Banyan Tree Bintan, Indonesia: What to see, taste and do

We’ve had our fair share of Antarctic cold snaps in Sydney this Winter, and I could not wait to fly off to Banyan Tree Bintan Island in Indonesia to thaw. I’ve had too much ‘yin’ this Winter and some ‘yang’ time to warm up was long overdue. I always find there is something special about holidays in Asia – it’s colourful, picturesque, it always delivers on hospitality to a very high standard and value for money; not to mention also the explosion of the flavours of authentic Asian food and as a destination, it is much closer to Australia so you’re not wasting travel time on planes and you don’t feel exhausted when you get off. I always feel like I’ve had a proper relaxing holiday when I travel to Asia, even if it is only for a few days.

This time I headed to Bintan Island, Indonesia for my latest holiday in Asia. How I chose Bintan Island came about more by choosing where I wanted to stay as hotel quality is a big part for me in choosing where to go. The Banyan Tree Hotel group has always delivered in luxury, service and style when I visit Asia. The lush green luxury setting, great food and high standards in service levels is consistent across all three hotels. It has a feel of luxury and it’s one of those luxury hotel resort where you wouldn’t mind parking yourself to and be pampered by the hotel surroundings and staff as there is enough to see, taste and do if you’re there for only 3 or 4 days. After visiting Banyan Tree Phuket and Banyan Tree Ungasan in the past few years, I stayed at the beautiful and secluded Banyan Tree Bintan this time, which was the ‘yin’ of my trip compared to the hustle bustle and vibrancy of Singapore, the ‘yang’ of my holiday.

Banyan Tree Bintan is perched on the undulating hillside of Tanjong Said Bay amidst a very lush-green rainforest, located just 10 minutes away from the Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal. We caught a 45 minute ferry ride from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore, which was about 25 minute taxi ride from Singapore CBD. I would also recommend that it is worth paying that bit extra for Emerald Class on Bintan Resort Ferries, which was the ferry operator I used particularly if you didn’t time your visit to avoid Singapore school holiday season! Bintan Island is considered to be the weekend destination for many Singaporeans. What Bintan Island is to Singaporeans is a bit like what Hamilton Island is for East Coast Australians. With an Emerald Class ticket on board Bintan Resort Ferries, you are given a special line to queue (avoiding the ‘cattle class’ queues), get to sit in the special lounge at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, Singapore to wait for the ferry and have allocated seating on the ferry to Bintan Island.

Ocean View Infinity Pool Villa

When I arrived, I was taken on tour of the whole resort to familiarise myself with the surroundings during my stay. When I walked into the villa for the first time you will see magical panoramic views of the South China Sea stretching into the horizon where the tropical sun meets the coastline, the kind of tropical fantasy burnt out office workers keep photographs of for their screen savers. But the ultimate highlight was the exclusive access to your own private infinity pool that overlooks the ocean. We made good use of it during our stay there, whether it was to swim to cool off from the tropical heat, a round of golf or to have morning breakfast, the infinity pool in the Ocean View Infinity Pool villa was a highlight of our stay. It is worth paying that extra for the room upgrade to this room I think.

The villas are beautifully decorated in traditional Balinese style with a thatched roof (which means it is not a good idea to light a match in your room). Adjacent to the infinity pool is a raised, stylish lounge area for sitting with your legs crossed where you can look out to the infinity pool and beyond that, the South China Sea. When our floating breakfast was delivered to our room, we ate some of on this outside lounge area. Inside the villa, the white draped canopy king bed lined with mosquito nets was the highlight ensuring you have a good sleep on a not so stressful day.

Kelong Villa

Another highlight was visiting the Banyan Tree Bintan’s brand new Kelong Villa where guests have the option to embrace a truly local experience of Indonesia and the natural wonders of the South China Sea.

The Kelong Villa has been built as a tribute to the traditional offshore stilted platforms used by local fishermen. The difference between this villa and other Banyan Tree villas is that the Kelong Villa is located 250 metres from the resort out into the South China sea and it floats.

You get there from the Laguna Bintan beach on a pokchai (motorised wooden boat) with a Robinson Crusoe feel and it’s a 2 minute ride to the Kelong villa. On arrival you are greeted with warm hospitality Indonesian style: it begins with the customary sounding of a terompet (local handmade horn) by the Banyan Host to signify the arrival of the guests as they disembark from the pokchai.

Therapists from the award-winning Banyan Tree Spa serve traditional welcome offerings of kueh putu ayu (steamed rice flour cake filled with palm sugar)and a healthful elixir of carrot, pineapple and ginger to refresh the palate. A luxurious foot bath with traditional herbs and pandan juice follows, and after, guests are invited to shed their footwear in favour of traditional pandan sandals.

The expansive interiors of the villa feature the earthy tones of local Indonesian timber and traditional furnishings that are enhanced by unfettered, breathtaking views of the South China Sea. Amidst all the rustic comfort, luxury remains a priority with exquisite silk and buckwheat bedding for guests to sink into at the end of the day. As an eco-friendly accommodation, the villa offers a selection of amenities and activities that have been carefully curated to allow guests to disconnect from the distractions of the modern world. During their ‘digital detox’, guests can spend their time on an assortment of board games and books, or take to the waters with fishing rods, oars and a kayak for an adventure of their own or with local fishermen.

Ocean views on the Kelong Villa doesn’t get better than this but be aware that it is a floating villa so if you are prone to any sort of seasickness from a slight swaying motion from the sea then a land villa might be better for you. However, if you are accustomed to staying on house boats then the Kelong Villa is a new luxurious and novel way to enjoy the ocean, with a touch of culture, of course. Sunset from the Kelong Villa is absolutely stunning.

