On the 24th-27th of February, we had a familiarization trip for our Indonesian Media friends.

The “must-do” for the trip was to enjoy our newly upgraded room. Below are 2 shots of the lovely newly upgraded room.

The key features of the newly redesigned guest rooms are a brand new built-in refreshment unit, a flat-screen television and a range of modern Indonesia designer teak furniture.  The bathrooms are in light marbled tones, showcasing Bravat designer bathtubs and sanitary ware and an impressive full-length floor-to-ceiling mirror.

Breakfast was a quick bite at Horizon’s Cafe for me. I love the place as I got to enjoy the lovely scenery of the resort and beach through the windows beside the cafe. This little corner by the lobby allows me to listen to the traditional Indonesian music by the Traditional Indonesia Dance troupe. It was simply relaxing for a glass Ice Lemon Tea and Roasted Chicken Sandwiches breakfast.

There was a wide variety of cakes for me to choose from.  From Mango Moose Cheesecake, Chocolate Moose Cake, Apple Pie, Traditional Indonesian Kueh Lapis and lots more. I was spoilt with choices.

Same goes for sandwiches; there was a series of assorted sandwiches to choose from. Salads and pies were also on the offering. Do check out this corner by the lobby the next time you visit our resort if you have not done so.
Next was fun and games for the media group. We started off with laser quest. My all time favourite, which I emerged victorious!

A familiar scenario you might have seen on the movies “The Jurassic Park”. “Beware!” it says to all intruders going into the multi-level maze-like arena filled with ramps and catwalks.

Our media in action at the maze - foggy and with little lighting, it makes everything seems much more exciting.

After laser quest we proceeded to ride on the All-Terrain-Vehicle.

All geared up and ready to go into the woods.

The ride was bumpy but definitely enjoyable. I almost drove into the trees but thankfully my partner saved me by turning the steering wheel at the very last minute to avoid the mishap. It was definitely exciting. Above is a photo of myself on the ATV with a very nice background of the sea and palm trees.

Here is a photo of myself and Mr. Cecep Carnita, my very nice partner from Batam Post.

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After all the activities, our energy was drained and our stomach was groaning. We proceeded to The Haskell’s located at the Golf Club House for our lunch. Lunch was family styled reminiscent of home cooked food. Below are some of the dishes. The dishes starting from top left corner, clockwise: Kambing soup, sweet and sour fish, fruits and ice-cream for dessert, and assorted mixed vegetables.

 Our Club Manager, Mr. Mark Isley gave us a small speech after our satisfying lunch.

After lunch were activities again! This time round, our media friends headed to the beach for some sea sports. They tried jet-skiing and kayaking. We have a wide range of sea sports activities to choose from. Some of the activities are banana boat, knee board, snorkeling, wakeboarding and water skiing.

When we have such nice beach, sea and great activities, time passes really fast. It was a short period of time for them to wash up and head for dinner.

The dinner was Lagoon Dining at our 18-hole golf course Jack Nicklaus #12. The weather was great, nice breeze blowing while we enjoy the lovely view of the sea and lots of stars shining on us.

The theme for the day’s Lagoon Dining is Indonesian. Here is the first course, Gado Gado. It is a very famous Indonesian dish, with blanched vegetables salad rolled with rice paper served with boiled egg, crackers and topped with sweet soya sauce and peanut sauce.

The second course was my favourite dish for the night, its Soto Ayam. A Indonesian clear chicken soup in turmeric both served with potato cakes, celery, vermicelli and vegetable. The taste was even better if you add on a little sambal chilli.

The main course was Pidang Iga Kambing (lamp chop). The lamb chop was braised in herbs and spices till it is really tender and served with the lovely gravy made from the herbs and spices, rice and sauté vegetables.

Dessert was assorted Traditional Indonesia Kue. A nice mini surprise for them, we specially printed their respective publication’s logo on milk chocolate served together with the dessert.

Here are some photos taken during the dinner.

Our speaker for the night was Mr. Sapril Sembiring from Bintan Tourism Board. A short and pleasant speech to reinforce our goal to make Bintan Island a preferred tourist destination.

It was a successful familiarisation trip…..definitely.

Keeping a Christmas tradition,  Wearnes Automotive is giving away a cool bonus of 1 night’s stay in Bintan Lagoon Resort’s floral suite, return ferry tickets, return land transfers and dinner for two  when you book a gorgeous Renault Coupe-Cabriolet. 

Boasting an engine capacity of 1998cc and top speed of 200km/h,  the dashboard oozes understated style and a glass roof that delivers a truly organic driving experience, the Renault Coupé-Cabriolet is a veritable feast for the senses.

Up for grabs is a night’s stay in the floral suite - a romantic nirvana featuring a fantastical four-poster bed swathed in diaphanous silks. 

The marbled bathroom and a Jacuzzi spa bath overlooking the private sun deck area create the perfect setting for 2.

Celebrate the outdoors as you sip a glass of champagne or enjoy a dinner for two from the comfort of your suite’s balcony.

