Weekend fun

Weekend Getaway: The Angsana Bintan Resort & Spa

Angsana Bintan, Bintan Island, Indonesia

Angsana Bintan, Bintan Island, Indonesia

It was a weekend of fun filled activities as we were invited for a 3 days 2 nights weekend stay at Angsana Bintan.   The boys were hyped and eagerly packed their bags when they heard that we were taking off this weekend by ferry.  We were excited to be off on our first  family adventure week on the island of Bintan.

The hotel lobby

The hotel lobby

Even though the ferry ride only approximately an hour  and the bus ride from the terminal to the hotel 15  minutes, Tiger girl was totally exhausted when we arrived.

We took the last  ferry on a Friday night  as the ferry tickets were booked out for Saturday morning and we didn’t want the kids to miss out on the activities that were lined up for them on Saturday.

Our welcome drink- Lemongrass juice

Our welcome drink- Lemongrass juice

We arrived at the hotel close to 10pm and checked into the room before proceeding to the Lotus Cafe for a late dinner.

The King size bed in the one bedroom suite

The King size bed in the one bedroom suite

We were given a one bedroom suite with an extra bed for the five of us for our stay.  The room was rather cozy and simply decorated.

The living room

The living room

The other side of the living room

The other side of the living room with the pantry area.

I love the fact that the room was big and roomy and the kids had lots of space to run around in it. The kids were happy that there was cable TV and they could watch their favourite cartoons when they were relaxing in the room.

Having fun at the recreational lounge

Having fun at the recreational lounge

The kids were wide awake after the late dinner so we checked out the Recreational lounge which was a few doors down from our room. The boys had a round of snooker and ping pong while the girl and I played connect four. I love the cozy set up of the room with bean bags on one side and sofa sets on the other. There were also other board games available to play but we didn’t manage to try them  out as it was nearly midnight when the boys decided to call it a day.

The private beach at Angsana Bintan

The private beach at Angsana Bintan

The boys having a game of Petanque with R

The boys having a game of Petanque with R

Everyone woke up bright and early as the first activity for the boys was to start at 9.15am. We took a stroll around the hotel grounds to the beach before heading to the Lotus Cafe for a buffet breakfast.

The boys spotted this pit and  had their first game of this French sport- Petanque. They had to throw the metal balls as close as possible to the marker. The person who is the nearest would be the winner.

The boys having their buffet breakfast at the Lotus Cafe

The boys having their buffet breakfast at the Lotus Cafe

The boys  had some Team building games which included a Treasure hunt and jungle hike that Saturday.  We dropped them off in the lobby and went off with Tiger girl to enjoy the rest of the morning at the pool.

A view of the hotel pool

A view of the hotel pool

Having fun at the pool

Having fun at the pool

The little girl was extremely happy to be in the water and we spent many hours swimming from one part of the pool to the other. There was colored balls available for loan and she had fun playing  with the balls with the other kids in the pool.

The lunch buffet spread

The lunch buffet spread

The kids were starving by lunchtime and hungrily tucked into the buffet spread that the hotel had before we went our separate ways again.

Tiger girl at the Kids Club

Tiger girl at the Kids Club

Tiger girl was happy to be playing in the air-con comfort that afternoon. We checked her into the Kids club where she had fun playing with the kitchen sets and other toys that they had to offer in the room. She also did some coloring and made a butterfly from recycle material which she proudly showed us when we returned to fetch her after our nature walk.

On a nature walk with the guide from the Conservation lab team

On a nature walk with the guide from the Conservation lab team

R and I were led on the Ranger trail which went through part of the forest , golf course and ended up at the beach. We were introduced to the Tongkat Ali plant and saw  Monitor lizards on the trail. It was the first time that I saw  endangered turtles in a hatchery. They will really cute. ( Will be featuring the animals in the next Wordful  Wednesday post…look out for it!!)

The boys having fun bridge building at Angsana beach

The boys having fun bridge building at Angsana beach

We spotted the kids and their camp leaders at the beach after our Nature walk. They were attempting to build a bridge using the planks to get across the moat that they had created.  I was observing them from a distance and could see that the kids in the group were all enthusiastically carrying out the instructions that they were given while working together on the project that they had been assigned.

Dinner at the Pantai Grill

Dinner at the Pantai Grill

The day ended off with a Beachside BBQ at Pantai Grill where we tasted their succulent meats and seafood that were on offer.  The setting at the beach was really romantic.

Angsana Beach

Angsana Beach

It was another day of fun in the sun on Sunday as the boys and us headed off to the beach for our activities. Tiger girl chose to stay in the kids club and enjoy playing with the toys there.

Going on the Jet Ski and ATV

Going on the Jet Ski and ATV

It was the first time that R and I rode on the Jet Ski and ATV.  The last time that we did outdoor sports as couple was during our honeymoon in Thailand 13 years ago!! It was really great to be finally able to enjoy these fun activities together.

Having the wind in my hair as I raced with R on the water was a unforgettable experience. I’m not really into these extreme sports but gamely tried them with him.  Bystanders watching us would be thinking  I was having loads of fun while in actually I was half the time trying my best not to go too fast least the jet ski flip and overturn on me.

I drew the white flag when it came to driving the ATV alone and chose to ride pillion with R instead. Even though I have been driving for the past  18 years handling an ATV was really different from a normal car.  I had to hold on tight to the metal bars while R and I followed the guide through the jungle path.  My hands were numbed at the end of the ride from holding

It was a really fun and adventurous weekend for the whole family and everyone enjoyed themselves.   The service at Angsana Bintan was top notch and we enjoyed the activities and food that they provided. Doggie boy enjoyed the Beach Archery activity the best while Monkey boy enjoyed his swim in the clear blue sea.  I love the fact that I was able to have fun as a family, a couple and also had some me time for myself that weekend taking pictures with my DSLR.

The dishes on offer at the Lotus Cafe

The dishes on offer at the Lotus Cafe

What’s New

For the month of  October the Lotus cafe at Bintan Angsana will be featuring  South East Asian specialties. Signature dishes from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore will be available to whet your appetite.  Do give the foods a try if you intend to stay at the  Angsana  Bintan .

Angsana Bintan Resort and Spa

Jalan Teluk Bermbang, Laguna Bintan, Lagoi 29155 Bintan Resorts, Indonesia Tel:+ 62 770693111

Disclaimer:  We were invited to Angsana Bintan for a fun filled weekend and to try out their Family Adventure  Package. All opinions are 100% my own.

Cycling Fun at the Park

The kids and R

The kids and R

Over the weekend we brought the kids to Pasir Ris Park  to cycle. The weather was superb that morning as it wasn’t too hot and there was a cool sea breeze blowing inland.

Monkey boy on a bike

Monkey boy on a bike

The kids have been asking to go cycling with their dad at the park and were thrilled when they were able to go. We had to hire the bicycles at the park as there isn’t enough space in our car to transport the kids and their bikes.

My happy bikers

My happy bikers

We hired a bike with trainer wheels for Doggie boy as he has yet to learn a two wheeler as we don’t cycle that often.

Tiger girl and daddy

Tiger girl and daddy

Tiger girl was super thrilled that she got to ride on a bike this time.  She originally wanted her own bike to cycle on but had difficulty pedaling so we decided on this add on ride for her instead.

Tiger girl and me

Tiger girl and me

I tried riding the bike with her in tow but it proved to be very challenging finding your sense of balance with the toddler seat  in between. In the end I left it to R to chauffeur her around and stuck to what I enjoy doing best at the park~ taking photos of the kids.

 

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