Greetings from The ANMON Bintan, Indonesia! ❤It was my first time in Bintan Island, being one of the most popular weekend getaways for people residing in Singapore apart from Batam. Honestly, I did not set a high expectation, given the mixed review about this place being a tourist trap for Singaporeans. But to my surprise, the trip turned out to be great and the experience in Bintan far exceeded my expectation!
The ANMON Bintan
Bintan is mushroomed with hotels. Everywhere you look, there is a resort claiming to offer paradise, promising luxury, adventure or tranquility. For this trip, we were drawn to something different – The ANMON Bintan – which offers a unique glamping experience rather than just luxury accommodation.
Ferry from Singapore to Bintan
Bintan is accessible via ferry from Singapore and Batam. If you are coming from Singapore, ferries depart from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal – available daily from 8am-5.30pm with an interval of 1 hour 15 minutes. The ride takes about 60 minutes.
ANMON also provides shuttle services to/from Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal, which is only 5-minute drive away. It departs one hour prior to your ferry's departure timing, so do plan your time accordingly.
The teepee-style tents are picture-perfect amidst the beautiful sunny weather!
Situated within the 338-hectare Treasure Bay Bintan, the accommodation here is a dream! That's the place where boho-chic meets comfort. Each teepee-style tent is a spacious 45 sqm (484 sqft) sanctuary with high ceilings, earthy tones and even a skylight over the bed so you can enjoy stargazing.
The bed is pretty comfortable, while the private en-suite bathroom is modern and clean. The little patio outside the tent can be your go-to morning coffee spot too. It is the kind of place that made me pause to appreciate how cool my surroundings were!
On the downside, do note that the tents are quite close to each other, so if you are hoping for total silence, bring earplugs just in case.
The best time for photos is definitely during golden hours
with the rustic teepee-style tents as backdrop.
Mural arts by the renowned graffiti artist Odeith
Spa and massage experience at The ANMON Bintan
If you are looking for a convenient and relaxing massage within the resort, the massage centre offers pretty decent services that can complement your stay. After indulging in an one-hour full-body message, I felt rejuvenated and relaxed.
Apart from that, there are karaoke rooms, archery, ATV riding, mangrove kayaking and many other activities available in the resort – so do pre-book the activities accordingly.
Check out the nightly outdoor cinema under the stars at Oasis too!
What I like here is the convenient 24-hour buggy service and the quick, friendly staff response. Getting around was effortless, and every request was handled promptly.
But if you prefer exploring on your own, you can rent an electric scooter (known as Telepods here) to zip freely around the resort.
Lovely view from Crystal Lagoon
The ANMON Bintan is only steps away from the Crystal Lagoon, Asia's largest man-made seawater lagoon. On the next morning, I hopped onto the buggy and then lounged at the Crystal Lagoon, while discovering plenty of water sport activities there.
Whether it is paddleboarding, "Slip & Slide", floating on a unicorn float or just soaking in the views, I am sure it is a great way to feel completely unplugged from the daily hectic life.
Stairway to Heaven
Then I found a perfect photospot here – the Stairway to Heaven – the resort's most iconic and Instagram-worthy staircase, leading to an elevated platform that seems to touch the sky, offering panoramic view of the surrounding desert-themed landscape and the expansive Crystal Lagoon.
Feel free to capture stunning photographs or enjoy serene moments here!
Throughout our 3D2N vacation, we had most of our meals in the resort. The breakfast was honestly nothing to shout about – especially when there is a lack of varieties of food.
What stood out most was the BBQ dinner, which you can opt to have the BBQ set up right outside your tent and hire an assistant to help with grilling. Overall, the BBQ seafood and meat selections were pretty enjoyable.
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Sand Dune (Gurun Pasir) and Blue Lake Tour (Telaga Biru Busung)
Guests can also book a half-day tour to Bintan's most popular tourist attractions – the mysterious and picturesque hilly sand dunes and crystal blue lake at Gurun Pasir dan Telaga Biru Busung. The tour package includes transportation (to and fro the resort) and a seafood lunch at the mangrove swamp.
The idea of seeing a desert in the middle of a tropical Indonesia island may sound wild, but yeah you guess it right – this attraction point is 100% manmade. It used to be a sand mining site until the sand extraction ban was placed in Indonesia, hence the area was left untouched and transformed into charming natural phenomena under the magical hands of nature.
Look at the beautiful crystal blue lake!
Just sit and chill in the middle of the crystal blue mining water as you capture your very best moments among the sparkling reflections of the sun. Definitely a famous spot among photography enthusiasts.
There is a stairway leading to the platform where you get to enjoy
the unobstructed view of the sand dune and blue lake.
Enjoying some quiet moments from atop, admiring the beauty of nature...
For the sand dune, you will get to see the gentle slopes with varying hues of light brown and yellow accompanied by tints of red in the sand. But be mindful that this is construction grade sand, so be careful as you walk along the coarse surface.
Frankly, after having visited the largest sand dune in Japan, Tottori Sand Dunes, and experienced the incredibly fine sand there, I found the Bintan sand dunes rather underwhelming by comparison. The setting in Bintan felt more like a curated photo-op and lacked the grandeur and authenticity.
Kampoeng Kelong Seafood Restaurant
The half-day tour ended with lunch at the seafood restaurant set amidst the tranquil mangroves. Accessible via a scenic 10-minute boat ride, the restaurant was perched on stilts overlooking the river. With the open-air setting, do expect immense heat and mosquitoes given the natural, rustic environment.
Food wise, the sweet sour prawn, fried calamari and black pepper crab were pretty flavourful. Glad that the culinary offerings here were fresh and more reasonably priced than those in the resorts.
What not to be missed in every trip to Indonesia: Kek Lapis!
Before bidding goodbye to Bintan, we brought home some Kek Lapis, a beloved Indonesian layered butter cake - so rich, moist and punch-packed with flavours of mixed spice and vanilla.
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Overall Verdict
The ANMON Bintan is a great choice for a budget-friendly weekend escapade, if you want a good mix of adventure and luxury. Enjoying the delicious BBQ seafood and beautiful manmade sceneries with a huge bunch of mates made this trip memorable for me. ❤
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