesian symbol, at its entrance. 

 

A shuttle service is waiting to transport us to our hotel, The Grand Lagoi Village, about 15 minutes away.  

 

Our route is flanked by dense trees of diverse species, snuggled in the midst of which are resort structures in all colours and shapes.

Bintan, it is palpable even at first glimpse, is an exquisite region of unspoiled beauty that is blue and green all over. It is dotted with white sandy beaches, beach-front resorts and hotels, vibrant waterfront markets, stunning palm-fringed villages, and awesome mountain peaks. Add to this, the island has accommodations to suit all pockets of holidaymakers, from the backpackers to budget travellers to those who wish to hibernate in style in luxury resorts. 

 

We are gobsmacked by the Grand Lagoi Village and its splendorous environs. The resort hotel which was formerly called Swiss-Belhotel Lagoi Bay blends world standards with Indonesian hospitality. Its rooms and suites meet the needs of the savvy travellers of today. What really bowls us over is that every room has a view – whether of the sweeping bay, the lush tropical greenery, a stunning fresh-water fishing lake, or the white sandy beaches that stretch 3.5 km bang in front of Plaza Lagoi. 

 

Yup, the Plaza, Bintan’s first designated retail mall has over 50 outlets spread across two floors. Here again, what has us spellbound, is not so much the shopping, as its architectural aesthetics and location.

 Food aficionados with an appetite for sea food and non-vegetarian fare, evidently enjoy a gastronomic odyssey in the resort’s twin dining restaurants. But we strict vegetarians too delight in their international buffet breakfast which is a huge spread with live cooking stations. While I, a teetotaller enjoy scintillating views of the South China Sea and Lake Lagoi from Bar 7, the hotel’s rooftop bar, and Bintan’s only one, the rest of my family, my husband, daughter and son-in-law, indulge themselves in whatever tipsy stuff it has to offer!  

Our idea in coming to Bintan for the weekend is to simple lounge in a resort, play some scrabble and cards, bask in the warmth of the Sun, feel the soft sand under our feet and unwind amid its incredible natural beauty. While we categorically rule out adventure activities which my daughter and her partner are usually game for, we toy with the idea of some sightseeing after hearing co-passengers in the ferry refer to a couple of them. 

 Though Bintan is small, it enjoys rich history and culture because of its strategic location on the Indo-China trade route. When Chinese migrants entered the island, they first settled in the small village of Senggarang, built over the sea. Needless to say, the dwellers get a good catch of tiny crabs, and some marine creatures including snakes during low tide! The village throws up a quaint mixture of buildings constructed in different architectural styles, with houses on stilts, shops in sheds and pagodas reflecting Chinese architecture. In fact, it still has some of the old-school Chinese provision stores selling local snacks at local prices.

“You see, here in Senggarang, it is an open community. So no one keeps their door closed. They are left open and you can simply take a peek in to see how they live here,” informs Ahmed, seeing the bewildered look on our faces. 

In the village, we visit two of Bintan’s oldest temples, one of which presents an astonishing sight - the 1000-year old Banyan Tree Temple. While one would simply pass by without giving a wee look to the small temple itself, it is the sprawling Banyan that immediately draws attention. The nondescript edifice is simply wrapped by the roots and branches of the mammoth tree, and continues to be an enigma, eluding all explanations on its mysterious formation. 

 A stone’s throw from here is the Vihara Dharma Sasana, a temple built as thanks-giving for the safe sea passage of the early Chinese settlers. A plump and cherubic laughing Buddha greets us at the entrance to the temple precincts even as a school of colourful fish perform their own jig in the pond, above which he is perched on a rock. Towering above several deities and the dragon associated with Chinese mythology, are a pair of statues of Buddha, nestled in the midst of tall trees the branches of which spread out in a huge canopy, providing shade to the Lord.

We breeze through Tanjung Pinang, Bintan’s chief port and principal trading centre which is also home to many traditional villages and temples. Because of its proximity to the Strait of Malacca, its harbour bustles with activity almost throughout the day.   

