This is part one in our series of itinerary recommendations for a 3-day/2-night trip to the nearby luxury private resort in Nikoi Island. Click here for part two of the series.
A luxurious getaway to Nikoi Island is one of the best ways to unwind in style. It boasts the complete experience. You have more than sufficient attractions and activities to keep yourself fascinated and occupied, but at any time you can always lay back, relax, and enjoy the Nikoi tranquility. Here’s how you can make the most out of this remarkably beautiful place:
Make your bookings early
Book your Nikoi Island accommodation and your ferry ticket early to avoid disappointment. Being one of the most affordable yet luxury private island getaways, Nikoi’s 15 rooms are usually snapped up as early as three months in advance, especially for the peak seasons of June, August, and November.
We recommend booking the 9.10am (Singapore time) ferry from Bintan Resort Ferries that takes you from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Bandar Bentan Telani. Going early will give you more time to enjoy on the island! Nikoi provides transfers from the ferry terminal at this time slot (and for most others as well), so there’s no worry about transportation.
After you have secured a ferry ticket, it’s time to book your accommodation on Nikoi Island. With its current price point, it is easily one of the most affordable getaways to a private island that you can find. We cannot emphasise this strongly enough: book early to avoid disappointment!
After your reservation is confirmed, Nikoi Island staff will get in touch with you via email to ascertain your ferry details so that they can arrange for your transfer. Once this is done, just set a countdown for an amazing holiday and wait as patiently as you can!
Day 1
Welcome to paradise
Once you arrive in Bintan, you’ll be taken directly through VIP immigration, and whisked away in a comfortable, private sedan car to a private jetty located approximately 40 minutes away on the east of Bintan.
You’ll then have to take a 20-minute speedboat ride to Nikoi Island from the jetty. While this might sound like a lot of transfers, the entire trip was painless because the warm and friendly Nikoi Island staff made it as comfortable as possible.
Once you hit Nikoi’s Island, it’ll be a little past 11am (Indonesian time) – perfect timing for you to unpack and hit the beach.
Beach bumming
A whole plethora of water activities are in store for guests on Nikoi Island and the beach house is where you can access it all. Here, you can ask for basic kayaks, paddle boards, snorkel masks and fins. All basic equipment are free for use, so you never have to worry about paying extra for that snorkel session. Nikoi Island is surrounded by coral reefs teeming with fish and other marine creatures, so you don’t have to wander far to see a beautiful array of colours and life underwater.
If you happen to visit Nikoi Island during the earlier months of the year, it would be monsoon season, so you may have to curtail your water sports during this period. The middle months of the year are when the seas are calmer and the weather is usually better, so you can even kayak all around the island.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also hire an “epic kayak”. This sea-worthy kayak comes at an additional cost, but it can take you really far out to neighbouring islands for an ultimate Crusoe experience. You can also rent laser sails, surfboards, go scuba diving, and even island hop.
Amazingly, you can even do a jetty jump. There is a custom-built drawbridge from the jetty that lowers into the water so you can get back onto it after you cannonball yourself into the sea.
Luxury lodgings
When you get tired from all these sports and activities, grab your things and head back to your villa. At the moment, there are 15 villas on the island in varying sizes. Some, like the 3-bedroom villas, are meant for large families, while others were built specially for couples.
The villas are constructed from local materials, labour and techniques, so you’re living in a guilt-free Crusoe Luxe lodge. Rooms are airy, with high roofs to allow for maximum air circulation. Showers are also luxurious and beautiful, with built-in rain showers and plenty of room for movement.
Nikoi island is not about decadence, and it shows. There are no gold-gilded fittings and the place isn’t air-conditioned. Instead, Nikoi’s luxury is presented in attentively-detailed fittings, well-thought out placement and great space planning.
My villa, for example, was a two story building that had a day bed and outdoor suntanning space on the first floor and a beautiful private bedroom that opened up to the ocean on the second floor.
Fantastic meals
If you’re hungry, head to one of two dining halls and prepare to be served in style. Meals on Nikoi can be customised to your dietary likings and requirements. The staff will take note of any allergies so you will always be served the right meals. Additionally, you’ll always be notified about the next meal, so you can request for changes in advance.
Food is sourced daily from Bintan’s local markets and traders, so ingredients are always fresh. What’s more impressive is that the food is prepared by a dedicated kitchen staff that rotates the menu to ensure you never have the same dish twice.
Evening tranquility
While daytime activities on the beach are a blast, Nikoi Island is enchanting come nightfall. Once the sun starts to set, nature treats you to a beautiful show of colours. Sitting on the jetty is the best way to take in the fading light, and it’s a perfect time for a photo op.
Some time during dinner, the staff will start a bonfire. You can sit in the lounge and have a drink, but I insist you venture out onto the beach and sit by the bonfire. Turn your gaze up to the night sky above and be amazed with a perfect view of the blanket of stars.
This is part one in our series of recommendations for a 3-day/2-night trip to the nearby luxury private resort in Nikoi Island. Click here for the next part of the series.
Want to find out more about Nikoi Island? Read our story on why you should include this private island paradise into your bucket list.
LATEST PRIVILEGES
