The Journey Begins
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Reach Out |
Your Footprint
Light
Singapore in your rear‑view, Bintan’s living coastline straight ahead
Bintan Living Coast Discovery is for people who have done the villas, done the business‑class escapes and are now bored of holidays that feel exactly like everyone else’s. It is a private, all‑ages cultural and environmental immersion for travellers who want an enriching experience and a meaningful way to give back.
Curated by Green Cultural Travel and hosted inside Banyan Group’s Laguna Bintan enclave – Banyan Tree, Homm Laguna and Cassia Bintan – it quietly plugs you into the real coast that keeps these resorts alive. You explore the mangroves, seagrass meadows and villages that sit just out of view of the sun loungers.
Across seven days you slip into mangrove channels with the Pengudang community, explore an initiative with people turning seagrass into “blue economy” products, visit a bamboo eco‑property that makes most sustainability talk look lazy, and still make it back for spa, cocktails and unhurried dinners by the sea.
You also step behind the scenes with conservation staff inside the resorts, and because a clear daily contribution from your stay flows to the Pengudang Mangrove Community Fund and on‑site conservation, over seven days you are directly underwriting coastal care and habitat work, depending on which property you call home.
Is this tour for me?
| TRAVEL STYLE | Hosted, private cultural and environmental immersion that blends resort comfort with hands‑on coastal and community experiences; works for couples, families, friends and solo travellers who want more than a standard beach break. |
| SERVICE LEVEL | This package is a premium quality Great Journey facilitated by Australian Cultural Travel Pty Ltd in partnership with our Local Impact Partners from the Pengudang Mangrove Community. |
| PHYSICAL RATING | Programme tailored to your party’s capabilities and interests; activities may include short walks on uneven ground, small‑boat outings, mangrove planting, light garden or nursery work and optional snorkeling, so may be unsuitable for guests with very limited mobility. |
| TRIP TYPE | Private package, with dates on request and pacing adjusted for your group. |
What’s Included?
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English‑speaking guide/host for scheduled field days and key hosted meals.
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Return ferry Singapore – Bintan Resorts Terminal – Singapore, first class seating.
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6 nights’ accommodation within your choice within Cassia, Homm Laguna or Banyan Tree enclaves of the Laguna Bintan Resort managed by the Banyan Group.
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Mangrove exploration by small boat, including Pengudang Mangrove Centre and Community Tour, coastal community visit and time at the Mangrove Hub.
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Bintan hinterland / coastal community touring as outlined in your detailed itinerary.
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Resort beach and nature‑focused activities as scheduled by the resort and available during your stay.
- 90 minute Spa Package at Banyan Tree
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Bottled water during transfers and activities, plus simple morning tea and afternoon snacks on field days.
Meals(all meals included)
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6 breakfasts (Days 2–7) at your resort.
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7 lunches (Days 1–7)
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6 dinners (Days 1–6), combining hosted resort dinners with selected local/partner venues according to the itinerary.
Impact Contribution
- Included in your package price is a contribution of $350 per adult which flows to the Pegudang Community Development Fund. This contribution along with the benefits flowing from the community tours ensures lasting ongoing impact from your visit.
Transport
- Shared return ferry Singapore–Bintan (First Class).
- Private air‑conditioned vehicle for transfers between ferry terminal, resort and Pengudang on programme days.
- Private air‑conditioned vehicle for scheduled coastal and community tours.
- Small boat for mangrove and lagoon exploration, with basic safety equipment.
Pricing for Guest (SGD):
| Travelling Style | Cassia One Bedroom Suite | Homm Laguna Island Chill | Banyan Tree Rainforest Seaview Villa |
| Solo Traveler | 4404 | 5188 | 7226 |
| 2 Guests | 3288 | 3680 | 4699 |
| Triple Share | 3124 | 3522 | 3921 |
| 4 – 6 Guests | 3014 | 3484 | 4707 |
| 7 – 12 Guests | 2901 | 3349 | 4513 |
For groups larger than 12 please reach out for a final price. Final Price is subject to Guests choice of activities and selected chosen date as certain public holidays and holiday periods attract a premium accommodation rate.