Around the Banyan Tree Bintan Resort

Banyan Tree Bintan is also connected to Angsana so if you feel like venturing out and trying the activities there you can. I didn’t so much, as I preferred the romantic peacefulness Banyan Tree offered as Angsana was a resort targeted at families. We did go and try one of the restaurants in Angsana called Lotus Cafe, which was distinctive because it had fish nets hanging from the ceiling and offered some delicious Asian food on the menu for dinner that was a good alternative to the Banyan Tree, high standard and not too expensive. I would recommend venturing off to Angsana and have one of your meals at the Lotus Cafe . I remember I wasn’t all that hungry that day and the menu at Lotus Cafe had nice Asian soup noodles which was the perfect light dinner. The lovely people at Angsana then dropped us back to the Banyan Tree after we finished dinner.

One of the dinner highlights at Banyan Tree Bintan was the in-villa dining of an Indonesian Rijstafel

Rijsttafel (RYSE-tah-fəl, Dutch), a Dutch word that literally translates to ‘rice table’, is an Indonesian elaborate meal adapted by the Dutch. It consists of many side dishes served in small portions, accompanied by rice prepared in several different ways. Such textures may include crispy, chewy, slippery, soft, hard, velvety, gelatinous, and runny. A true flavour explosion!

One of the activity highlights for me during my stay was actually playing at the Laguna Golf Bintan championship golf course. I use to be a golf enthusiast many years ago but the duration of playing 18 holes or even 9 holes has put me off the game. However, it was really nice to reconnect with the game at Laguna Golf Bintan as it offered everything to make playing the game pleasurable. Not only were the views spectacular, we had our own caddy, Sinta who organises your clubs, finds your ball, and cheers you on when you make a good shot.

After a hard day on the golf course, you can head up to the Banyan Tree Spa Bintan Spa surrounded by the natural beauty of rocks and old growth trees. Harnessing local ingredients and featuring excellently appointed treatment rooms, your search for an unsurpassed spa experience ends here. This was a great way to finish up a day after golf or even touring.

Whilst Banyan Tree and Angsana have many options on things to do within the resort itself, going out of the resort for the Mangrove River tour is a must. About 20 minutes from the resort, the Mangrove River is like a scene from the jungle book. The duration of the tour is one hour.

As the river thins to become little more than the width of the small 10-person boat, you’re in the heart of the tropical forest, the blue sky barely visible through the trees and it is much cooler in the tropical climant. It was interesting to see snakes balanced on branches.

“Don’t worry – the snakes are friendly!” Ibnu, the Room Divisional Manager from the Banyan Tree Bintan told me as I headed out the door. I think he meant the pythons are friendly. The Bintan snakes probably not so – they are poisonous apparently so as long as they stay on their branches and don’t slip and fall in our boat I’m fine with that! Ask the Banyan Tree front desk and they can arrange a car and the tour for you. Also, our guide on the Mangrove River tour said the night time tour is stunning too because the fireflies are out and about.

Overall, for a 3 to 4 day stay you can just immerse into seclusion and just enjoy the Banyan Tree Bintan resort. Your choices will mainly be to unwind and relax on the resort’s private beach, watch the sun set as you walk along the beach with warm water rolling onto your ankles whilst your feet are being exfoliated with warm, bread flour like white fluffy sand, tee off on an undulating championship golf course and be pampered at the acclaimed Banyan Tree Spa. That’s how I like my holidays.

Trip Note Summary

See.

Mangrove River tour is a must
Ocean views from the various restaurants (The Cove and Treetops)
See little Hawksbill turtles at the resort (near Angsana’s main pool) as part of their Conservation Lab which was set up to protect threatened species and delicate ecosystems. The lab works with local communities and authorities to develop and promote alternative livelihood programmes that encourage the conservation of precious natural resources

Taste.

For dinner: Indonesian Rijstafel in-villa dining
For breakfast, lunch, or dinner: Treetops with the most beautiful panoramic views of the ocean. We had a delicious breakfast buffet which comprises of both Indonesian and Western food here.
For dinner: The Cove serves modern Mediterranean cuisine in a tranquil ambience overlooking the South China Sea.
For dinner: Saffron is Banyan Tree’s signature restaurant and offers award winning flavours of Thailand with an innovative twist. Classier than the other restaurants, I love the different choices and coloured rice available.
For lunch or dinner: Dine in a traditional fisherman’s boat and enjoy signature seafood dishes such as wok-fried chilli crab straight from the mangroves or you can go simple too. Great menu of local flavours and reasonably priced.

Do.

Cooking Class: Under the guidance of our resort’s culinary team (I had Sous Chef Hikar H), I discovered my inner chef and learnt the culinary skills to produce authentic Indonesia dishes. Following the cooking class, we ate what I learnt to make which was Gado Gado (blanched vegetable salad, peanut sauce, hardboiled egg, crackers) and Ikan Acar Kuning (fried fish, turmeric paste, vinegar, carrot, cucumber).
Laguna Golf Bintan: For golfers, I highly recommend you play at this course. If th heat gets to you then just do 9 holes and it was awesome to have our caddy Sinta, who does everything for you on the course: chooses your club, tips of where to hit, drives your golf cart and cheers you on when you drive the ball straight or hit a hole in one. I enjoyed the game even though I haven’t played a long time. The views of the ocean are absolutely stunning and you get a good view of the entire Banyan Tree resort villas from the golf course.

Walk, swim, watch the sunrise on the beach. Banyan Tree Bintan’s secluded bay of stunning white sands, coconut trees and boulders, offers you the perfect escape from everyday life.Engage in exciting water sports, dive into the beach pool or slip into the resort’s unique rock-edge pool, set high above the coastline to give spectacular views of the surrounding waters.