Day 2 was the only full day we had at Bintan. Before breakfast, I took Joey to check out the beach right outside our villa.
The swimming pool was glistening under the sun. So pretty & inviting.
I have to say that although Bintan is a beach resort destination, the beach was nothing fantastic. The sand was not white & powder-like. Instead, we saw a lot of mud and coarse sand.
But the beach was deserted and it actually felt very calm & peaceful.
We spotted one big stretch of mimosa (‘touch-me-nots’) on the grass, and as usual, Joey must touch them..
Pretty hibiscus in full bloom!
After exploring the beach area, we prepared to make a trip to Pasar Oleh Oleh – The only market and shopping area near to our resort. It was just a small area with several shops that sell clothes, titbits and offers massage services. Isaiah did his massage there, as it was much cheaper than at the resort.
Waiting for our chartered vehicle at the lobby. We paid $42 for a two-way trip.
This is our very friendly driver cum guide. He is a really nice guy. :)
And we arrived!
The sun was bright!
Pasar Oleh Oleh is like an Indonesian village backdated 30 years. Despite the fact that it’s the only touristy destination in this arena, it still retained its original form. Kinda reminded me of a village area in Kuala Lumpur. :)
Found a wishing well in the middle of the street (more like a public dustbin actually =P)
Really colorful canned drinks!
Bamboo benches along the walkways..
We behaved like… tourists. Well, we were!
Wooden houses were on stilts..
Somehow, the flowers in Bintan are brighter & vibrant in colours.. :)
Yet another touristy shot – A bewildered tourist by the way.
Coconut trees were everywhere! Just like a typical village.
After walking through Pasar Oleh Oleh (very small place anyway), we made our way to the nearby wet market & hawker centre. It was there we bought some ingredients to make lunch for the day. It was the cheapest meal during our entire stay! Everything cost only $10! For 7 of us!
But of course, don’t expect the ingredients to be super fresh. In fact, there were many flies in that place and the vegetables were going to be rotten soon. =P Nevertheless, we still found what we needed. :)
After doing the necessary marketing, we went back to the villa and I cooked a simple lunch of peanut chicken soup, fried onion eggs & stir-fried veggies. The rest of the afternoon was spent swimming & basking in the sun again! It was a fun-filled day. =)
To be continued!