Day 1: Arrival & First Coastal Impressions
Arrival in Bintan & Welcome to Banyan Tree
Leave the city skyline behind as you board a morning ferry from Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Bandar Bentan Telani (Lagoi), crossing busy shipping lanes into the softer light of Indonesia’s Riau Islands.
On arrival, your local guide will greet you at terminal and you travel by private vehicle to Banyan Tree Bintan, a resort set on forested cliffs and beaches overlooking the South China Sea. After check‑in, enjoy a relaxed lunch at the resort at your own pace, with time to unpack, rest or take a first walk along the shoreline or through the gardens.
Later in the afternoon, your guide offers an optional 60–90 minute nature and orientation walk within or around the resort, introducing Bintan’s coastal landscapes and Banyan Tree’s conservation focus. In the evening you meet your guide again for a hosted welcome dinner at the resort, where you look over the week’s outline and hear how Banyan Tree, the Pengudang Mangrove Initiative and other partners are working together on coastal care. This is a gentle space to share what has drawn you to Bintan and how you hope to use this week of rest, learning and reflection.
Overnight: Banyan Tree Bintan
Day 2:Pengudang Mangroves & Community
Full‑Day Visit to the Mangrove Community Hub
After breakfast at the resort, travel by private vehicle along the coast towards the village of Pengudang, where Iwan and the local team welcome you to the Mangrove Community Hub overlooking the lagoon and mangrove channels.
Over morning tea, Iwan introduces the Pengudang Mangrove Initiative, explaining how the project began, how mangroves protect the shoreline and fisheries, and how local families are restoring and caring for this coast with partners.
You then head out on a guided mangrove boat tour in the calm lagoon and channels (not into open sea), seeing the forest from the water and visiting at least one nearby restoration area from land to understand how young mangroves are establishing along the shore. A simple home‑style lunch prepared by community cooks is served at the Hub, with time to rest in the shade and talk more with the team about how this local work connects to broader questions of plastic, changing monsoon patterns and coastal resilience.
In the afternoon, join a village walk and informal community visit to see everyday coastal life. Guests who wish can visit a living art project or take part in hands on activities in craft. By late afternoon you return to Banyan Tree with time to shower, rest and enjoy the resort facilities before a flexible dinner at the restaurant of your choice within the resort.
Overnight: Banyan Tree Bintan
Day 3: Green Resort Day I
Nature Walks, Conservation & Coastal Stories
This first full resort‑based day invites you to slow down and explore how Banyan Tree is caring for its immediate environment.
After breakfast, you join one of the resort’s scheduled complimentary nature‑based activities, such as a guided nature walk, ranger trail or bird‑watching session, learning about the plants, wildlife and coastal ecosystems that surround the villas.
Late morning and early afternoon are free for swimming, reading, or quiet time on your terrace. Later in the afternoon, a member of the conservation or sustainability team hosts you for a behind‑the‑scenes session on the resort’s environmental practices – from beach care and sea turtle work in season, to waste and water management – followed by a short walk to see some of this in practice.
As the light softens, you have time to watch the sunset or take a gentle stroll along the beach before dinner. In the evening there is an informal check‑in with your guide if you wish, keeping the space open for questions and reflections without fixed structure.
Overnight: Banyan Tree Bintan
Day 4: Seagrass Innovation & Bamboo Design
Blue Economy Project & Low‑Impact Living
Today you head back out along the coast to explore a different side of Bintan’s sustainability story.
After breakfast, travel by private vehicle to visit a seagrass project working with local communities to cultivate and process seagrass, including its use in products such as collagen. Here, project staff introduce the science and practice behind seagrass restoration, explaining how healthy seagrass meadows support marine life, store carbon and can underpin more sustainable livelihoods. Over a simple tea or refreshment, there is time to ask questions about the project’s journey, supply chains and safeguards, and to reflect on how such “blue economy” initiatives fit into wider coastal change.
We head to a stunning inland bamboo‑inspired based eco resort to explore its gardens and spend time relaxing including a paddle on their lake. You can be as active or relaxed as you like after enjoying lunch at their restaurant Enjoy a drink or light snack as you look around, with space to talk about aesthetics, comfort and sustainability in resort and retreat design. By late afternoon you return to Banyan Tree to relax; dinner is at your own pace, with the option for a casual conversation with your guide about what has stood out from this “innovation day”.
