Bintan Island Vacation Guide: Tourist Attractions and Tips

Indonesia is full of beautiful islands. Some of them are rather small. However, their size doesn’t make them less picturesque. Bintan Island, for example, is small, but it is full of tourist attractions. Therefore, it is perfect for vacation. Before you book a Bintan Island vacation, you must check the following information below.

Bintan is part of the Riau Islands. It is close to Batam Island and Singapore. This location makes Bintan Island an appealing holiday destination for Singaporeans. Many travelers even call this island ‘Singapore’s backyard.’

Tourist Attractions in Bintan Island

Bintan is a tropical island with sunny weather and an average annual temperature of 26^oC. The best time to visit this island is during the dry season (March to October). In the dry season, travelers can explore the island freely because there is no rain looming on the horizon.

Below are several tourist attractions on Bintan Island you can explore.

1. Golden Dunes and Blue Lake

The Golden Dunes and Blue Lake are an ideal tourist spot for photography enthusiasts. This attraction is simply spectacular with its golden hills and surrounding blue lake. Therefore, you must visit it while on a Bintan Island vacation.

A long time ago, the golden dunes were a bauxite sand mining. It turns into golden hills after years of abandonment. Moreover, the lakes around the dunes have beautiful blue water because it is rich in minerals.

The Golden Dunes and Blue Lake are about 15 minutes from Tanjung Uban Port or 45 minutes from Tanjung Pinang Port. There are no official opening hours for this attraction.

Therefore, travelers can visit it at any time. When visiting the golden dunes, they must wear a hat or bring an umbrella.

2. Bintan Mangroves

You must not miss Bintan Mangroves along the Sebung during your Bintan Island vacation. The best time to visit the mangroves is at night. The night tour will present you with a fairylike scene thanks to the flying fireflies that fill the waterway.

However, the day tour in Bintan Mangroves also offers an attractive view. You may encounter exotic animals, such as chameleons, eagles, and silver leaf monkeys, during this tour.  The day tour starts at 8.00, 10.00, 13.00, and 15,00. Meanwhile, the night tour begins at 19.30.

3. 500 Lohan Temple

Your Bintan vacation will not be perfect if you don’t visit the 500 Lohan Temple or Vihara Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. The temple has over 500 Lohan or arhats. When you observe these arhats, you will notice that they have different expressions.

They express happiness, sadness, madness, etc. Moreover, upon closer observation, travelers may recognize particular Chinese characters, e.g., Guan Gong from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. 500 Lohan Temple is open from 9.00 to 17.00 on Tuesday to Monday.

4. Trikora Beach

The eastern coast of Bintan Island offers a stunning beach with crystal clear water, pristine white sand, and scattered rocks. This beach is famous among the locals, Singaporeans, and Malaysians.

The beach stretches for more than 20 km. Moreover, it offers a tranquil atmosphere. Therefore, travelers can bask in the sun in a peaceful mood. In addition, they can rent snorkeling equipment and admire the underwater beauty.

Trikora Beach is in subdistrict Gunung Kijang. It is about 45 km from Tanjung Pinang. Travelers can go to this beach by renting a car or a motorbike.

5. Penyengat Island

Penyengat Island is a small island rich in historical objects and monuments. They have unique construction with a mix of Javanese and Dutch architectures. One of the landmarks of this island is the Sultan Riau Grand Mosque.

The wall of this mosque has a permanent yellow color because Sultan Riau built it using white eggs and traditional construction materials. Penyengat Island is only a 15-minute boat ride from the city center of Tanjung Pinang.

Bintan Island Vacation Tips

Before you head to Bintan Island for the weekend, please check the tips below.

• How to Travel to Bintan: Most holidaymakers from Singapore travel to Bintan by ferry. They ride a ferry from Tanah Merah Terminal Singapore to Sri Bintan Pura Terminal or Bandar Bentan Telani Terminal. Moreover, Malaysians travel from Johor Bahru Ferry Terminal to Sri Bintan Pura Terminal.

• Getting Around Bintan Island: Public transport is available in limited routes and numbers. Therefore, it is convenient for travelers to get around the city by taxis or car rentals.

• Trip Idea: You need two days to explore all the main attractions in Bintan. On the first day, you can have a mangrove day tour and a mangrove night tour. Moreover, you can visit Golden Sand Dunes, 500 Lohan Temple, and Penyengat Island the next day.

• Try Local Flavor: Fresh seafood menus are available in abundance. You can try some of them, for example, gonggong, mie tarempa, and fresh fish BBQ. In addition, you can also try local snacks, such as kueh lapis, keropak, and kernas.

Singaporeans or Malaysians looking for a weekend getaway must book a Bintan Island vacation. Spending your weekend on this island will allow you to experience new things you can’t find in your country. One of them is the night mangrove tour that offers a fairylike holiday experience.