Bintan entices with new offerings: Travel Weekly Asia

Bintan is not just about golf and spas - it offers a lot more. The Indonesian destination, though familiar to Singaporeans, can be overlooked as travellers jet set to Bangkok or make a road trip to Legoland in Johor Bahru.

The tour guide, Maradu, points out the flora and fauna of the mangroves as the boat speeds in the waterways. You see the holes created by the water crab and where the mud lobsters dwell. Hard to believe cosmopolitan Singapore is just an hour’s ferry ride from Bintan Island.

Bintan receives 500,000 visitors annually and its offerings have remained much the same for several years. However, with the opening of Lagoi Bay, new resorts and activities will add a fresh shine to the destination. Lagoi Bay will become the new heart and centre of Bintan Resorts and form a crucial part of Bintan Resorts’ promotions.

Additionally, Plaza Lagoi with offer the shopping experiences Bintan has lacked in the past.

Asad Shiraz, director of marketing, Bintan Resorts International, said Bintan would be a lot more attractive with the development of Lagoi Bay and Treasure Bay. Said Shiraz, “Lagoi Bay will form a very integral part of our promotions and we will be promoting Treasure Bay as part of its offerings.”

New luxury hotels have sprung up, or are in the pipeline, including Grand Lagoi Swiss-Belhotel, The Sanchaya and The Canopi Resort around Crystal Lagoon on Lagoi Bay. The development will create demand as currently Bintan has only about 1400 rooms and limited recreational facilities. Room count will double to more than 3000 rooms.

On a tour to the hinterland

A tour to Bintan’s hinterland is a step back in time where visitors can glimpse Riau-Indonesian history and culture on the South Bintan Heritage Tour.

Visitors can take a water taxi from Senggarang – the Chinese fishing settlement whose highlights include colourful temples, a giant statue of Buddha and houses built on stilts over the sea - to Tanjung Pinang, Bintan’s capital town with its lively street markets.

Said Shiraz, “Bintan resorts have always been sold as beach destinations with golf and spa, but Bintan has a lot more going for it. We have a rich hinterland.

“Step out of Bintan resorts and you’ll see the largest sitting Guanyin statue in South-east Asia. On a hillside, a temple has 500 luohan statues (disciples who had magical powers and could stay alive indefinitely to preserve the Buddha's teachings). There are also historic sites of the Riau empire.”

Shiraz said that Bintan Resorts International would be promoting the hinterland, especially Bintan’s culture that makes it different from other beach destinations.

Bintan Resorts’ business grew by less than 5% annually this year, but Shiraz is “cautiously optimistic” that with new attractions more visitors will arrive. And with the opening of a new airport by 2017, Bintan is on its way to attracting one million visitors and so doubling arrivals.

Bintan is under-represented in the Indonesian market with the bulk of visitors coming from Singapore, but with greater accessibility and attractions it is hoped that it will have more appeal for Indonesians.

The new airport is a major development in Bintan’s projections with flights by Garuda, as well as the region’s low cost carriers and chartered flights. The flights will be from Medan, Jakarta and Surabaya, as well as China and other parts of South-east Asia.

Meanwhile, existing resorts on Bintan will undergo a rejuvenation of sorts. Bintan’s largest resort, Bintan Lagoon Resort, aims to attract more families as it transforms its leisure centre to a kids’ centre. Resort owner, Moe Ibrahim, said the focus would be on families and kids. There will be a full schedule of activities for kids of different ages while parents can relax in peace knowing their kids are safely occupied.

Currently, some 50% of weekend guests at the resort are made up of families.

Ibrahim also has plans to install Wi-Fi throughout the resort and engage more guests through social media.