Trip - Bintan - The Residence

Hi Blog,

In 2023, I took my first trip to Bintan with D, and we stayed at Nirwana Gardens. I want to visit all the beach resorts in Bintan (if only I were sponsored). Even though I spoiled one of my travel mates' experiences (typically) there due to my eyesoreness and shxttiness. However, I will either do it myself or have an accommodating travel mate if there is one. For my second stay in Bintan, based on Google Maps 'resort search', I want to target the more distant resort, which is The Residence, in the east of Bintan.

Good morning, Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. This time, I got the later ferry, so I won't be rushing.

Hope I won't disappoint anyone, including myself, on this trip after that wallet-bleeding incident... Let's go and explore together!

Although it’s the same harbour, we have a different boat this time.

This trip will be with SKK. I hope it will be a nice one, even though I have learned not to be too positive about it.

Off we go!

After a while, I don't see any more ships around. This time, we were heading to a different harbour, Pelabuhan Tanjung Pinang, instead of the more popular one, Bandar Bentan Telani.

It seemed like Pulau Bulau, but I don't know.

Not long after, we arrived at Tanjung Pinang Harbour.

Thank you, Sindo Ferry. We will meet again in a few days.

Tanjung Pinang seems like a quiet city.

After a long walk, we reached the harbour entrance, where a staff member from the Residence picked us up. He was dressed differently from other people, who would normally ask if you wanted a taxi ride.

This is Tugu Daun Sirih Emas (Golden Betel Leaf Monument), and it is an 18-meter-tall steel sculpture in yellow-gold. It looks like it has seven leaves. Based on an online resource, it is a symbol deeply rooted in Malay welcoming traditions—with one of the main leaves pointing directly across the water toward Penyengat Island. So... what about the other leaves? At night, it lights up with colourful LED displays, which we will miss.

Only SKK and I, along with a Western couple, are taking this shuttle bus.

From what I see, it is really a quiet city. Unlike Batam or Malaysia, this place is like Singapore 50 years ago.

There are many old vehicles and motorists on the narrow roads. That is how the local commute happens.

I don't see many people walking along the road; it doesn't seem so safe.

As I mentioned before, studying the electric pole shows how people live their lives.

After nearly an hour of riding, we arrived at The Residence.

A map of The Residence will help in understanding the overall area of the resort. The resort where we would be staying was on the right side of B.

Bismarck Palm (Palem Bismarckia), what a nice-looking palm tree!

One thing that caught my attention is The Residence's display of wooden artwork. This one is a sardine-like arrangement of wooden humans.

Wood is The Residence's main theme. I love the theme, and they must have spent a lot of money on it.

We were early for the check-in, so we headed to the restaurant beside the lobby. We could have lunch there.

Next to the restaurant, we could see the public pool and the beach...

...and other suites.

Thanks, SKK, for treating us.

There are vegetarian options on their menu. Oh, I love that vegetable curry!

We got our resort card, and now it's time to see the room.

I couldn't find a large logo for The Residence for a photo, even though I saw one outside, but we will use one here.

Ours is quite near the lobby, and we need to take the stairs to reach our resort. The crew told us that we can take a ride to explore the resort, and each bicycle has a number assigned to it.

Can't wait to see the room!

This is the deluxe Seaview room.

Tada! Wow, how I wish this were my own house.

The sofa currently faces the window, but I believe it would be more practical if it were oriented towards the TV console.

I guess it is nice to view from this angle, but check out this king-size bed—I love a king-size bed.

The toilet is spacious and nice; however, the door cannot be locked, so a proper agreement is required to use it.

Love having a big mirror to check your outfit of the day and gain a bit of confidence.

Ooo, a handwritten message from their manager. Thanks for the heartwarming message, Manager Rajeev.

They said this is a Deluxe Seaview Villa, but the tall trees are obstructing the view...

This villa has a mini infinity pool.

So what am I waiting for?

Yes! Strip down for a swim!

But honestly, it is just meant for soaking in water.

See, this pool isn't that big.

Especially when a fat man like me can easily fill up the pool.

Please avoid following my example, as it could lead to a fall. I am trying to exercise caution.

Anyway, this villa is a simple and relaxing place that I wish to have.

Can I buy such a villa myself? Haha

I doubt sit Check the bottom of the house; if in Singapore, this space will be fully utilised.

Time to sun tan here.

Back to the mirror, I just realised that I should wear this shirt unbuttoned.

