It’s been a wonderful pregnancy and I am already at gestational week 24. As I won’t be able to travel when I enter my third trimester, K and I decided to go on an impromptu babymoon somewhere near home. And Banyan Tree Bintan came as a natural decision.
We’ve visited the same resort several times. K proposed there at Hole 17, the iconic hole of Laguna Golf Bintan; we did a Minimoon there before our actual honeymoon in Italy. And here we are at the resort for our babymoon! To be honest, the resort holds so many precious memories and I believe it is one of the reasons we always find ourselves heading back.
Please note that this trip was taken after the Indonesian government’s decision (May 2022) to lift the PCR test requirement for visitors who have been fully vaccinated.
Resort Location
Banyan Tree Bintan is a 5-star resort on the Bintan Island, Indonesia. The property is a 15-minute car ride away from Bandar Bentan Telani (BBT) Ferry Terminal.
We took a 45-minute ferry ride via Bintan Resort Ferries from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and arrived at Bintan Island.
#Tip: I would recommend booking the Emerald Class especially if you are travelling on the weekends, PH and school holidays. The top up fare from Economy Class to Emerald Class is about S$44 per pax, but you'll definitely save time at both immigrations. Emerald Class Benefits: • Priority boarding and disembarkation • Fast-track immigration at Bintan • Check-in baggage allowance of 30kg and priority baggage handling on arrival • Pre-assigned seats • Complimentary onboard beverages • Use of lounge facilities at both terminals
Reaching the resort was a breeze. Once you arrived at BBT Ferry Terminal and complete the immigration check, proceed to the waiting area designated for Banyan Tree guests near the exit before being chauffeured to the resort. Usually, the transfer is a paid service, but it is included in our package this time.
The Resort
Most consumers identify Banyan Tree Resorts as a sanctuary, a romantic escape and environmentally sustainable. Banyan Tree Bintan has always been a quintessential island-getaway resort near home that encompasses these qualities.
Here you can find 64 villas built in traditional Balinese design with thatched roofs and ornaments, gated compounds, and a private jacuzzi pool. The resort has 8 different types of Villas to choose from: Rainforest Seaview, Rainforest Oceanfront, Rainforest Oceanfront (Two Bedrooms), Ocean Villa On the Rock, Ocean View Infinity Pool, Ocean View Infinity Pool (Two Bedrooms), Sanctuary Spa Pool Villa, and Kelong Villa.
Upon arrival, I was greeted by the staff and Front Office Manager, Mr Sandro with warm smiles followed by an aura-cleansing sounding of the Gong. I felt instantly relaxed. We were then ushered to an empty seat where our old friend, Mr Omas, who attended us in 2017 and 2018 respectively came with a glass of iced ginger & lemongrass shot, Kueh Lapis, and a cold towel. We were happy to see Omas again at this property after 3 years. Check-in was done swiftly. All this familiarity and the sense of homecoming make me feel calm and tranquil right from the start.
Rainforest Seaview Villa
We snapped up a good deal from Banyan Tree’s official site during the Circuit Breaker and the stay was in their Rainforest Seaview Villa. Each villa here at Banyan Tree Bintan is named after a tree, flower or animal. We got Villa 511 the “Takur” Villa, meaning Golden-whiskered barbet. It is an ocean-facing villa that features an unblocked, panoramic sunset view, with a private jacuzzi deck facing the sea.
The room features a king-size four-poster canopied bed in Banyan Tree’s signature teak wood and was adorned with a flowy, romantic white drape that double-up as a mosquito net at night; a writing desk; a day-bed area and a 50-inch smart TV is compatible with the Netflix app.
I love sitting here all day in the comfortable day-bed area right beside the huge sea-fronting window. As our villa faces directly at the west side, it means we’ll get the magnificent sights when the sun sets at around 6-7 pm.
#Tip: Check online to get an accurate sunset time at Bintan. It also greatly depends on the weather when it comes to sunset. Avoid the Monsoon season (Early November - Late March).
#Tip: The Rainforest Seaview Villas at Banyan Tree Bintan are generally facing 3 different directions. Villas started with number 1XX are facing the rocks. Villas 2XX are facing the East. So if you are a sunrise person, 2XX would probably suit you better. Villas 5XX are facing the West, thus the guests enjoy sunset view.
