Bintan Island, Indonesia.. The opportunity to escape to a beautiful world

ArabiaWeather.com - Ismail Qasimi - You can see your dream destination in most of the Indonesian islands , especially those that enjoy virgin beaches and stunning natural beauty, and at the same time are not discovered by travelers from around the world, offering visitors the opportunity to escape to a beautiful world free from crowds of tourists. Such is Bintan Island.

The island is located in Indonesia within the "Riau" archipelago in the south of the Malaysian Peninsula on an area of 1140 square kilometers, and it is the largest island in the archipelago and is inhabited by about a quarter of a million people, forming a mixture of cultures and races such as Malays, Chinese and Bugis in addition to the Orang Laut tribe (people of the sea).

You can reach Bintan by flight from Jakarta Airport to Penang Tanjung Airport on the island, where there are daily flights on this line, or by sea from the Indonesian island of Batam, and you can take ferries from the port of Tana Mera in Singapore or Johor Bahru in Malaysia .

When you reach the island, you must visit Penang Tanjung, which is the capital of the island, and you can get to know the life and culture of the local people, local food, shopping and traditional villages. Tanjung Oban is the second town on the island and is dotted with platform houses over the sea, with a number of traditional arts and crafts shops.

The island enjoys a group of beautiful beaches such as Trikora Beach, in addition to natural wonders that made it a destination for eco-tourism lovers, such as the elephant enclosure, where the visitor enjoys simply watching them, feeding them, or riding them on trips inside the island, and for adventure lovers, they can join the ascent of Bintan Besar Mountain, which is The highest mountain in the island and archipelago.

The history of settlement on the island dates back to the 16th century when it was a major trading port in the Malay Archipelago region (islands of Southeast Asia), and because of its strategic location, you will find some historical sites, dating back to the periods of its rule by the Sultanate of Johor, then the Dutch, and after them the Indonesians.

The Sultan Rayo Grand Mosque is one of the centers of attraction. Its founding dates back to the year 1812, and it is located on a small island opposite the port of the capital, Tanjung Pinang, in addition to the Benyangat Mosque, which was built with white sand and lime, giving it a distinctive color with steadfastness in the building material.

As for the Santa Maria Cave, it was built in the 18th century to be a monastery for a Dutch priest, and among the temples scattered on the island you find the Snake River Temple, which dates back more than 300 years, and the Banyan Tree Temple, which is a destination for Thais.

The traditional villages dotted in Bintan provide insight into the local culture of the people, and among the most unique experiences is joining the Otak Otak barbeque sessions, which is the most popular food. And seafood lovers have a date with Spong Village, located on the banks of the mangrove river, where restaurants provide fresh food at reasonable prices.