Bintan Island - Unexplored Kite Beaches in Indonesia
Bintan Island is one of the many islands located in the Riau Islands Province in Indonesia. Little known for its kiting scene this island that sits close to Singapore provides great conditions, good winds, endless beaches, and a great experience for all level riders. Let's have a look at this location through the Kiteboard Tour Asia (KTA), an official Asian local organiser hosting professional Kitesurfing Championships, recognized by the International Kiteboarding Association.
The KTA was established to give an international platform to the skills and talents of kiteboarders throughout Asia, and to bring professional level competition and training to the region. The KTA launched the first international tour of its kind in Asia in September 2009 and visits up to five countries each season as part of the Asian Kiteboard Championship Tour.
The aim of the KTA is to provide a stepping-stone for the regions' best riders and give them a chance to compete with international riders via high-level competitions at a local level. But even when this is not everybody's goal, the KTA is just plain good fun to meet and ride with a lot of great people from the sport.
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One of the events that the KTA is involved in takes place in Bintan Island, at Agro beach resort. Situated less than an hour away via comfortable catamaran rides from the modern and culturally vibrant city of Singapore, Bintan is located on the largest of Indonesia’s enchanting Riau islands in the South China Sea. Bintan hosts many International events each year including iron man competitions and the Tour De Bintan so they are well equipped and experienced in handling more than its fair share of international athletes each year.
Beaches
A good and isolated beach on the east coast is Trikora, although the last year Bintan's KTA competition in this location took place at the Agro Beach Resort Bay. The Trikora is a more open water location than the preceding spot. It is not as sensitive to tides as compared to the "Bay", where the area tends to dry out at low tide. The sand is white and the water clean, a great place to kite all day long. The Trikora Beach is about 50 kilometers south of Tanjung Pinang, a little busy port town, on the eastern side of the island. Good beaches can be also found on the islands of Terkulai and Soreh, about an hour away by a boat. Some beaches are less accessible and to get to the water you need to conquer reefs sometimes so do not forget to pack in a pair of boots.
Weather conditions:
Wind speed: December to March with Northeast monsoon, 12-20kts
Type: Trade Winds
Direction: North East
Water: Very flat water, no waves; the little current makes it one of the best places in the world to learn kite boarding and for practicing free style tricks. Very clean water too as there is no commercial shipping in the area.
Recommended Kite size: Go big! 10meter up to 15meter…..nothing less!
Other information:
Time: GMT +6
Language: Indonesian
Currency: Indonesian Rupee
Temperature: 30 degrees Celsius
Water temp: 28 degrees Celsius
How to get there:
To get to Bintan, you must fly to Singapore first. The Island is then accessible via a 50-minute ride on a high-speed ferry catamaran from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. The terminal is conveniently situated close to Changi International Airport (about 10 min by taxi). You can book your ferry online at www.brf.com.sg.
If you go by a taxi, book a large taxi at the limousine counter at the arrival hall of the airport if you carry a kite gear. This service is available 24 hours, and costs a flat rate of 60 SGD (Singapore Dollar). Regular taxis (at the taxi stand) are a lot cheaper, but may not be able to fit your gear. It is also recommended to arrange a return transfer from the terminal to the airport at the same limousine counter.
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