Bintan

Bintan is the largest island in the Riau Archipelago with 1,140 square kilometers of area, which comprises almost 3,000 large and small islands. The islands stretch from the Straits of Malacca all the way to the South China Sea. Bintan island has a population of about 200.000, and like the rest of Riau this is a true mix of cultures like Malay, Bugis, and Chinese. Bintan is very close to the equator and have a tropical climate throughout the year, with temperatures ranging from 21° to 32°.

Bintan Island nestled amidst mangrove swamps. Most of the tourism is concentrated on the north coast around Lagoi, while the east coast is still unspoiled and worth a visit. In a not so distant past Bintan was completely covered with tropical rain forest. This is now all gone, except a small forest that covers the highest mountain on the island, Bintan Besar.

Bintan Besar is the remnants of an old volcano, and at an elevation of 376 m, is the highest point on the Riau Archipelago. It is also the only place where one can get to see the vestiges of the tropical rain forests.

Tanjung Pinang is the main port town on the Island. The town of Tanjung Pinang is the capital of this province, located on the south western shore of Bintan. The town has a Museum located on Katamso Street, which is open to the public. Another popular tourist attraction here is the Sungai Ular (Snake River) Buddhist Temple, opposite the harbor in Tanjung Pinang and the most popular beach on the east coast of Bintan Island is the Trikora Beach. The sand is white, the water is spotless, and it is a great place to relax in

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The Island is also a well-known with watersports, like snorkeling, diving, scuba-diving, fishing, and swimming. Bintan island has become a popular tourist destination due to its close vicinity to Singapore. Here we can get accommodation of all standards, and it is still possible to find a peaceful spot on Bintan far from other tourists.