What to Do in Bintan: Nature, Culture, Adventure & Beaches
Bintan has more going on than its resort strip lets on.
Past the hotel area in Lagoi, you’ll find a lake gone bright turquoise from old mining pits, a river winding through mangrove forest, a wildlife sanctuary, quiet local beaches, and Chinese temples that have stood on stilts for over 200 years.
Here’s what’s worth doing, grouped by water and adventure, nature and wildlife, culture and landmarks, and beaches.
Water & Adventure
- Treasure Bay’s Crystal Lagoon – swim, kayak, or try the Jetovator and cable ski in a giant man-made seawater lagoon
- ATV Adventure – tear through jungle, coastal, or plantation trails on an off-road vehicle
- Snorkeling – boat out to a kelong platform and snorkel around coral and reef fish
Nature & Wildlife
- Bintan Mangrove Tour – a 60-minute river ride with a chance to spot local wildlife along the way
- See Fireflies – the same river after dark, watching fireflies light up the mangroves
- Safari Lagoi & Eco Farm – get close to rescued wildlife at a sanctuary and eco farm
Culture & Landmarks
- Blue Lake & Sand Dunes – a turquoise former mining lake beside white sand dunes, made for photos
- 500 Lohan Temple – walk past rows of individually carved granite statues
- Senggarang Village & Banyan Tree Temple – a stilt village anchored by a 1811 temple wrapped in ancient roots
Beaches
- Lagoi Bay Beach – the only public beach inside the resort area
- Trikora Beach – a quieter local beach on the east coast, best paired with another stop
Here’s a closer look at each one, what to expect, how far it is, and what to know before heading out.
Blue Lake Bintan & Sand Dunes
Blue Lake, or Danau Biru as locals call it, used to be a bauxite mine.
Rainwater filled the pit, minerals in the soil did the rest, and now it looks almost unreal, bright turquoise, ringed by white sand dunes.
- Walk across the dunes, comfortable, flat shoes help once the sand heats up
- Get the classic shot from the elevated viewpoint, the most popular spot for the view
Pose on the floating raft, another favorite photo spot - Ride an ATV around the dunes (first-come, first-served, cash IDR only)
- Snap a photo with a trained eagle and its handler — a hit with couples
Quick Facts
- Location: Busung, Tanjung Uban, north of Bintan
- Distance: 35–40 minutes from most Bintan Resort hotels
- Spending time: 45–90 minutes
- Swimming: not allowed
Local photographers usually hang around and can send you the shots the same day. Go early or after 3 PM, the sand gets uncomfortably hot once the sun’s high.
The Blue Lake Bintan covers more details on getting there and choosing the best time to visit.
Prefer not to arrange transport yourself?
Sand Dunes & Blue Lake Bintan tour offers a private trip with pickup included.
Bintan Mangrove Tour
This one’s a 60-minute boat ride along the Sebung River during the day, cutting through Bintan’s mangrove forest, with a guide pointing out whatever’s moving along the way.
- Cruise the river by boat, guided by someone who knows where to look
Keep an eye out for macaques, monitor lizards, mangrove snakes, and kingfishers, there’s a chance of spotting them, but nothing’s guaranteed - Watch for mudskippers and crabs on the riverbed when the tide’s low
- Pass stilt houses where some Orang Laut, the local sea nomads, still live
- See an old, unused charcoal kiln, a leftover from how people once lived off this river
Quick Facts
- Duration: 60 minutes
- Life jackets: provided
- Water: calm the whole way, easy for most ages
Bintan Mangrove guide covers what you’ll actually see along the river.
And also this is one of Bintan’s most popular things to do, pickup times are flexible, and private return transport is included on the Bintan Mangrove Tour
Bintan Fireflies Tour
This is the night version of the mangrove ride, on the same river.
It’s a shorter trip than the daytime one, but the reward is different, watching fireflies light up the mangrove trees in the dark.
- Take a night boat ride down the Sebung River
- Get the chance to see fireflies up close
- Combine it with a half-day trip that pairs the daytime mangrove ride, or an afternoon at Blue Lake, running from day into night
Quick Facts
- Duration: around 45 minutes
- Life jackets: provided
- Best conditions: a calm, dry evening after some earlier rain, how many fireflies show up varies by night
Not sure this is worth fitting into your evening?
Bintan Fireflies guide has more on what to expect and when the fireflies actually show up.
It’s one of Bintan’s popular night activities, sold as a full package, boat, guide, equipment, and even private return transfer included. Book it on the Bintan Fireflies Tour page.
ATV Adventure
There are several ATV spots across Bintan, with trails ranging from jungle, coastal sand, to farmland, depending on where you book. Some hotels even have their own ATV facilities on-site.
- Ride jungle trails with muddy tracks and river crossings
- Take a coastal sand route near the Bintan Resorts area
- Try the 8-kilometer plantation and rubber-tree route, calmer underfoot than the jungle trails
- Add on the shorter ride around the Sand Dunes area up north
Good to Know
- Whether it gets muddy comes down to the day’s weather
- You follow a guide rather than setting your own pace, good for first-timers
- Pregnant travelers and anyone with heart or back conditions should sit this one out
Not every ATV in Bintan trail is the same, so it’s worth knowing what each one covers before choosing.
The 8-kilometer route is a solid pick for first-timers, it’s guided, all gear is provided, and it’s fully all-inclusive. See Bintan ATV Adventure up to 8 KM.
Snorkeling at Kelong
Snorkeling in Bintan isn’t limited to one spot, some hotels have their own private beach where you can snorkel right off the shore.