Bathroom
The bathroom also comes with marble flooring. Though the design looks a little dated, everything was very well maintained. I like that there is a huge window beside the shower and bathtub area that is facing the sea. The lush rainforest provided a sense of privacy bathing here.
Private Jacuzzi Deck
I also like the deck that is facing the sea. The whole villa is perched by the seaside that is surrounded by lush greeneries, and it is also one of the best spots for some uninterrupted time doing reading, listening to the sounds of the waves, or daily manifestation. We also spotted two fruit bats hanging on the deck ceiling every single night!
I like that you can also request different pillows, tea and other amenities based on your preferences. I requested an ergonomic pillow as I need good support when I sleep during pregnancy, and peppermint tea to be the amenities and they delivered! You can also select a favourite scent as your room incense sticks – everything is tailored for your senses!
Restaurants
There are 3 restaurants in the resort: Treetops offers an amazing spread of international buffet for breakfast and authentic Indonesian cuisine for lunch and dinner. The Cove offers European fare in a tranquil ambience overlooking the ocean. Saffron is Banyan Tree Resort’s Signature Thai Restaurant that offers award-winning flavours from Thailand.
The Cove was unfortunately unavailable during my visit. However, the resort can make arrangements for the guests to dine in at the nearby Cassia Resort’s Xana Beach Club or their lobby restaurant Vista, if you crave Western cuisines & bar bites.
If you would like to splurge a little to elevate your partner’s holiday experience, there is also plenty of Destination Dining Experiences to choose from! For those who’d like to experience local seafood cuisine, just inform the staff and they’ll make arrangements for you!
Flavourful Indonesian Spread at Treetops
It is a tradition that we’d always take one of our lunches at Treetops during our stay. Treetops is perched on a hilltop overlooking the majestic South China Sea. It is also the place where guests enjoy daily continental breakfast.
For lunch and dinner service, the restaurant serves authentic Indonesian cuisine painstakingly prepared by their local chefs. They also offer a sumptuous degustation menu, complete with wine pairing for lunch and dinner.
We didn’t opt for the degustation menu as I wanted to try their signature dish Bebek Goreng Ketumbar, deep-fried coriander marinated young duck which was featured on the final round of Banyan Tree Hotel & Resort’s annual competition in 2017.
So we ordered Gado Gado as our cold starter which was perfect for the weather, Bebek Goreng Ketumbar as our main dish, and a Nasi Goreng Treetops to share. The lunch comes with complimentary keropok crackers and different types of condiment, which was fun to mix and eat with.
We liked the Bebek Goreng Ketumbar, which was soft on the inside, and crispy on the outside. The meat was fragrant and moist and paired well with the sweet chilli sauce.
Elevating Flavours of Thailand at Saffron
We’d always dine at Saffron one of the nights every time during our stay. It is Banyan Tree’s award-winning, signature restaurant that offers a delightful selection of gourmet Thai delights. Similar to Treetops, they also have a degustation menu with wine pairing options.
The restaurant is way quieter compared to pre-COVID time. And perhaps due to safety measures, they have also removed the hand cleansing rituals. However, they have resumed their rice cart service where guests can select saffron rice, pandan rice, brown rice and jasmine white rice from the cart.
The dinner started with ginger & lemongrass shot to whet our appetite, a sweet & sour fried tofu amuse bouche, followed by rice crackers with Thai condiments. We love the coconut & shrimp dip and even requested a second serving to pair with rice.
For soup, we ordered Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup) and Massaman Beef Curry as our main dish. My palette has changed ever since I got pregnant and it seems like baby Sunshine has a penchant for everything sour, coconut-y and slightly spicy. I can always feel baby’s strong kick whenever I consume Tom Kha Gai. The Massaman beef curry was soft, tender and flavourful, so delicious that we wiped out the entire pot.
Casual Bar Bites & Drinks at Xana Beach Club
We also took a buggy ride to the nearby Cassia Resort for a walk by the beach, before dining at Xana Beach Club. It is a casual beach-side bar that offers simple bar bites and drinks. I remembered that they used to do movie screenings over the weekend pre-COVID too.