We find the town rather congested as we make our way between people and vehicles and watch with amazement at the way in which snacks and meals get prepared in restaurants while customers patiently await their turns. “People come here to shop,” explains Ahmed, pointing to an assortment of shops selling souvenirs, spices, local foods, electronic goods, handcrafted toys, antiques and clothes. This is one aspect of Bintan that does not impress us – I mean the shopping.

History buffs who have a couple more days to spend in Bintan, Penyengat Island, a short hop by sampan boat from Tanjung Pinang, is well worth a visit. The seat of the powerful 18^th century Bugis-descended viceroys of Riau, it bears vestiges of its glorious past with ruins aplenty. We, however, give it a skip.

 On our way to Trikora Beach, our attention is drawn by an attractive gateway arch that stands on the road itself. We immediately turn into the entranceway and come upon an expansive area lined with life size statues, culminating in a flight of steps. An open porch held aloft by intricately sculpted pillars and a wall with sculptures carved into circular spaces on it, lead to a huge wall with several idols of Buddha in various postures. 

 

We are at the Vihara Avalokitesvara Graha, also known as Guan Yin Temple or Vihara Tanjung Pinang, supposedly the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia. The major attraction of the temple is the gold-polished, brass statue of Goddess Guan Yin, symbol name of Avalokitesvara, towering to a height of 16.8 metres. 

 We get a more than a hint of Bintan’s rapidly changing weather in the two days that we stay there. It is as uncertain as uncertain can only be – bright and blazing sunny one moment, a brooding sky lashing out in blinding fury, the next. We cover more than half the way to Trikora Beach when we face the wrath of the rain god. Though it’s a little past noon, it could well be five or six in the evening and a torrential downpour in vertical sheets, makes for very poor visibility. Ahmed is cautious as he deftly navigates the car on roads that are narrow and undulating in stretches. By the time we reach Trikora, the raging heavens become slightly merciful, but continue to shower down big blobs. We are left with no option but to enjoy vistas of the beach and the nearby fishing village from inside our vehicle, windows tightly fastened. But for the rains, we’d see men working at building small rafts and boats and also three distinct hues of blue of the sea on a sunny day, as Ahmed tells us. We also miss out on the Santa Maria Cave close by, which houses a beautiful statue of Mother Mary perched on top of a half globe.

By conscious choice, our stay in Bintan remained sedate for the most part. However, the island has a host of diverse activities for adventure seekers. Apart from the routine trekking and mountain biking, you could simply hop on to a speed boat and explore the placid waterways of the Sebung River and encounter the island’s rich mangrove forests and some exotic wildlife including orang-utans, silver leaf monkey and monitor lizards.   

Or, you could take wings and soar 10,000 feet high to enjoy spectacular views of Bintan by opting for a thrilling seaplane ride. Board an ultralight aircraft with an open cockpit and amphibious landing gear, to enjoy the experience of a life time even as your heart tumbles in and out of the rib cage, accompanied by a gush of the adrenaline. Alternatively, send your adrenalines pumping with a host of aqua activities including wind surfing, long boarding, boogie boarding, wakeboarding, jet skiing, water skiing, diving and snorkelling.

If you want to be pleasantly occupied, try your hand at golf in one of Bintan’s four spectacular golf courses and drink in the sights of the rolling green courses against the azure blue skies. Fishing is yet another sedate option on its several lakes. 

For children, Lagoi’s Elephant Park is a big draw. Sumatran elephants entertain visitors by spinning themselves 360⁰ on their hind legs, waltz to peppy music and allow you to perch on them for rides around the park.

Well, if you wish to totally relax – to just eat, sleep and drink and enjoy a lazy weekend, chill out with a massage or spa treatment that come at modest rates in most of the hotels and resorts on the island. But should you fancy seafood, the sleepy Sebung Village, offers the best, says Ahmed. “You can’t leave Bintan without eating gong-gong,” adds Ahmed. “This shellfish delicacy is so popular here that we even have a giant statue of it somewhere on the island. And you should try these mouth-watering seafoods in a Kelong style restaurant where they will even cook things for you the way you want them!”

But no matter how you choose to spend your weekend, or extended holiday, Bintan is certainly a place for all seasons and for all reasons.

 

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