Indonesia

BINTAN, Tropical Golf Paradise
at 55' from Singapore

BintanFebruary 2003 - At 55 minutes from Singapore by high speed ferry, Bintan in the Riau islands archipelago is a natural tropical paradise where to spend a few days playing golf facing the Chinese Sea . The tourism development of Bintan is recent (1990) and is linked to the economic growth of Singapore . If Bintan has become part of international golf packages around Singapore with Batam another Indonesian island or Johor Bahru in Malaysia , Singaporean golfers are the best clients. On weekends it is recommended to make reservation.

- Where to play  

There are three golf clubs on Bintan island :

- At Lagoon Golf Club , Jack Nicklaus has designed the Seaview Course and Ian Baker Finch the Woodlands Course.
- the Seaview course, d esigned by the masterful "Golden Bear", offers majestic sculptured bunkers, a strategic use of the natural landscape and some unique water hazards. The Par 72 Jack Nicklaus Sea View Course measures 6443 meters with five different tee locations to suit golfers of all abilities. Signature 12 th along South China Sea .
- the Woodlands course : designed with the front nine holes snacking out from the resort and the back nine to the club-house, the main feature of this course is the large undulation of the natural landscape. The par 72 Ian Baker-Finch course measures 6203 m with two signature holes: 8 th and 13 th . The overall concept for the Ian Baker-Finch course was to work closely with the natural site. Many of the greens are surrounded by steep slopes and mounds to create an amphitheater effect.

- at Laguna Bintan Golf Club , the course has been designed by Greg Norman. The "White Shark" has put his teeth on this championship and commands respect and arouses excitement, and boasts the creative imagination of its designer. Spanning forests and natural wetlands, and extending from beachfront to an abandoned quarry, the diversity of the Greg Norman Course at Laguna Bintan Golf Club constantly presents new challenges that can be enjoyed by every golfer, regardless of ability and skill level.

- at Ria Bintan , Gary Player was the architect of the 27 holes: the Ocean and the Forest
Mature woodlands and windswept beaches characterise the 27-hole championship Gary Player Course at Ria Bintan Golf Club. Nominated as one of Golf Digest's Top 100 Courses and ranked as the "Best Golf Course in Indonesia 2005" by Asian Golf Monthly. Golfers will be captivated by the variety and surprises of both inland and links-style golf at the course that promises a challenging yet enjoyable experience for all golfers.

- What to see

Bintan is a tropical rainforest island. For visitors interested by local lifestyle, a Heritage Tour is organized by bus, boat and trishaw, to the main places which are the trading port of Tanjung Pinang , the Chinese settlement of Sengarang and the island of Penyengat . There is also a Mangrove Tour which has got a Pacific Asia Travel Association Gold Award. During the tour visitors can discover the flora and fauna of the mangrove and the fireflies at the night tour.

For those who like it, there is a Traditional Fishing Tour in the mangrove, riding authentic sampans with local fishermen and their local traps (boo boos). Trekkers can go to the top of the island ( 340 m ) which is the traditional navigational point for sailors. At the Bintan Elephant Park , visitors can discover some gentle giants of Sumatra working and taking some guests on their back for a track in the forest.

- Transportation :

the only way to go to/from Bintan is the boat. High speed catamaran depart from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal going to Bandar Bentan Yelam Ferry Terminal, the nearest terminal to the resorts.

Beach view at Bintan

View of Tanjung-Pinang

Lagoon sea view

Woodlands

Laguna Golf Club

Ria Bintan Golf

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