Bintan Island, Indonesia

Just across the Selat Dampak from Batam, the island of Bintan is twice as large and a mirror opposite. Where Batam is a creation of imported workers, Bintan has a local community of ethnic Hakka and Indo-Malays. On the west coast, Tanjung Pinang is a busy provincial city, while the high-end resorts in the north of the island around Lagoi do beach escapes right. For the working stiffs from Singapore, there are the more rustic beaches on the eastern end of the island around Pantai Trikora for affordable weekend escapes.Although Bintan is under the influence of Singapore prices, it is a smidge cheaper, so the last bits in your wallet won't evaporate as quickly as in the metropolis. Bintan is also the administrative centre of the Riau Islands, a title that has funnelled some much-needed development to the island.Bintan is the largest island in the Riau province, area 1.140 sq. km, with a coastline of about 105 km. It is truly an unique paradise. Simple life, beautiful beach, friendly people which bring us the leisure. The island gives the refreshment to our mind and body. Tanjung Pinang, Kijang, Kawal, Trikora Beach, Senggarang, Tanjung Uban and Lagoi / Bintan Resort sites, are places that should not missed when you are in Bintan. The island has a population of about 200.000, and like the rest of Riau this is a true mix of cultures like Malay, Bugis, Chinese and the Orang Laut (sea people).In Bintan island, most of the resorts accept Singapore Dollars (SGD) & US Dollars (USD). However if you plan to take a trip to Tanjung Pinang city, all the transactions are in Indonesia Rupiah (IDR) so you're required to exchange your currency to Indonesia Rupiah when you plan to visit Tanjung Pinang city. You can also find many money changers are available in Tanjung Pinang city.