How to Take a Short Break from the Hustle Bustle of
(If you have only 36 hours to spare?)
Step One: Book a resort not too far away from
Step Two: Book transportation.
Step Three: Move your butt!
Optionals, if you really want to luxuriate:
Book a table for two by the beach with your own campfire, with willowy curtains to give you all the privacy you need. In attendance will be your personal chef and, of course, your personal waitress who is out of sight till you ring your bell. (Option @ US$99 – US$199, depending on whether you’d like your dinner to be preceded by a sensual massage for couple in your private-gazebo-for-couples by the beach).
Our Bintan Holiday
Our holiday started after a 60 min ride on the first ferry of 0910 hrs from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. Upon arriving at Bintan Ferry Terminal, we were greeted by our friendly Angsana transport-coordinator. The mini-bus took us into the security check of the Bintan Resorts property. A ten minute ride brought us through to the end of …… where Banyan Tree, Laguna Golf Resort and Angsana co-exists amidst the lush tropical greenery and the sea-front.
Banyan Tree is set on a rocky ledge but it shares the same private beach-front with Angsana and Laguna Golf Resort. We stayed at the more affordable Angsana property with resort-room and amenities. For significantly more, we could have the up-market private villas of the Banyan Tree set amidst manicured jungle with privacy and exclusivity all in one neat package. Anyway, back to affordable-reality, we checked into Angsana at 1045 hrs.
Angsana is a sprawling property with lots to do for adults and kids alike. The pool with Jacuzzi segments set among palm trees just at the edge of the beach allows us to dip alternately in salt or freshwater.
The well maintained beach is really soft and clean, raked each morning before footprints can be set.
As we checked in, we set eyes on the inviting charm of the Lotus Café, in a cavernous open-concept lobby.
The image of a cool cool pint of Bintan Beer, pulled from the tap of the bar counter one level up, pops immediately into mind - especially after arriving from the ferry.
The Angsana Spa, located at the other end of Lotus Café, beckons teasingly. We checked out the spots available but they were fully booked! In the middle of the week! We made contingency plans. Having dropped our bags, we called for transport to the local spa, Aura Spa at Pujasera. For $64 dollars, each of us had a full body 120 minute Balinese massage. Really shiok! First a good knead from neck to feet, then the aromatic oil massage to really get to the tired sinews of fatigued bodies hunched over keyboards for weeks at end. However, what marred the otherwise delightful session was the noise when new clients arrived and they just talked and talked!
After the spa, we headed back to unpack the bags into our rooms and enjoyed a good shower. We then called for a buggy to take us to our neighbour, the Banyan Tree to check out our dinner and spa options. Banyan Tree spa-treatments are 30% more expensive than those at Angsana and 150% more expensive than those in the wanna-be’s in Oleh-Oleh town. We made reservation for a degustation dinner at The Cove on the second sitting at 2030 hrs.
Banyan Tree’s exclusivity is evident from the reception-staff to the buggy-drivers, from the finesse of the setting and ambience to the care taken to preserve as much of the natural flora as possible. Guess these are things that add to the creature-comforts and relaxed-feel of the resort and, not surprisingly, to the cost. But it’s a fair price to pay if one appreciates the creature comforts within a rustic setting on prime resort property – my kind of holiday.
Think of infinity pools, which are set among rocks and aged trees left untouched from the primary forest the property is carved into. Imagine timber lounge-decks and cafe-bars built around these trees. Imagine being massaged in cool-comfort of a bed that faces the ocean through the floor-to-ceiling glass wall of your treatment room. Imagine dining in front of the banyan trees overlooking the shoreline lapped by waves from the
Getting back from Banyan, we togged out for the poolside read. Thankfully, the sky was overcast. With magazine, book and chilled Heinekens in hand, we set out. We choose the rocky ledge, decked out to be a sundeck beside the infinity pool, with a view of the coastline and kelongs in the distance. Ah, the life, with Heinekens at hand to re-hydrate and chill at the same time!
When the need to stretch the legs was there, walking barefoot on the snowy sand further lifts the spirit and gets the sluggish blood going again. As the sun sets and fires are set alight to add ambience to the private dining cabana set up along the beach, the night becomes quieter as the light fades behind the hills.
Returned to the pool lighted by the soft glow of the pool lights and gurgling of the Jacuzzi jets, we took the in the bubbling-watery spa treatment, compliments of the Angsana.
Finally, after the lazing and indulgence, we further indulged in a really decadent dinner. A 6 course degustation dinner of capriccio wagyu beef dressed in rocket salad with roasted artichoke and truffle, lobster bisque with a huge chunk of rock-lobster, followed by spaghetti with stone-crab and caviar. After that was the break of strawberry sherbet. Then came the king prawn with baked eggplant. Finale was capping off the dinner with
What follows is just sheer restful completely deep slumber of full 8 hours.
Morning is heralded by the glowing red sun climbing over the palm trees and the hills beyond the shore in the horizon.
That is followed by a truly indulgent leisurely 2 hour breakfast, spiced with reading. That is spoilt by the only thing that breaks the pattern…. Checking emails and answering smses over the net.
Breakfast was good. We ordered our cappuccino and I especially enjoyed the berry compote and the soto ayam. As breakfast ends, we prepared to pack and readied ourselves for the last indulgent thing before heading back to the ferry…
The 120 min spa treatment at Angsana awaits….
From the reception, we were taken to a very large mood room upstairs with a picture-window in place of a wall overlooking the gardens of the resort and the sea beyond. The day bed becomes the welcome divan as you remove all the trinkets and accessories. The welcome drink of pineapple and lemon was refreshing as we prepared for the signature “Angsana” treatment of 120 mins. The treatment commences from the moment we entered the room. The pampering of all the senses was a sensuous promise of what is to come. The lighting, the music, the scent and the heavily tinted picture-window shields the
Heat and the glare of the midday sun from the room.
The therapists undergo a three-month training at Banyan Tree Spa. Attrition rate is a high 50-60%. It is rumoured that the dropouts end up working in spas in
The treatment was from head to heel, from fingers to toes, firm pressure on areas where tight-knots need to be massaged out, and lightly stimulating where relaxation is preferred. After a 90 minute massage, we wished that it would go on and on and on…..
After that, a warm towel rubdown removed the oils. That was followed by a serving of mineral water to hydrate and then a serving of carrot-walnut cake with hot ginger tea sweetened with honey, while the mood music continues in the background – truly a wonderful experience.
These are some useful sites to find out more about Bintan.