Grab this festive cheer at Wearnes Automotive showroom.  For more information please contact : 

Wearnes Automotive Pte Ltd
26 Leng Kee Road, Singapore 159104
Tel: 6471 3313
or visit www.renault.com.sg

Text and images courtesy of Wearnes Automotive Pte Ltd

Haskell’s Cafe is located at the Golf Club House, adjacent to the lobby.  Overlooking the Jack Nicklaus Seaview Course,  this cafe is a favourite hangout for golfers before or after tee-off.  

Set in a casual and cosy ambience,  Haskell’s Cafe serves delicious drinks, fresh gourmets, sandwiches, pastries and snacks available all-day.

A must-try when you are at Haskell’s Cafe is Sup Buntut. Sup Buntut (Oxtail Soup) is a famous Indonesian clear oxtail soup. Flavoured with a variety of aromatics and spices, the soup is boiled with chunk of potatoes, carrots and oxtails slow-cooked till perfection and garnished with shredded parsley. It is served with rice, chili sauce and bitter nut crackers. Don’t miss this tantalising dish.

Other than Sup Buntut, there are lots more other dishes, from traditional Indonesian dishes to American style burgers and sandwiches to Italian style pizzas.

For example, you can make your own Haskell’s Pizza choosing from a variety of ingredients ranging from seafood, chicken, capsicum, olives, sausages and lots more. Our chef will then “tailor-bake” your pizza.

For the sweeth tooth, the western-style Banana Fritter might just be your pick.  It is deep-fried sweet battered ripe banana served with cinnamon sugar and ice-cream, leaving you craving for more!

Cool down with a refreshing watermelon juice.�

What’s your definition of a perfect resort break? It could be a romantic or private moment with your loved one. It could be loaded with fun activities and games. As long as you have it your way, it would be perfect.

Million of people uses www.facebook.com to keep in touch with friends, upload photos, share fun information like blog entries, videos and links. Which is why, our Facebook contest ended recently has been really successful. 

“The Picture Pefect Resort Break” is a contest where contestant (for Facebook members) submit a photo of what they think is a “Perfect Resort Break”. We picked the best entries where the the winners were awarded complimentary stays in our resort. 

Although the contest has ended, we would like you to keep it coming.  Join our Facebook Group  Bintan Lagoon Resort Group or simply click on the hyperlink or this following link: http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=58127531872&view=user#/group.php?gid=58127531872

Before I present these wonderful photos of the ten (10) winners, here’s a montage of my ideal resort break.

A couple of months back, I took time out to explore the beach of our very own Bintan Lagoon Resort!  Dressed down to my bathing suit, slippers, I spent a lazy afternoon on the beach.

As a beach lover,  the feeling was different from Sentosa’s Siloso Beach or East Coast Park’s Beach. I have to  admit that, Bintan Lagoon Resort’s beach is cleaner, the sand’s much finer and the water is definitely clearer.

Spending an afternoon on the deck chair was simply enjoyable.  The weather was kind and the lapping waves almost lulled me to sleep.   How often do I get to savour this moment?  This is my definition of a perfect resort break.

And here are top the 10 picks selected from hundreds of entries we received :

Ahh…this picture says it all, the turquoise sea against a mountainous background with a couple lying here doing nothing all day. 

Who could resist watching 3 men in beach wear doing the star jump?   A fun-filled energy. 

A montage of activities, food & beverages and a lovely beach definitely best describe a perfect break.

“Heaven in my hammock“.   What more can I say? 

 This couple stealing a romantic moment during sunset.

 More than a resort break,  this winner is enjoying every minute of his holiday.

“Time and tide may fade away but ours is here to stay“, seems to be the maxim of this photo.

Nothing comes close than holidaying at our very own Bintan Lagoon Resort where tonnes of activities await for those who love adveture on their feet.

Friendship warm the hearts despite the cold.

To sum up all the 10 winning entries we present “the kiss”.

For those who have submitted their entries, we would like to thank you for taking your time.  �

Oh my God! Finally someone has found a real muscle beach. The beach at Bintan Lagoon Resort is frequented by muscle guys. These guys aren’t the massive (read turn-off), beefcake men but casual workout guys who spend a lot of time working on their bodies. And thankfully, they’re willing to show them off.

The first thing that struck me about Bintan Lagoon Resort was that it was so beautifully designed, just like the hot bodies of the men. I felt as if I had died and gone to beefcake heaven.

Indonesian Beach Boys – gorgeous, tanned, sexy Indonesian guy hunks who love the sun, beach and surf. Deliciously all tanned and covered in sand. Now this is one beach that I will recommend my girlfriends to check out!

Sure you would love to surf with them.

On your way to work, either you are on your car, listening to that radio FM or on that bus/train ride listening to your mp3 on that hip gadget you’ve just got from Funan IT mall, or reading “Today” or “My Paper”. The routine sometimes makes you sick and tired. How you wish you can get away from it, at least for a while.