Hearty Breakfasts at Treetops
The continental breakfast buffet at Banyan Tree makes me a happy guest. There is a wide selection of Western & Indonesian cuisines. You’ll love the Bread Stations, Live Egg Station, Cold Cut & Cheeses, Cereal Bar, Waffles, pancake & Muffins, Fruit & Dessert Stations, Juice bar and fizzy drinks.
For local delights, there are rice and noodles, stir-fried veggies and meat dishes on rotation. There is also comforting porridge, Mee Soto and please do not miss out on the traditional Kuehs that look beautiful and taste great too. You can also make yourself a Mimosa at the juice bar.
SPA & Wellbeing
I always love a SPA session at Banyan Tree. I have always felt so refreshed after the treatment, physically, mentally and spiritually too! For those who are doing a babymoon here, they have a SPA program tailored to expectant mothers that involve gentle massage at your arms, legs, head, shoulder & neck.
#Tip: If you are doing a different type of massage or if you are doing a solo session, chances are that you'll be having your SPA session at the main building below Treetops. If you are doing a couple session, you'll be receiving your treatment at the Hilltop SPA Pavillion, which in my opinion feels much more relaxing as the environment resembles a Balinese villa.
Pool & Beach
There are two pools within the resort – The Rock Edge Pool and the Beach Side Pool. As the Beach Side Pool is under maintenance, we used the Rock Edge Pool located beside Treetops throughout our stay.
Take a stroll at their beautiful white-sand beach, where you can easily access to Angsana and Cassia Bintan’s restaurants. For those who love water sports, check out the Marine Centre. If you are lucky, you can participate in the seasonal baby turtle releases at the beach too!
Writer’s Note: I feel relaxed and recharged after a 3D2N Babymoon at Banyan Tree Bintan. The idyllic holiday island provided us some quiet and uninterrupted time to have some in-depth conversation about how we want to raise baby Sunshine, and the value we want to inculcate in our child.
Some of the facilities like the beachside pool and the European restaurant remain unavailable as the resort is doing some upgrading work at the moment. While it is impossible not to feel the aftermath of COVID at this property, the impeccable service and the welcoming smiles from the staff were consistent.
Overall it is a sanctuary retreat for couples, family and of course, expectant couples. I’d however recommend a 4D3N trip if you also appreciate slow travel. As the nature of a holiday island, do expect steep prices on dining, activities and transport. Considering that we got the “Ultimate Getaways Package”, the damage was moderate. So do pay attention to grab similar promotions in the future!
3D2N Ultimate Getaways Package - USD 365: • A 3D2N stay in their Rainforest Seaview Villa • Daily breakfast for 2 • 20% off all F&B and water sports • 2-way return land transfer by private car from the Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal
Things to Note:
If you are considering a Babymoon trip to Banyan Tree Bintan, here are some of the important things to note, especially when you’re pregnant.
#Tip: You must be below gestational week 28 to travel to Bintan Island via ferry. All expectant ladies are required to bring a doctor certificate stating that you're fit to travel by your gynae.
#Tip: Avoid school holidays and PH if possible. Our trip was an impromptu one and it was the June school holidays so the resort was busy. The ferry terminal and immigration was crowded so please expect longer turnaround at the check points too. Do consider upgrading to Emerald Class if you are travelling during PH and school holidays.
#Tip: If you don't drive, note that you may experience trouble booking a taxi/ private transport when you arrived at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal from Bintan during peak season. Most ferries arrived at SG Time 4pm, and you may need 1 hour to clear your immigration check, which would likely end up calling your trasport at rush-hours. Do expect to wait (we waited for 45 mins++), or take a bus to Bedok Interchange. Hubbies who are travelling with expectant ladies, please prepare some snacks just in case.
#Tip: Currently, Singapore is on Visa Free Policy. As long as you have at least 6 months of passport validity, completed 2 doses of vaccination, you can stay in Bintan up to 30 days. For updated travel requirements from Singapore to Bintan, check here: https://www.bintan-resorts.com/bintan-resorts-travel-requirements/#visa
Resort Details
Banyan Tree Bintan
Laguna Bintan Resort, Jalan Teluk Berembang, Sebong Lagoi,
Kec. Tlk. Sebong, Kabupaten Bintan, Kepulauan Riau 29155, Indonesia
https://www.banyantree.com/indonesia/bintan