But the most popular option, and the one most travelers end up doing, is heading out to a kelong, a wooden platform built on stilts over the sea.
Boats leave from a jetty in the Trikora area, not from Trikora Beach itself, worth noting since the names get confused.
- Snorkel around the coral near the kelong, where clownfish and reef fish tend to gather
- Hand-feed fish that swim up to the platform, at some kelongs
- Add on kayaking or light fishing
Get underwater photos or video from the session, shared with you afterward
Some listings still mention White Sands Island (Pulau Beralas Pasir) as part of a Bintan snorkeling trip.
It’s actually a separate destination from the kelong trips, and it’s currently closed, worth checking with the operator before you plan around it.
Quick Facts
- Time at the kelong: usually 2–3 hours
- Best time: mornings, before noon, when the current’s calmer and the water’s clearer
- Weaker season: December to March, when monsoon swells stir things up
The full Bintan Snorkeling guide covers timing and what to expect at the kelong.
To skip the group schedule and pick your own time, the Snorkeling Tour can be booked as a private trip.
Treasure Bay Bintan
Treasure Bay is a waterfront activity hub in Lagoi, built around Chill Cove and its Crystal Lagoon, a huge man-made seawater pool split into flagged zones for different activities.
- Swim in the lagoon’s flagged zones
- Try the Jetovator or cable ski
- Take an ATV through the jungle section
- Try archery, or duck into a karaoke room
- Ride the water slides, or slow it down with a solar boat ride or water tricycle
Quick Facts
- Minimum age for most activities: around 7 (younger kids can still use the shallow zones)
- Distance: about 5 minutes from Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal
More on what’s included is covered under Treasure Bay activities guide.
Safari Lagoi & Eco Farm
Safari Lagoi is a wildlife rescue centre and eco farm in Lagoi. Most of the animals here were rescued from illegal trade or injury.
- See a range of rescued wildlife up close
- Wander the Eco Farm section, dragon fruit, sunflowers, and seasonal fruit picking
- Try stingless bee honey tasting
- Rent a buggy to get around the grounds (first-come, first-served)
Quick Facts
- Time needed: 1–1.5 hours
- Visitor feedback: mixed, some find it genuinely educational, others raise concerns about the enclosures
The full Safari Lagoi guide has more on what to expect and how to plan around it.
Lagoi Bay Beach
Lagoi Bay is the only public beach inside the Bintan Resorts area, stretching about 3.5 kilometers along the coast next to Plaza Lagoi.
- Swim, tide permitting, check the tide schedule before you head down
- Look for small crabs and hermit crabs along the sand at low tide
- Play beach volleyball or just walk the shore
- Grab food and drinks at Plaza Lagoi, a short walk away
Quick Facts
- Length: about 3.5 kilometers
- Crowds: quieter on weekdays, busier on weekends and holidays
- Facilities: public toilets, showers, and changing rooms nearby
Trikora Beach
Trikora is on Bintan’s east coast, about an hour by car from Tanjung Pinang or the Bintan Resorts hotel area.
It’s mostly a locals’ beach, the kind of place people go for a weekend picnic.
- Walk the exposed sand flats at low tide, when the water can pull back over a hundred meters
- Rent a thatched hut and drink fresh coconut water by the shore
- Watch local boat builders at work in the nearby fishing villages, still doing it by hand
- Pair it with a snorkeling trip, since boats leave from a jetty in the same area
Quick Facts
- Distance: about 60 minutes from Tanjung Pinang or the resort area
- Payment: cash only, in Indonesian Rupiah
- Conditions: vary by section and season, some stretches stay clean, others collect debris once the tide goes out
Given the drive, Trikora Beach on its own is a stretch to justify.
It makes more sense as a stop after snorkeling, or folded into a custom Bintan Island itinerary.
500 Lohan Temple
The 500 Lohan Temple is in Tanjungpinang, on Bintan’s southern side.
Its official name is Vihara Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, but locals just call it Patung Seribu — “thousand statues.”
- Walk past rows of granite Lohan (Arhat) statues, each one carved with its own expression and pose
- Take in the pagoda-shaped main structure and its stone reliefs of Buddha’s spiritual journey
- Rest at the small on-site stall for a drink or instant noodles
Quick Facts
- Visit length: 30–45 minutes
- Open: Tuesday–Sunday, 9 AM–5 PM (closed Mondays)
- Terrain: hillside grounds, not much shade, stone paths that get slippery after rain
It’s a longer drive from the resort area, so most visitors fold this into a full day tour out rather than a standalone trip.
The full 500 Lohan Temple guide has more on visiting hours and what else to combine it with.
Senggarang Village & Banyan Tree Temple
Senggarang Village is a Chinese settlement partly built on stilts over the water in Tanjung Pinang, first settled by Teochew immigrants back in the 1700s.
- Visit the Lau Ya Keng temple complex and the Banyan Tree Temple, about 200 meters apart on foot
- See the Banyan Tree Temple’s roots, grown completely over its 1811 brick walls
- Walk the narrow paths above the water, past wooden houses where descendants of the original settlers still live
- Try street snacks like keropok and prawn fritters from stalls along the way
- Combine it with a trip to nearby Pulau Penyengat, reachable on the same water route
Quick Facts
- Distance: a 70-minute drive from the Bintan Resorts area, or a 15-minute pompong (water taxi) ride from the Tanjung Pinang terminal
- Best time: weekdays tend to be quieter than weekends
- Bring: mosquito repellent, especially near dusk
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