Work-life in Singapore is filled with stress and competition. I meet many people who are frantically busy. They wear their diaries and Blackberries as badges of honour, proud to be indispensable and wanted by everyone. If you have a lot of responsibilities and worries, you may be running on stress a good portion of the time—launching into emergency mode with every traffic jam, phone call from the in-laws, or segment of the evening news. But the problem with the stress response is that the more it’s activated, the harder it is to shut off. Instead of leveling off once the crisis has passed, your stress hormones, heart rate, and blood pressure remain elevated. When the going gets too tough and life’s demands exceed your ability to cope, stress becomes a threat to both your physical and emotional well-being.

Your fantasise yourself on a beautiful beach with sugar white fine sand, a tropical cooling refreshing cocktail - ICE COLD by your side. You are well-treated like a prince / princess. You are enjoying nice scenery formed by swaying palms trees, nice azure blue sky and sparkling ocean water. You get a very nice massage to relieve all that tension accumulated from all that hard work. Relax in a beach chair watch the sun fade away and listen to the surf. Then you imagine a very nice dinner on a golf course facing the sea, with nice breeze and soft white curtains and soothing candle-light. The feeling of relaxation and calmness, away from that heavy-hassled city. You love it, don’t you?

You must be thinking, it must be difficult to achieve that fantasy. Have to travel all the way to Hawaii. Just the thought of the expensive air fare escalates the stress levels.

Don’t think too far, think near! Just a 55 minutes high speed ferry ride will bring you to Bintan Lagoon Resort which allows your fantasy to come true - with the added convenience of an award-winning staff at your beck and call. Set among lush landscaping, the peaceful intimate setting nestles you into the tropical getaway you’ve been dreaming of. As the premier beachside destination near Singapore, Bintan Lagoon Resort is devoted to a relaxed, tropical lifestyle…and we can help you enjoy every moment of it.

What more should I say? Start planning today.

Your beautiful picture on our resort.

 Our sugar white fine sands beach.

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“The Golden Bear”. “Jack Nicklaus is a golfing god who did far more for the game than against it” - Golf Asia Magazine.

When the name Jack Nicklaus is mentioned, most people at least know the name if not what he does for a living and why he’s famous. For those people of questionable mental health who don’t like golf or care about the game whatsoever, they won’t get anything out of learning that Nicklaus won 20 majors or that he can hit a 1-iron better than anyone on the planet.

He is widely regarded as the greatest professional golfer of all time, large part because of his records in major championships. These days, Jack Niklaus builds golf courses around the world. Some of his tops ones that you can play are Cabo del Sol (Ocean Course) in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, The Challenge at Manele in Lanai City, Hawaii, The Ocean Course at Ginn Hammock Beach Resort, Palm Coast, Florida and the Jack Nicklaus Seaview Course in Bintan Lagoon Resort.

Bintan Lagoon Resort has got two exceptionally designed championship 18-hole golf courses. The Jack Nicklaus, designed by the “The Golden Bear” and The Ian Baker-Finch designed by the Australian born professional golfer, best known for winning the Open Championship in 1991.

Jack Nicklaus’s sea-view golf course is most unforgettable for it’s signature hole #12 and #13. If you were on the golf course, hole #1 will be the start of the challenge, on the left side is the sand block and to add on to the obstruction, on the right is the creek block.

The design of the golf path is so facinating that it will actually cause parallax error and yet another challenge for golfers. But what is a beautiful golfing experience without any challenges?

 The Jack Nicklaus sea-view golf course.

 The Ian Baker-Finch golf course.

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A pool is one of the any resort’s architectural focal points as well as a place to exercise, unwind or work on a tan after a hard day of business meetings or sightseeing. While a pool does not generate revenue directly, poolside cafes and bars do.

Pools have become the “modern version of singles bars.” There’s a ‘beautiful people’s association. Instead of going to the bar, you go out to the pool.

There’s nothing worse than finding yourself at the wrong resort pool. You’re expecting to spend a sunny weekend splayed out on a lounge chair with nothing but a Sudoku puzzle book and your iPod. But what if, when you arrive at your resort pool, you discover it’s crawling with kids doing cannonballs? Or on the flip side, maybe your family is embarking on a long-awaited resort vacation, anticipating waterslides and lazy rivers but you mistakenly end up at an all-hours over-21 party scene, complete with teeny bikinis and free-flowing piña coladas?

Your vacation by the pool could go horribly, horribly wrong.

But it doesn’t have to.

We have got two pools - one of them with slides and kiddy pools.  This pool is a huge family draw and can keep both kids and parents occupied for hours–as well as cooled off. The other is a lagoon-sized pool with a swim up pool bar which makes a splash with our guests. It’s an oasis retreat with its unique design and breath taking views.

Pack your flip-flops and your goggles and check out the preferred pools in Bintan. Don’t forget your movie stars shades… someone just might mistake you for a famous sun-worshiper while you take in the Bintan island rays.