Overnight: Banyan Tree Bintan
Day 5: Green Resort Day II
Sustainable Farming, Gardens & Personal Commitments
In your second structured resort day, you focus on food, gardens and how everyday choices connect to coastal health.
After breakfast, you join another of Banyan Tree’s scheduled complimentary activities that contrasts with Day 3 – for example a sustainable farming or garden visit, or another nature‑based session that looks more closely at how the resort grows or sources ingredients.
The middle of the day is mostly open, giving you time to enjoy the pool or beach or simply rest with a book and the sound of waves.
Later in the afternoon, you are invited to join a short, optional ‘Banyan in Action’ activity led by the resort team – this may be helping with a small beach‑care or reef‑friendly task, supporting work around the turtle programme in season, or joining a garden or nursery activity that contributes directly to Banyan Tree’s ongoing conservation efforts. Guests who prefer can simply enjoy free time at the resort
Overnight: Banyan Tree Bintan
Day 6: Village Life & Spa Farewell
Traditional Coastal Living & Wellbeing
With the week drawing to a close, Day 6 combines a glimpse of traditional village life near the resort with time to unwind and integrate your experience.
After breakfast, your guide takes you to a nearby coastal village in the Lagoi area, where you can walk through local streets, meet residents and see everyday livelihoods linked to the sea. This is a gentle, respectful visit focused on observation and conversation rather than staged performances, and may include stops at a small jetty, local warung or community space, depending on the day.
Returning to Banyan Tree around midday, you have time for lunch before an included spa package in the afternoon, giving your body a chance to rest and reset after days on the move and in the sun.
In the evening, enjoy a relaxed farewell dinner at the resort, hosted by your guide.
Overnight: Banyan Tree Bintan
Day 7: Quiet Morning & Departure
Final Views & Return to Singapore
Your final morning is deliberately simple.
After a leisurely breakfast and last look at the sea, you check out and have some free time depending on your ferry schedule – perhaps a final swim, short walk or quiet moment in the gardens.
At the agreed time, your guide and driver meet you for a private transfer back to Bandar Bentan Telani ferry terminal. Here you check in for your ferry to Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, carrying with you not only memories of Banyan Tree’s comforts but also grounded stories of Bintan’s mangroves, seagrass meadows and coastal communities.
End of services
Click on the tab below to view the Resort.
Laguna Bintan Resort
Cassia |
Homm Laguna |
Banyan Tree |
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| Cassia Bintan is a playful, apartment‑style beachfront resort within the Laguna Bintan enclave, designed for travellers who like a little more independence with their island time. One‑ and two‑bedroom garden‑view apartments give you separate living space and a small kitchen, while shared pools, beach access and the laid‑back social vibe keep it feeling like a beach club you can call home for the week. |
Homm Laguna Bintan sits on a sweeping curve of sand, framed by rainforest and the South China Sea, and has the classic feel of a tropical beach resort with an easygoing energy. Bright, comfortable rooms, a family‑friendly pool, kids’ club and a mix of land and water activities make it a good fit if you want the buzz of a full‑service resort but still appreciate being a short hop from the coastal communities you will be visiting. |
Banyan Tree Bintan is the most intimate of the three, with standalone hillside villas tucked among rainforest and boulders, many with private pools and wide views over the sea. It feels like a quiet sanctuary above the coastline, giving you space for spa time, long baths and room‑service breakfasts between field days, while still being close enough to step straight down to the beach or meet conservation staff working along the shore. |
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| One Bedroom Suite | Island Chill | Rainforest Seaview Villa |
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| Our Garden View apartments at Cassia Bintan are easy, flexible bases for the week, set among lush tropical greenery just a short stroll from the beach and pool. Designed in an airy, serviced‑apartment style, each unit offers a separate bedroom and living area, simple kitchenette, air‑conditioning and a balcony or terrace looking onto the gardens – ideal for solo travellers, friends or couples who like a little more independence while still having resort facilities on hand. | The Island Chill Room at Homm Laguna Bintan has the feel of a classic beach‑holiday hideaway, with fresh colours, large windows and either a queen bed or twin beds to suit your travel party. A private balcony or terrace lets you catch the sea air between swims, while air‑conditioning, ensuite bathroom and thoughtful in‑room touches keep it comfortable for couples, small families or friends who want to be close to the main pool, beach and activity hub. | The Rainforest Seaview Villa at Banyan Tree Bintan is a more secluded hillside retreat, with a standalone villa layout, king bed and sweeping views over rainforest and the South China Sea. Guests step out onto a private deck or plunge‑pool terrace to watch the light change over the water, then retreat inside to generous indoor‑outdoor bathing spaces and a quiet bedroom sanctuary – a strong choice for couples or a parent with one child who want a more intimate, barefoot‑luxury base between coastal field days. |
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Great Journey
Exclusions
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Other personal expenses (laundry, drinks, mini‑bar, spa treatments beyond those specified, etc.).
