Bintan, Nikoi, Pangkil, Rawa , Batu Batu– we are spoilt for choice with great getaways. Tried them all and still looking for more? We have the ultimate private Pulau for you. In fact it’s so good that we almost don’t want to share the secret…
Pulau Joyo is designed just for you, your friends, and family. That’s right, you can make like Branson and have the whole island for yourself and all that comes with it. And there is a lot. Read: beach palaces, fireworks, bonfires, phosphorescent waters, mysterious dining locations, and one unique diving board.
We booked for 3 families and were lucky enough to score the whole island to ourselves. You can of course book all 6 of the beach palaces to guarantee privacy. Although the island can sleep up to 28 adults, the island felt perfectly sized for a group of 6 adults and 5 children.
Our 4 night stay included all meals and non-alcoholic drinks and the best part on cost is that kids under 3 stay free. Which is just as well because the easy access of a well-stocked-help-yourself bar was all too tempting.
We settled into a blissful routine of swimming with the kids after breakfast, daily massages, beachcombing, even circumnavigating the island via stand up and paddle and then finally donning clothes over swimwear to congregate around the main pavilion for pre-dinner drinks.
And the action didn’t stop post-dinner: we were treated to very speccy lights above and below. Between a private fireworks display and seas glowing with phosphorescence, we positively shone too.
More you ask? Well, little touches like staggered dining times for little ones, different dining locations each day, babysitting services, afternoon tea finding you wherever you are on the island and urns of water to wash your feet outside rooms made a big difference. The only extra we needed was a paddle pool for the bubs to shield them from the depths of the main pool.
So, if you’re looking for luxe close to home, pack your bags (we recommend lightly, as you will soon forget about what you look like) and take the journey from Singapore to Bintan Tanjung Pinang Ferry Terminal. A private bus will collect you and escort you to your private vessel zooming you across the seas to disembarkation onto smooth sands and ultimate tranquillity.
Robinson Crusoe wished he landed here.