(Credit SKK) It was time to explore this place, so we decided to ride bicycles around.

Let's go!

We cycled by a larger villa, and it was unoccupied for the day. It has a slightly larger pool on the first floor than ours. How nice it would be to stay here.

We had arrived at the beach at The Residence.

Nice, calm sea here.

It is a beach; however, my dream of a white beach is a bit far from reality... I would love a white beach with blue, crystal-clear water.

The water is clean, which is nice.

Maybe we got here too late, and the sky got dark. I’ll probably come back tomorrow to check it out.

Hmm, maybe due to the haze, the sunset seemed moody.

(Credit SKK) Well, I can't decide or change the environment, but I will make the best of it.

(Credit SKK) Because I am a nerdy beach boy.

(Credit SKK) Just me and nature, especially with my favourite element - water.

(Credit SKK) I wanted to go towards the rock, but it would be too much to ask, as SKK would have to hold my phone and take the photo. That's not what he would want, as he also wanted to enjoy the scenery without me getting in the way.

There is an orange frame in the middle of the sea; I was tempted to go over...

(Credit SKK) SKK said he wants to go there too. That's great! At least not because of me.

Hazy evening by the beach, what a sight.

(Credit SKK) After helping him, it's my turn! Ugly fat man's turn.

The scene, viewed from standing on the orange frame, looked so different. The water, brightly painted by the golden egg yolk, was awesome.

It's time to leave the beach to make others feel less awkward with me around.

I guess my bicycle wheel was hit by the rear mudguard.

Oh dear, I had to drag my bicycle back...

(Credit SKK) I tried to apply pressure to make the tyre spin.

I wanted to swim here now, but it seemed I wanted to return for a power nap first...

On our way back, we saw that they had a gym, yoga studio, and spa.

The gym looks good. I think next time I will try to visit the gym at least once.

They have a nice spa place; personally, I just admire the wooden furniture and design here.

The evening sky was illuminated by a fiery yellow sun resembling a salty egg yolk.

I returned and spent more time in our private pool.

I just chilled in the water and wanted to power-nap in the water. 

The pool night light was turned on.

It was 6 PM (7 PM in Singapore), so I guess it’s time for dinner.

Okay, my eyesore OOTD.

We were given a complimentary dessert. It's called Kue Lumpur.

Kue Lumpur is a popular traditional snack from Betawi, made with coconut milk, potatoes, flour, and egg. Vanilla is used for flavouring, and it is decorated with raisins on top.

In The Residence, one source (Klook) claimed there is no built-in Netflix app on the resort TV. However, I will let you know that Netflix and YouTube are built into the TV.

YES! Can watch some Netflix while having my dinner!

We just watched Netflix and chilled. We covered many movies, and SKK also started using the Netflix subscription for the first time with his free Netflix from StarHub.

However, I wanted to try a night-soaking moment.

As I look up at the night sky for stargazing, I hope that in Bintan it will be a clear night so I can see more stars. However, I feel disappointed; it reminds me of my experience at the beach, but I will make do.

I wanted to swim in a bigger pool, but I doubt the public pool will be open for us to swim in at that late hour because of Netflix.

While SKK was sleeping, I took a quiet moment in a corner of the living room, thinking that maybe I should sleep here. However, I concluded that I should not, as there is a king-size bed available and I would sleep comfortably there.

I decided to spend some time transferring, editing, and organising my photos on my Blogspot using HTML code. I worked quite late on this eyesore post. Honestly, I can take my time to complete a post, even if it takes a year or two. I don’t see the need to update so quickly. I treat my blog like a daily diary and prefer not to let things pile up like last time. When I went on a trip to China or Taiwan, it took me weeks to update, and that overwhelmed me. I’d rather clear some tasks quickly and write as I go. Anyway, it was late... Good night for now.

Next morning seemed like there was a short shower. I expected the morning sky would be a golden yellow; however, due to the haze, the sky looked moody.

We will go for the free breakfast.

Meanwhile, I tried to capture as many beautiful wooden artworks as I could while walking to the restaurant. Just a simple layout of cut branches in different sizes, filled up in a large frame. Potentially, wasps might take it as a home.

This artwork appears quite organic and contributes a natural ambiance to the space, doesn't it?

We enjoyed a panoramic scene from the restaurant while having our breakfast.

It appeared that the tide was low this morning.

