Time:
GMT +7; one hour ahead of Singapore.
Population:
The island has a population of about 200.000, and like the rest of Riau this is a true mix of cultures like Malay, Bugis, Chinese and the Orang Laut.
Weather and Climate:
Average daily temperature is between 21 and 32 degrees Celsius, with humidity from 61 to 96 per cent. Monsoon season is from October to March.
Language:
The official national language is Bahasa Indonesia, but simple English is spoken at most resorts.
Currency:
The unit of currency is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) or the abbreviated (Rp). Currency notes are issued in denominations of Rp 100,000 Rp 50,000 Rp 20,000 Rp 10,000 Rp 1,000 Rp 500 and Rp 100 and coin denominations are Rp 100 and Rp 50. Due to the island's proximity to Singapore, and the volume of tourists arriving from the Republic, the Singapore Dollar (SGD) is also widely used.
IDD code:
Country code: 62 Bintan code: 770. SingTel ICC: 001-80-165
Credit/Charge Cards:
Major cards are widely accepted by hotels and resorts in Bintan.
Value Added Tax (VAT):
10% VAT is added to your total bill.
Electricity:
The electrical current is 240/250V AC 50Hz and three-pin wall sockets are widely available.
Getting Around:
There is no scheduled transportation network on the island and car-hire companies are the only other option to getting around.
Things to Do:
There is a wide range of activities and tours to explore the island, available from your resort's concierge desk:
- Bintan Elephant Park
- Bintan Mangrove Discovery Tour
- Bintan Traditional Fishing Tour
- Dolphin Lodge
- Gunung Bintan
- Pasar Oleh-Oleh Shopping Village
- Real Bandung Factory Outlet
- South Bintan Heritage Tour
- Sri Bintan Kampung Eco Tour
- Tanjung Uban Tour
Travel Information
Travel from Singapore:
Bintan Resort Ferries operate regular ferries services between Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal (SIN) in Singapore and Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal in Bintan (BIN). Travel time is approximately 55 minutes. The various resorts on the island provide complimentary transfers to and from the ferry terminal.
Departure Tax:
A Departure Tax of SGD 2 is payable by passengers departing Bintan.
Passports and Visas:
Passports must be valid for a minimum of six months from date of entry. Nationals of countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau and Vietnam do not require a visa to enter Indonesia. Citizens of USA, UK, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan require a visa which can be applied upon arrival. Please contact your local travel agent or high commission/embassy.
Duty Concessions:
The following goods may be imported into Indonesia by persons over 18 years of age without incurring customs duty: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100g of tobacco; 2 litres of alcohol (opened); a reasonable quantity of perfume; gifts up to a value of USD 250 per person or USD 1,000 per family
More tourist information:
Please contact your local tourism commission or travel agent. Singapore residents may visit the offices of:
Embassy of the Republic Of Indonesia
7 Chatsworth Rd
Singapore 249761
Tel: (65) 6737-7422 • Fax: (65) 6737-5037
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