Island weekend getaway? (not Bin Tan)

[Anna]

Does anyone know of a nearby island (to Singapore) accessible preferably by ferry we could take the parents in-law to for a weekend? (No more than a couple of hours travelling time.)
We have been to Bin Tan so would like to try somewhere different.
Thanks!

[Local]

Batam ? Any island off Mersing ?

[John Green]

You have three more choices, two of which still use Bintan, but different areas of the same island.

1] There are actually two Bintans - the resort are, which you have seen already and Tanjung Pinang. Try one of the small private resorts - e.g. www.loola.net  or www.pangkil.com

2] Try doing Island Aedventure's "RSAC" - Riau Straits Adventure Cruise" - it starts and finishesat Tj Pinang. See www.riau-islands.com

3] Spend the weekend at Nongsa on Batam island. Stay at either Batam View or Turi Beach. See http://batam.go.to

[Annabel Lee]

I can recommend the boat trips from Island Adventures. Our family has been twice and we would certainly go again. We joined the Riau Straits Adventure Cruise; our kids loved it.

Just one word of advise though, they say on their website that accommodation is roughing it on the boat and they mean it!

Choose the hotel option is you are a bit of softie - it only costs S$35 for a room and it could make a difference.

Personally we liked the sound of water lapping against the side of the boat in the still of the night - a lovely experience.

Only visit their website when you have some spare time - it is huge.

[Trevor and Helen]

Many thanks Annabel. We are just back from "advetnure cruising" the Bintan coast. The best (and one of the cheapest) weekend we have had since arriving in Signapore.

We would recomend this to anybody.
The staff and food were fantastic!

[togetherapart]

Have you tried Sentosa? It's great - you can get there by ferry, road and even cablecar (though it's a bit of a hassle getting to the hotel from there).

Best part is that it's just opposite Singapore, you've got plush hotels away from the (ahem) hoi polloi, yet there's all this sand, lagoon and beach volleyball as well. It's great if you've got parents or kids with you and there's quite a bit of war history to the old place too.

[Andrea K]

We are looking at doing the Riau Straits Adventure Cruise on 30 June. Marsel in the booking office (tel 011 778 425649) says they prefer 4 adults to go.

Anyone want to join? The cost is Sin$240 for 2d/1n, which includes all meals, activities, ferry tickets and accomodation on the boat.

[Hasher]

We visited Pangkil Island a few months ago. owned by an American guy, Peter Timmer. He has built a great environment. See pictures of what he built on the pangkil.com website. He rents the whole island for a flat rate, about Sin$2500. Well worth it.

To relax and do nothing, try Pangkil. For non stop activities, do a weekend with Island Adventures. Both are relaxing but in different ways.

[Aceman]

Pulau Redang?

[Roland]

Try charter a 42'  aluminum catamaran which cruises around the islands of Singapore.

Location Kafe Celsius is berthed at Republic of Singapore Yacht Club,  52 West Coast Ferry Road [end of Clementi Road towards the sea]  Park at West Coast Park carpark 2 for free or RSYC for $2 per entry weekend. Come to G7 by requesting a buggy from the reception desk or simply walk there.

Program
1000 Welcome drinks of Teas and Coffee and departure for the Southern Islands. [Wear shorts, slippers or flip-flops]
1100 Arrival at Pulau Hantu. Moored around coral reefs.
1200 Wood Fired BarBiQ Chicken Wings [4 kg for 10 pax] is served on board. Roasted Garlic Bread [4 loaves] and Fruits [2 water melons or equivalent] will also be served. Get ready for Swimming, Fishing, Snorkeling etc .[Please bring swimming & fishing gear]
1400 Cruise to other Southern Islands- Sisters Island... St. John?s Island... Lazarus Island... for more sea sports. Kusu Island (Tortoise Island) is no exception, its origin was purported to be the result of a giant tortoise which had transformed itself into an island 1700 Sunset Cruise of Keppel Harbour, one of the busiest ports in the world, with an average of one vessel leaving or coming into port every ten minutes. Make your way through the many sea-going vessels that converge in the harbour; you?ll discover that there?s more to Singapore than just the main island. Cruise past the resort island of Sentosa which was reputed to be Singapore?s impenetrable fortress in W.W.II.
1800 Arrival at Republic of Singapore Yacht Club. Dip into the fresh water swimming pool and shower before you head for home. [Please bring bath towel and a change of clothes] $88 person max. 10. info 4669731

[Trevor and Helen]

We had Trevor's older parents (80 years but still active) in Singapore last month - they were escaping the NZ winter.

