I’m back in Indonesia; this time in Bintan, the more atas (high class) version of Batam.

 

My first visit to Bintan was in 2008, cooped up in the Nirwana Gardens Resort. This time, I had the opportunity to venture beyond the fortress of coastal resorts to the more rural parts of the island.

 

 

It took an hour bus ride from the Bintan Ferry Terminal to reach Bintan Agro Beach Resort. Cruising at 100km/h and rolling up and down the hills and slopes, the drive was less than comfortable.

 

Though not as glamorous as the coastal resorts, the room is heavenly. I got the sea facing room with a private balcony.

 

 

Dinner was at the Asiana Beach Bistro. The food was good (rice + 3 dishes + soup) and ambience relaxing with the warm lights and sea breeze. There is a karaoke room next to the restaurant which appeared to be free though I didn't get the chance to try it out.

 

Lingering by the beach, I was mesmerized by the sprinkle of stars throughout the clear skies. I have never seen that many stars before. It's a pity I didn't have a powerful enough camera to capture the scene.

 

The skies were so clear that I could make out a faint blurry glow which I suspect to be a nebula. Either that or I have early signs of cataract. If only I had my Star Walk app with me.

 

Despite craning my neck for five minutes, I had no luck in spotting any shooting stars.

 

A bonus to my sea facing room is that it faces east.. which means sunrise opportunities! So I set the alarm for 5:00 am, set up my phone tripod at the balcony and launched the time lapse app.

 

For the two mornings of my stay, the sky was overcast. So my grandeur dreams of capturing a magnificent sun rise never materialized.

 

 

I took an exploratory walk by the beach before breakfast, soaking in the morning breeze.

 

 

The buffet breakfast was good. Besides the spread of Indonesian food, there was an omelette counter and a prata/ murtabak counter.

 

 

I had the chance to visit a local fishing village and was taken in by the ambience. It is a stark contrast to Kukup where the fish stench permeates the air and the cleanliness of the waters is dubious.

 

 

Here, the air is so fresh and the waters are so clear. The picturesque surroundings and gentle bobbing of the sampans is enchanting. I could stand there for hours to enjoy the peacefulness.

 

 

There were wooden houses buoyed in the waters. They are floating houses which is towed along when fishermen go on their month-long fishing trips. The fishes caught are kept underwater in a net found at the bottom of the house.