If you’ve been one of my readers since 2019, you may remember my first visit to Cempedak Private Island in the Bintan region of Indonesia.
I loved that first visit so much (and the resort offers a uniquely affordable luxe experience) that when Ella and I were planning our honeymoon, a stay here on our way back home from Europe seemed like the perfect way to defrost after many weeks of Arctic freeze.
We flew into Singapore via Dubai and after a night of recovery sleep in a hotel in Singapore, we set off to Cempedak.
Bintan may be in Indonesia but it is located exceptionally close to Singapore and thus most people who visit the area will inevitably arrive from Singapore rather than within Indonesia.
The Tanah Merah ferry terminal (TMFT) is located a short 10 minute drive from Changi Airport and the ferries to and from Bintan are operated by Bintan Resort Ferries. These ferries operate 2-3 times per day depending on the day of the week and the season of the year, are exceptionally reliable and quite reasonably priced.
A one way ticket in economy will set you back $28 SGD and in green class (the premium ticket) will be $55 SGD. Upgrading to Green Class afford you use of the pre departure lounge, priority boarding and even priority disembarkation. In my opinion, the latter is reason enough to pay for the green class ticket – when you de-ferry you will need to go through Indonesian customs and go through the VOA process which can be a little time consuming, but by being one of the first people through you speed up the process and can be on your way to Cempedak that much faster.
Once out of the ferry terminal, you will be picked up by your private driver and after a short drive, will arrive at Cempedak’s private boat area where you will be transferred onto a small boat for the short ride to the island. It certainly sounds like a lot of steps but if you catch the first ferry of the day you will arrive (as we did) to Cempedak in time for a delicious arrival lunch.
After lunch we were given a quick rundown of the island( most of which I still remembered from my first visit) before we were whisked away to our villa.
There are two villa types at Cempedak, all have essentially the same design but what varies is the view. Beach villas are located right on the water while Seaview villas are located uphill and hidden amongst lush tropical trees. As I had stayed in a seaview villa during my 2019 stay, we opted for a beach villa this time around and I can safely say – there is simply not a bad option here, each and every villa has truly phenomenal views.
Once we arrived to our villa, we immediately ordered drinks (beers + fresh coconuts = winning combo) and jumped into our ridiculously pretty private pool – and I do mean jumped.
Each villa has the same 2 storey layout. On the ground floor is the pool (obvi), an outdoor shower, a spacious lounge area and a half bathroom. You are led upstairs by a bamboo spiral staircase that opens into a light and airy bedroom and bathroom.
The island is teeming with wildlife, some of which can be spotted directly from your villa. We spent most of our pool time accompanied by a pair (and sometimes a trio) of cheeky hornbills which were so fun to watch!
That evening we headed down to the Dodo Bar – which is the place to watch the sunset. We ordered pre dinner cocktails, played our new obsession (Monopoly Go) and enjoyed our stunning surroundings.
I have very fond memories (or lack thereof) of the Dodo Bar (ever get so drunk that you order a cigar, despite not being a smoker, smoke the whole thing and then have no memory of it until it pops up on your bill at the end of your stay? Yeah, me neither 👀) from my first visit so it was definitely wonderful to revisit it nightly during our stay.
The next day we started with (another) delicious breakfast before setting off on a behind the scenes tour of the island, including where it generates and stores power, its incredible herb and veggie garden and much more. Along the way we found some gorgeous butterflies which were a challenge to photograph but absolutely worth putting in the effort for!
That afternoon, we stopped by the spa for an indulgent 90 minute massage. I remembered my massage here on my previous visit being truly wonderful and I am happy to say that even with my lofty expectations, our massage was absolutely fantastic.
The spa is set on coastal rocks and almost completely open to the elements. Imagine the gentle roll of sea breezes nipping at your skin while the sound of the ocean ebbing and flowing fills your ears – its a pretty unforgettable place to get a massage and a must do for anyone visiting Cempedak.
That evening we spent the dwindling hours hanging out in our pool – I mean, when your own private pool looks like this one does, you’d be a fool to not spend as much time soaking in it as humanly possible.
The next morning signalled our last day on the island so I woke up early to take some drone shots of the main pool area without anybody else around.
We had a bit of time between breakfast and our departure back to Singapore and thus I spent that time wandering around and searching for any more of the islands wildlife that I could spot, and boy did I find some interesting critters!
This green tree snake would’ve been perfectly camouflaged against the surrounding greenery, the only reason I spotted it was because it moved and that movement caught my eye.
There are a multitude of spider species on the island and its funny, maybe for some people that might seem like a deterrent, but honestly, I kinda hate spiders normally, but this one was all kinds of beautiful!
I even spotted one more beautiful butterfly that made me wait at least 15 minutes for an opportunity to get a shot, but once she sat to pose, she seriously posed for me.
Our time at Cempedak was short and oh so sweet. I know that Ella and I will return one day and finally make use of their tennis courts!
Stay tuned for a cute little post about how my travels have changed over the years <3
THE LOWDOWN
Cempedak Private Island: As Cempedak is right in backyard for Singaporeans, weekend rates are higher than those during the week. By visiting during the week, you can enjoy all of this luxury for just $475 SGD/$536 AUD/$364 USD per night! Considering how spacious and wonderful these villas are, I cannot stress enough how well priced Cempedak is. For more information or to book, click here
Bintan Resort Ferries: Ferries run several times a day and are seriously easy to book through the BRF website, click here to learn more
Remember: Cempedak Private Island is strictly for those aged 15 years and up, if you want to travel with kids but love the whole Cempedak vibe, take a look at Nikoi Island, it is owned and operated by the same team as Cempedak and offers a similar but more kid friendly kind of experience
It does look heavenly