The Haven in Bintan, a Jewel in the South China Sea
As today’s lifestyle becomes more hectic and stressful, many of us dream of retreating to a calm and pristine place that we can call home. In this home away from home, we can withdraw from all the worries of the world, recharge ourselves and enjoy precious time with our loved ones.
But as the world's population swells to over seven billion, these idyllic places are becoming harder to find. Many of those that are naturally pristine and secluded usually don't have the necessary infrastructure to support a comfortable modern lifestyle.
For those of you who love the sun and the sea you may want to consider the tropical island of Bintan as your second home. A green jewel in the South China Sea, between Sumatra and Singapore, the island has been a secret getaway for local and international tourists for decades. Among Bintan's charms are its unspoiled nature and wildlife, genuinely friendly and honest people, as well as its rich traditional culture. Its government and people have also done a great job in maintaining the island, which is very clean and orderly.
You can reach it by flying from Jakarta to Tanjung Pinang, the capital of Riau Islands Province. Visitors from Malaysia and Singapore can also reach the island by ferry.
The main attraction in the island is the Bintan Resorts at Lagoi Bay. The 18,000-hectare stretch of land, along the northern coast of Bintan, is maintained by Bintan Resorts Cakrawala (BRC), a joint venture between Indonesian and Singaporean companies.
The area currently boasts 13 international-scale resorts and luxury residential properties and four award-winning golf courses, all within a 20-minute drive from one another.
Last week the regionally acclaimed Malaysian developer, The Haven Sdn. Bhd., started initial development on The Haven Bintan Resort at the Lagoi Bay.
The Jakarta Globe was invited to Bintan to witness the project's groundbreaking.
Prime location
"When we were first invited by the BRC to come (to Bintan) and see what they have, about four years ago, we were quite astounded that such a beautiful place, so close to Singapore, was so underrated," said Peter Chan, CEO of The Haven Sdn. Bhd.
Chan likens Bintan to Hawaii of the East.
"Advantages that this island has to offer are clean air, clean water, good people, [good] infrastructure and very, very safe [environment]," he said.
"I've been told that in the last 17 years here, in this resort area, there has not been one crime reported," said Chan.
The Haven Bintan will occupy 26 hectares of prime seaside real estate around the Indah Beach on the northern tip of Lagoi Bay.
The Indah Beach truly lives up to its name. The white sandy beach, which overlooks the South China Sea, is fringed with gigantic rock formations, clear rivers, tall pines and coconut trees.
The developer has dubbed it as "Asia's Pride, South of the South China Sea."
"It overlooks north to eight great countries, China, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, and so on," said Chan. "That's why we've come up with eight great blocks facing the South China Sea."
Among the planned developments of The Haven Bintan are condotels, hotels, convention centers and shops.
Eco development
"We will not destroy anything," said the CEO. "We'll not destroy any sea [or] any rivers. We'll not cut down any major trees. We'll only clear the bushes."
"We'll not cut down any slopes," Chan promised. "We'll keep the mangrove swamps intact. We'll be 99.999% environmentally friendly."
The Haven Bintan will have modern facilities that accommodate three generations — kids, adults and senior people. There will be an expansive playground and water theme-park for children, as well as gym and sports facilities for adults in this resort area.
According to the Chan, the whole area will also be friendly for people that have a disability.
"We'll have minimal steps," he said. "So, you can use buggies or wheelchairs to go around the whole development area."
Singapore-based architect firm DP Architects is in charge of its planning and development.
The total development, which costs about 1 billion Singaporean dollars, will take about eight years to complete.
There will be five phases of the development. In the first phase, which is expected to be completed within two or three years, they will build two towers of condotels.
"[Condotel] is serviced condominiums that can also be rented out as a hotel [rooms]," said Chan.
Each tower will have studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom panoramic suites, ranging from 500 square-feet to 2,000 square-feet in size.
"It'll be a good second home," said Chan.
Prices
Their prices start from 275,000 Singaporean Dollars for each suite.
Their target customers are Indonesians, Singaporeans, Malaysians, Chinese, people from the Middle East, Americans and Europeans.
"Most of the advanced countries in the world have temperate climate," said Chain. "They'll love the hot weather here. And it's also a chance for them to see the sun and the sand."
The temperature in Bintan Island usually ranges between 27 and 32 degrees Celcius. Other than a few rainy days, the island enjoys a pleasantly warm and sunny climate all year round.
The developer is expecting to sell 50 to 60 percent of the properties within the first year of the development.
Local support
BRC's group general manager Abdul Wahab also attended the groundbreaking ceremony of The Haven Bintan.
"This event marks another important milestone for Bintan Resorts," said Abdul.
According to Abdul, BRC has invested more than 1.5 billion Singaporean Dollars to build modern facilities and infrastructure to support the luxury resorts within the area.
At present, BRC is also building an international airport in Busung, Teluk Sebong District, which is within 30-minute drive to the resort area. The development of the airport is expected to be completed in 2017.
"[With the new airport], we'll be connected to the international market," said BRC group general manager, Abdul Wahab. "People [from all over the world] can come to Bintan Resorts directly."
The regent of Bintan, H. Ansar Ahmad, also welcomed the arrival of The Haven Bintan.
"I, on behalf of the local government and the people of Bintan, welcome the arrival of The Haven," said the regent. "We hope this project will also attract other investors to come to Bintan."
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