All About Bintan Island

Hidden along the long stretch of beach at Trikora is the most unlikely establishment you’ll expect to find in Bintan - a legit family-run Italian pizzeria with a legit wood-fired oven flown in all the way from Italy! This restaurant is run by the charismatic Armando and his family, who after visiting Bintan for the first time during his honeymoon made it his dream to open a pizzeria and settle down here for the rest of his life. Armando lives on the premises itself with 8 dogs and his wife, son and daughter, and speaks better Bahasa Indonesia than he does English. Pizzas here are of the utmost quality - thin crusted with the gooiest cheese. Such is the reputation of this place that people even travel to this restaurant in the middle of nowhere to order a pizza or two to takeaway. Choose from a variety of Italian and local flavours including Pizza Cornet (corned beef), Pizza Jagung (corn), Pizza Ayam (chicken) and Pizza Sosis (chicken sausage). All pizzas come at a very aff...

Most people have heard of Fly Boarding and Jet Packing, but Jetovator, not quite. Contrary to what its name suggests, the Jetovator is not some fast paced elevator but in fact functions quite like a jet pack, albeit in the form of a motorcycle-like contraption! Instead of having to balance on a single board or rely on an amazing sense of balance to propel yourself out of the water, the Jetovator is an easier alternative with its unique shape. Riders get to ride on a device with 4 jets of water instead of 2, making it way easier to balance and to lift yourself out of the water. While it might seem daunting on your first try, the trick is to keep your core taut and your legs strong. After cruising for a bit, slowly pull up on the handlebars and viola! We have lift off! Visitors can try the Jetovator at Treasure Bay, which has facilities that are open to the public. We managed to get airborne on our first try. If we can do it, everyone can too! Price: Rp1,890,000 for 30 min...

Fishing can be a chore instead of an attraction for some, but not here in Bintan. Instead of hot concrete and mosquito-infested jetties, colourful platforms form the fishing bay near the Swiss-Belhotel in Lagoi Bay. Anyone can fish here, both the young and young at heart. The fish here also swim within a confined area, which means your chances of landing a whopper are also significantly higher! Helpful staff on-site will teach you how to cast your line, how to check if you have a fish on your bait and how to reel in your catch. If you’re squeamish about baiting the live crickets on your line, don’t worry, the staff will do it for you. The best times to fish are in the evenings, when the fish get some respite from the unrelenting Indonesian heat and come to the surface. It’s said that you can catch Bawal, Nila, Patin, Mujair and even the famous Gurame or dancing fish that you often see in Indonesian restaurants. We were told that a party even managed to catch 30 fishes in 1 ...

Equal parts relaxing and thrilling, this seaplane ride with Air Adventures Bintan was quite unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before. With its open cockpit and amphibious landing gear, the Challenger Ultralight aircraft will give you a flying experience you know you won’t soon be forgetting. The man behind this unique business is none other than Stuart Perkins. Originally from England, he’s been living in Bintan for over 3 years now with his wife. Stuart’s background was in commercial flights, but he was looking for something more than “having coffee and pushing buttons”, which resulted in the creation of Air Adventures Bintan. With over 22 years of flying experience under his belt, you know you’ll be in ultra-safe hands. The aircraft is maintained to the highest standards of safety by a team of in-house aircraft technicians and Stuart himself. You’ll also be given a thorough safety briefing before your flight so you know what to expect. The 20 minute...