Had a simple staycation breakfast today. Sunny eggs were there, which made me feel happy.

We will fill our tummies with this breakfast, which helps curb our hunger until lunch.

Even the squirrel followed our method, to fill up its stomach as much as it could manage.

Another beautiful artwork. I wonder just how many wooden resources they have.

SKK will continue having his breakfast; as I couldn't eat much, I went out to explore on my own.

No one was around by the low-tide beach.

Wanted to go over to that orange frame again, but there is nowhere I can place my camera.

I tried to imagine it was the white beach I dreamed of.

Time to become a eyesore beach boy!

I asked myself, why don't I soak in the water of the sea?

Maybe because I need to know or familiarize myself with what is beneath the seabed, so that I don't soak myself too long at a foreign beach...

But the water does look inviting. I guess I will soak in the water if I come back.

Maybe I will just have a little stroll and explore the furthest part of the beach.

I must say, the morning sky was gloomy.

I was simply hoping to capture a quality photograph by the beach.

The beach rock is perfect for photos, but an untoned  meh-looking nerd like me might not be much help.

Ooo, I found a large ghost crab and it didn't leave. Thanks for comforting me.

As I walked around, this one is a beachfront room. I had never considered getting this, and maybe I should.

I didn’t hit the beach for swimming or sunbathing, so I’ll just go to the public pool.

I really appreciate the Infinite Pool; it provides a sense of safety both at the beach and while swimming in the pool.

(Credit SKK) The morning pool had no other guests except us; we can swim in peace.

Suntanning in peace without anyone judging me, except for guests having their breakfast, whose eyes won't be stained by an eyesore-me.

I told SKK that I will move to another bench where the umbrella doesn't block the rising sun in the east.

After more than an hour at the public pool, I told SKK to move to the other side of the public pool, which is meant for the kids.

We could just sit in the water and sunbathe.

We can still feel cool in the water and tan evenly.

(Credit SKK) I was trying to re-enact the Spiderman and Black Widow scene in the bathtub.

(Credit movie scene) Like this. However, I don't look as great as Spiderman.

(Credit SKK) Alright, time to return to our room. I don't wish to make the lady guest uncomfortable.

I decided to use our mini private pool.

Don't want to waste our private pool somehow.

Just realised our neighbours have started checking in and using the pool too.

The water was cold; it was different from the public pool where the water was warm.

I guess I understand why the trees here grow tall... Just to create a nature wall for private space between villas.

The sun was at the top of noon, perfect for sunbathing, but the open umbrella wasn't helping much.

I decided to close the umbrella and try to tan. However, I started to feel a bit of a pinch on my thigh. I checked closely and realised there was a fly... It was not a normal fly—it was a small horsefly! I woke up, packed up quickly, and left the spot.

No more suntan for me, for now.

Feeling safe in the room.

The Residence will message all guests with a warning, such as monkeys being around, so we need to keep our door closed to prevent them from getting in.

SKK and I saw a poster advertising that we could explore Bintan with a private car to various places. I wanted to explore some interesting places, but we needed to secure such a service the day before because it was fully booked.

However, I wanted to explore some exotic places, but I don't have exotic money...

Even learning how to make flower arrangements also costs a lot for me, who is poor.

SKK is keen on this spa; I told him to go for it. However, he forgot about it. I guess he doesn't want to go alone.

I guess the only thing which is free and has my interest is stargazing!

I tried to spend some time to sort out my blog post before I went for a nap..

What a great power nap and woke up due to...

...hunger.

We received another free dessert - Wajik.

Wajik, also known as pulut manis, is a traditional Indonesian kue made with glutinous rice, palm sugar, and coconut milk.

They also gave me a bedtime story. The one on the left was for our first night, and the one on the right was for our second night. After reading it... honestly, it wasn't a story that matches my level of inspiration. I don't comment negatively on the stories, so I will leave it as it is.

The night scene at The Residence seemed lonely.

We had arrived at the lobby where they would be having their stargazing activity. In the top left of the image, there was a bright star—that was Venus.

Unfortunately, due to unfavourable weather, they are unable to have the stargazing activity... My wish to see an actual telescope remains unfulfilled...

The Residence staff told us that, due to the haze, they apologized for it. I was so disappointed.

We opted to enjoy an authentic local cuisine dinner at Rica Rica Specialist Restaurant.

For vegetarians like me, at least, they have options.

