Bintan is more than fanciful golf courses and luxurious resorts. Just barely 2 hours away (45 mins from Bintan Resort ferry terminal) by ferry from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal is the other side of Bintan. A side of rustic kampongs, charming fishing villages, wild primary rainforest and enchanting legends.
During our trip you can trek up Gunung Bintan, at 350m the Riau’s highest hill – there you will discover one of the last remaining primary rainforests on the island, see fantastic views from the top and if you feel like it take a refreshing shower under the waterfall on the way down – where the locals say its lucky to get wet! The hill is still home to giant dipterocarps trees like the Seraya and Meranti, giant rattans and even Tongkat Ali. Forest birds, geckos and tree frogs abound. Leaf monkeys are often spotted. You can also visit a rare ‘Orang Laut’ fishing village with its huge traditional wood firing kiln that makes charcoal from ‘bakau’ and take a trip back memory lane into a most charming and picturesque Chinese fishing village, visit a floating kelong and eat fresh sea food, straight from the sea. Learn traditional estuarine fishing methods including cast netting and traps. Explore the traditional Indonesian Kampong of Sri Bintan and get a glimpse of daily village life, see how the local blacksmith uses traditional manual methods to make parangs out of scrap metal and how local women weave delightful baskets and mats from pandan leaves. Enjoy sumptuous kampong meals in a beautiful garden setting, and stay in breezy seaside kelong resort. A bonus for this trip is that August is the beginning of Bintan’s Durian season, so for those that enjoy the king of fruits, be prepared for a feast.
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