On to Pulau Bintan, it is my first attempt at "roughing it" since arriving in S'pore. I was at Kuta beach in Bali a few months back. Although the place was fairly backward, we still stayed at a three star resort with air-con rooms and nice restaurants. This Bintan trip was a bit different. For starter, we stayed at something called "kelong". Kelong is a Malay word for fishing trap. It is usually a hut built on stilts. It is located either on or near the water so people can fish from it. The fish usually get funnel into the net by the movement of the water, either by general flow or tide. The word also refers to soccer officials or players taking bribes to fix games. Maybe someone on the net can enlighten me why this is 8-)
Pulau Bintan is the largest island of Indonesian Riau Archipelago. Pulau Batam, the second largest, has been developed into a popular S'porean weekend retreat with the proliferation of condominiums and golf courses. On this island you can also find activities that have since been banned in S'pore such as bungee cord jumping and parasailing. Both islands are gradually losing its backwater charm and are starting to get heavily industrialized and touristized.
We left from WTC ferry terminal on Friday morning. The organizers were late which left most of us scrambling around to see if the entire group has already left. We were able to tell who was going along with us on the trip. First they would go to the ticket row for Bintan. Then they would go to the information booth. And eventually they would end up in front of the departing gate. By the time the organizers showed up, we were all in a group demanding our refund 8-) According to the itinerary, we were taking a "Luxurious Air-con Ferry Cruise to Tanjung Pinang". The cruise to Bintan was approximately two hours. It was a fairly comfortable trip with open deck and an optional air-con cabin. They were showing "Getaway" and "Shoalin Popeye" on the ship. The entire trip across the straits was fairly stable. None of us got sea sick.
Once we arrived at Bintan, we were shipped directly to the kelong for lunch. The kelong we stayed at is called "Kelong Shangrila" It bears no relationship with the famous Shan-gri-la hotel chain 8-) The place has its own generator and fresh water are delivered daily. I have to admit this kelong is more catered to the tourists. There are quite a few giveaways. First, the fish are already in the net for us to see. There were quite a variety of fishes and crustaceans in the net. Our facilitator was trying to get fish of his own but all he got were eels and minnows. Another giveaway was the Karaoke setup at this place. It rivals my stereophile friend's set in Fort Lee, NJ. It also has a fairly good selection of songs too. About the accommodation, we each get two to a room with a nice view of the water from the window and an electric fan to boot. Best of all is that there are no mosquitos. Mainly because we are surrounded by sea water and away from the land.
The best thing about the kelong IMHO was the seafood. We had this sea snail thing call "kung-kung". First time we had them we had to order extra plates of them. The ladies were collecting the shell for souvenirs. They were diligently washing the shell before leaving for S'pore. Then there is this awesome steam scallop. We ordered three huge plates for supper during the karaoke session. They were gone in a matter of seconds. One of us brought a bottle of liquor along for the trip. Combine with Coke and Sprite, we had a night to remember (or try to remember 8-) One thing still amazes me is that the beer is about the same price as bottled water in Indonesia. I am sure I will stop to be amazed some day 8-)
The best part of the entire trip was the unspoiled beach of Pulau Gadin. It is an island in the middle of the ocean. It takes the boat more than one hour to get there from the kelong. One side of the island is facing the sea thus the water is a bit choppy. But the other side is simply gorgeous. Calm and clear water with a nice and sandy beach. (we are talking about a real natural beach here) We had a great time playing "captain's ball" in the ocean. If you like you know what "captain's ball" is, just simply ask the closest S'poreans near you 8-) I still have a difficult time with the sport so I won't elaborate on the rules. One word of caution though, just watch out for ladies with long and sharp finger nails 8-) At one point, our facilitator wanted us to retrieve our belongings and move them closer to the boat. Supposedly there are pirates in the region and he saw people landing on the other side of the island. I guess it's better to be safe than sorry.
We moved out the next morning into Bintan Beach Resort and left the kelong behind. There were really no big buses on the Bintan island. Our bus holds about 20 people and it's full of small mosquitos. One of the things I discover is that people in the States are really safety conscious or kiasi (afraid to die). I am not sure if it's a healthy attitude. Airbag, ABS brake and liability lawsuit kind of leave a bad taste in my month after traveling around this region. I read this thing about the bike manufacturers in the States lost a law suit by a person who got into an accident because he sued that all bikes should have a headlight. Safety is almost non-existence in the region. People would put the whole family on motorcycle or scooter. When we took the sanpans, there was no life jackets or any safety equipment at all.
After we check into the hotel, most of us were going around trying to find things to do. Some of us went for the 45 min massage which costs Rp.20,000!! In case you are wondering, the current exchange rate is Rp.144,000 to S$100. I guess it's quite easy to become millionaire in Indonesia 8-) Others went to the pool to relax. The remainder went into the game room to gamble (another activity that is banned in S'pore). From what I heard from some of the people, the massage in Thailand was much better 8-)
Tanjung Pinang is the capital of the Riau province. Since the city itself is rather large, I could only make the following observations in some particular areas. I was taken aback by the squalid condition of the city. The "wet market" was really wet. It reminded me of my childhood days when I like to splash around in the wet market. The sanitary condition of the stores and shops are pretty bad. I avoided eating the food in the hawker center. Most of the food on the stand, such as satay and fish, were already cooked to avoid spoilage thus really not that appetizing to me. Some part of the neighborhood has garbage and waste dumped right in front of the house. There were houses built on stilts and they simply dump their garbage underneath them. Bintan still has a long way in catching up to S'pore. Again, temples are common place around this area. The most interesting one was this 200 year old Banyan Temple. Also most houses have this tiny altar that you can see right through the door.
We ended our last night in Bintan by going to the largest and the most popular disco on the island which is right across the pool from us 8-) The setup was very sophisticated. From the inside, you could hardly tell that you are in Bintan. On the dance floor, people there have the tendency to line up in rows to dance. It was pretty obvious who were the tourists and visitors. They are the ones who will break up the formation 8-) The DJs played a few slow songs in a row in the middle of the night and got booing and hissing from the crowd. In Sparks of S'pore, they usually save the slow songs to the end which is around 3 o'clock in the morning. Pretty taxing for those love birds 8-)
We returned to S'pore around 4pm on Sunday. It was a quiet and peaceful ride back. For some reason, I feel more and more comfortable to be back in S'pore.
02/09/94