I visited the beach to observe the night sky, but the haze obscured the stars... Anyway, time to return to our room to continue our unfinished Netflix movie. Then I updated my blog post with photos first and slept for the night.

Morning breakfast before checking out.

Same activity, but we had some guests swimming in the pool.

Today's sun was a bit gentle and perfect for sunbathing without any worries.

If I am loaded, I would like to chill in this cafe/bar beside the pool and definitely not in the trunk.

I guess I should spend more time swimming here.

Find the best spot to sunbathe for an hour.

Trying to capture a better shot in the Infinite Pool myself.

I guess it was not easy to capture it alone, as I tried to snap a few shots to get the perfect one because the timer seemed to be lagging. Luckily, there were fewer guests around to judge me.

I went to the beach again.

It was so bright, and I could see what was going on beneath the water at the beach; it seemed clean. Actually, it is a clean beach, unlike Lazarus Beach, where you can find trash washed up on the shore.

If the sky can be blue, that would be great! However, I will appreciate whatever it is now.

But it won't stop me from dreaming. Thanks, Chat, for doing this for me.

Ah, I found a hammock hung between two trees on a sandy beach with a calm sea view in the background. It was heaven. But I think there was a horsefly, so I just snapped and left the place.

Wore my last white attire, and prepared to go, time to say goodbye to this large mirror.

Goodbye to this room. You have given me good memories.

Spending money to capture fleeting moments in life can be meaningful. Often, the absence of these experiences makes them all the more valuable when attained.

Continued the Netflix before we checked out our room.

(Credit SKK) On our way back, I just had some deep thoughts to reflect on and engaged with ChatGPT about my stay in The Residence.

Thanks, SKK. Sorry for my snoring and nonsensical photo-taking, which might have annoyed you, as it did in Bintan previously or on any trip with anyone. Overall, I hope you have a good and relaxing stay.

Goodbye, Tanjung Pinang. Not sure when I will land here again. One day, this jetty won't be quiet for long and might develop into something more when I return. Even if it remains, I would love to explore this city.

Our journey to Bintan The Residence was longer than expected, as the resort is located quite far from Bintan's main jetty. This time, we travelled to another jetty nearer to the resort, but it still took around 45 minutes by vehicle. Thankfully, the resort arranged for their staff to meet us at the jetty and escort us to the resort. They also arranged our transport back to the jetty when it was time to return to Singapore. Such thoughtful service removed much of the worry of travelling in a foreign country, allowing us to enjoy our holiday with greater peace of mind. From the moment we arrived, we already felt that we were being taken care of.

Like many resorts in Bintan, The Residence has a natural, Bali-inspired atmosphere, with wooden furniture, tree trunks, and rustic decorations that create a warm and relaxing environment. Even the walls and art displays reflect the beauty of wood, making the resort feel different from the concrete surroundings of urban life. The friendly staff, various recreational activities, and opportunities to explore the island added to the experience. I was especially interested in the stargazing activity, although the haze prevented us from enjoying a proper view of the night sky. The resort also has a beach, but I had imagined a larger, sandy white beach, so I was honestly a little disappointed. Nevertheless, I reminded myself that this was my expectation rather than a fault of the resort.

Our Deluxe Sea View Villa was another highlight of the stay. It was spacious, with a king-size bed, a large bathroom, and a simple living area beneath a tall ceiling. Looking at the room, I could not help imagining it as my own home. There was something comforting about the space, and I enjoyed the thought of having such a peaceful place to return to every day. The villa also came with a private pool, although it was smaller than I had imagined. Unfortunately, the sea view was partly blocked by the surrounding trees, so I could not enjoy the unbroken horizon I had hoped for. The horseflies around the pool were another unpleasant surprise, as I am not comfortable being around blood-sucking insects. Still, these small disappointments did not erase the enjoyment of staying in such a beautiful environment.

Overall, The Residence gave me a meaningful escape from my usual routine. It was not a perfect holiday, but perhaps that is what makes the memories more genuine. There were moments of relaxation, moments of disappointment, and moments when I simply enjoyed being somewhere different. The service, natural surroundings, and atmosphere made the stay worthwhile, and the price of the villa felt reasonable for the experience. Most importantly, the trip reminded me that sometimes, I do not need to travel far or experience something extraordinary to feel refreshed. A little time away, in a place that allows me to slow down and breathe, can already be a gift. I would gladly recommend The Residence for its service, atmosphere, and the peaceful experience it offers.

Jeff