We spent a weekend at Batam View. Very good deal. I would have liked to try Turi Beach, but that place has too many stairs for older folks. Batam View at least has lifts.

We had a very enjoyable night's fishing - caught a couple of mackerel. I took the beginner's scuba course in the hotel pool. It is also possible to do some windsurfing - might try that next time.

We tried the tip (posted on this board) to use the Port Taxi service to visit Nagoya - the cab came in 10 minutes of us calling (761004). Cheaper than the hotel cab.

On Saturday night, there was an excellent free buffet by the pool. Only problem was the music was a bit too loud for the old folks.

[Advice]

Togetherapart,

Sentosa ? I think you need to see a doctor.

[korse52]

Loola-Resort, Bintan

I have to advise any keen holidy makers intending to have a short weekend away to STAY AWAY FROM THIS MOSQUITO INFESTED, BORING AND POOR MEALS AT THIS RESORT.

THE SO CALLED BUNGALOWS ARE BUILT ON MANGROVE SWAMPY BEACH WHICH DISALLOW NICE REST ON THE IMAGINARY WHITE SAND BEACHES IF ONE DREAMS ABOUT HAVING ONE! There wasnt much you can do there except to wait for the poor repetitive deep fried chicken, deep fried fish and stir fried vegetables which one could imagine on a army training. Breakfast was the packet mee goreng and stale french toast in rancid oil!!

There is also wall climbing which is located a metre away but before one could reach there, be prepared to be atttacked by SAND FLEAS!!!!!!!
In the night, one should be prepared to cover yourself from head to toes and pray hard that the mosquitoes do not give you the
hundreds of bites all over. (thanks god,i got only 50!)

For that kind of fees paid, one can have a nice, comfortable and scumptuous meal and stay at some other resorts in Bintan.
Cheers korse52

[pulau Mom]

stay away from Tioman.Stayed at Berjaya, but
bugs everywhere. Flies in your food, from the buffet breakfast to all meals taken poolside, beachside, and lobby side. Only one a/c Chinese place, we ate there everyday! If you leave a snack in your backpack, poolside, you'll have literally hundreds of angry red ants attacking it, refusing to let go even after a water bath.
The big black ants and the tiny red ants all
bite.  There are sandflies that leave you itching for a month. Not a lot of fish, or
coral snorkelling at the resort. You can take a one day tour, but about ten tour boats seating ten all take the same route,
visiting the same five different places at the same time, and they wait for you beachside, or on the ocean, so with all the motorboats coming and leaving in the same area where you're supposed to be snorkelling, it is quite dangerous, and with
the one hundred other people snorkelling at the same time, it's quite crowded.  There are 30min.donkey rides for the children, and a grassy playground.  Tennis courts, and a
tres tres expensive golf course-take all your
gear if you're going, the rentals are budget breaking-maybe that's why we saw noone golfing the five days we were there.  If you still want to go to Tioman,  book a chalet that is near the lobby reception area, and
relatively near the beach or you will be trekking through a maze of rooms-the walls are very thin, and if you're assigned a downstairs room, you will know when your upstairs neighbour comes home, from the noise!  All the staff are very pokerfaced, and not the type you'd let babysit your child/ren. There are BUGS everywhere and I
still feel itchy just remembering the place. Two waterslides in to the pools, the only good thing about the place. By the way, the phone lines were down, and had been that way for a while when we went there in June.  So whenever we had a problem, we had to go on a hike to the front desk.  No room service, either!  No DFS on the island, nor at Seletar Airport, if you decide to go by plane.    

[LynH]

Just been to Sea Gypsey and had a great time, although did get eaten alive by mozzies.