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Optional activities, tours or meals not specified in the itinerary.
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Tips and gratuities for guides, drivers and hotel staff.
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Travel insurance (strongly recommended for all guests).
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Indonesian visa fees payable on arrival (if applicable for your nationality).
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International and domestic flights, ferries and transfers not mentioned in the program.
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Any services not clearly stated as included in the program.
Key information & remarks
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Prices are net per person in Singapore Dollars (SGD) and are subject to change without prior notice.
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No refund is provided for any un‑utilised portion of this Great Journey once travel has commenced.
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An English‑speaking local host/guide is included; other language support (for example Mandarin‑speaking guide) may be available on request, at additional cost.
Child policy
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Child under 2 years: Free of charge (sharing existing bedding with parents).
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Child aged 2 years and above: 50% of adult cost (sharing room with parents, with meals and activities as per program).
Cancellation policy
Cancellation charges apply to the total Great Journey package price as follows:
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More than 60 days before arrival – Free of charge.
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More than 45 days before arrival – 30%.
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Less than 21 days before arrival – 50%.
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Less than 14 days before arrival – 80%.
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Failure to travel / no‑show on the day of arrival – 100%.
Travel rules and policy – Indonesia
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Travellers are responsible for ensuring they meet all Indonesian entry, visa and health requirements for their nationality at the time of travel.
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Entry rules, visa policies and health protocols may change; guests should check current requirements with official Indonesian government sources or their airline before departure.
Local culture and dress
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Bintan has a warm tropical climate year‑round; light, breathable clothing, a hat, sunscreen and comfortable walking shoes or sandals are recommended.
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Indonesia is generally modest in dress; please bring at least one outfit that covers shoulders and knees for village visits and community meetings.
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Guests are asked to respect local customs and traditions, especially when visiting homes, mosques or community facilities.
Tipping
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Tipping is discretionary but very much appreciated by local guides, drivers and service staff.
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As a guideline only, guests may consider small tips for good service at restaurants, and a modest tip for local guides and drivers at the end of activities or the journey.
Safety and security
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Guests are advised to use a neck wallet or money belt for passports, cash and cards, and to leave expensive jewellery and valuables at home.
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Many hotels provide safety deposit boxes for secure storage of important items.
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When selecting this journey, please read the brochure and itinerary carefully to assess your ability to cope with the physical requirements (uneven surfaces, boats, heat and humidity).
Project contribution – Living Coast Impact
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This Great Journey includes a built‑in daily contribution per room to the Living Coast Impact model, supporting the Pengudang Mangrove Community Fund and conservation work at participating Bintan resorts.
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Funds are managed with local partners to support community‑led initiatives in and around Pengudang – including mangrove restoration, sustainable livelihoods, education and wellbeing projects – and to assist on‑the‑ground coastal conservation at the resorts.
Language & guide supplements
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An English‑speaking local host/guide is included as standard for scheduled activities.
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Other language support (for example Mandarin‑speaking guide for Chinese‑speaking guests) may be available on request, subject to availability and a per‑day supplement that will be confirmed at quotation stage.
Operator & emergency contact
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This program is operated by Australian Cultural Travel Pty Ltd in support of Guild of Life Limited, a Singapore non‑profit.
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For questions before or during travel, guests may contact: Kim Burton – Email: kim.burton@greenculturaltravel.com | Phone / WhatsApp: +61 483 342 837.
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In case of arrival complications or delays, guests should contact the above number or email as soon as possible so that assistance can be arranged.
More Great Packages
Bintan Coastal Crafts and Cuisine – Pengudang Private Full-Day Tour
Bintan Mangrove Coastal Discovery – Pengudang Full-Day Tour
