Club Med Bintan Island

Hello everyone,

I am planning to go to Ria Bintan with a friend of mine between the dates of February 1 - 8,2006.
Since it's going to be my first vacation on a CM,I am getting excited and have a few quetions :

1 ) How is he weather like in Bintan ? Will it be boring for us and raining
all day long ?

2) Any places around can you see & visit ?

3) What about this malaria ? Any danger ?

4) Do you think that most of the guests are Asians ?

5) Besides of watersports,which I believe won't be operating,do you think that we can have enough of doing sports ?

6) How about entertainment in the evenings ?

I really appreciate all your help and assistance !

Best Wishes
Ilker

Ilker,

Bintan is a pretty small island and a haven for Golfers.

1 ) How is he weather like in Bintan ? Will it be boring for us and raining
all day long ?
--> I think February should not be too rainy. But even if it rains, there are indoor activites which you can do and CM usually tries to roganise some games or movies to entertain the guests.

2) Any places around can you see & visit ?
--> I don't think there is much to visit on the island. There are a lot of golf courses. Excursions take guests out to Singapore on day trip, but otherwise, there is nothing much to see on the island.

3) What about this malaria ? Any danger ?
--> No danger of malaria. But you want to stock up on insect repellant as the mosquitoes there can be quite aggresive and you get huge welts when bitten. Most doctors recommend taking the malaria shot before coming to Asia anyways.

4) Do you think that most of the guests are Asians ?
--> Difficult to say. It depends on the timing. Weekends are usually quite popular for Singaporeans. Otherwise, i think there is a pretty good mix of European, Australians. AMong the Asians are Koreans (honeymoon couples), Japanese (families & honeymoon couples), Malaysians, Taiwanese.

5) Besides of watersports,which I believe won't be operating,do you think that we can have enough of doing sports ?
Fitness Centre - offering classes in aerobics, pilates, body combat etc..., flying trapeze (must try!!), tennis, archery, petangue, snorkelling, basketball, squash, badminton, beach volleyball, pool games.... Yeah I think you'll find it satisfactory. Unless you are ULTRA active and never stop!

Oh yeah, there is also a beautiful spa - gotta try! And the boutique for shopping on rainy days! Oh and pool tables.

6) How about entertainment in the evenings ?
I am not sure on this as I was told there was a change in the entertainment. Try logging on the www.clubmed.com, that should give an idea of the entertainment.
There used to be a main show in the theatre followed by games or a small show in the discotheque. Somtimes sports events in the pool.

Hope that helps.




All in good time

I would like to know more about Ria Bintan as well..er..Like..other than the trapeze is ther er Bungee bouncing and stuff lidat???How r da rooms like and izzit like cherating???

Dear Simpleplanfreak,

There is no bungee bounce in Ria Bintan.

Oh..then what is there other than the trapeze???Itz fun right???I m thinking of going there...do u have any picz ric???

Dear Simpleplanfreak,

You can visit my website and see some Ria Bintan pictures.

http://riccheng.abnhosting.com

Dear Minouche,

thank you so much for all the detailed informations,I really appreciate it !

Hey..Thanks...Yea..I wanted to ask as well whether or not u have any of Pual's pictures??Or ways to contact him?

The Pictures are magnificent...The place looks great..very very nice..the rooms look exactly the same to the ones in Cherating..Are they the same?Like meaning izzit all spreaded out and looks like chalets???Oh..and the previous mess.I mean Paul

Dear Simpleplanfreak,

Inside the rooms, the funiture and electrical applicancies are similar. But, the outlook of the building in Bintan and Cherating are completely different.

I met Paul in Cherating. I have one photo with Paul in the webpage
http://riccheng.abnhosting.com/cherating/cherating.html

The photo number is 139

Is it the same Paul ?

Yea..itz da same Paul...Oh..the building is different..meaning ita not like made of wood and chalet type huh???OH..Ic...I met Paul in Cherating as well..He stole my cap and like wore it..Oh...So..Paul will b going to Ria Bintan right???Will he still b there during march or so?

U have his e mail???

Dear Simpleplanfreak,

Sorry, I do not have Paul's email address.

The building in Cherating is made of wood.
The building in Ria Bintan is not made of wood.

SO..how exactly does it looke like..itz okay then..hehe..But I reali luved da picz...Will u b going there any time soon?

Dear Simpleplanfreak,

You can find photo number 35 and photo number 55 in the following web page
http://riccheng.abnhosting.com/bintan/bintan.html
These are the building photos.

I do not have any plan to club med yet. I think my next trip will not be club med. I will go to some other countries with my friend in Feb 2006. The plan is not fixed yet.
Thank you for visiting my web page and I am so happy that you like my photos.

Your welcome...well..they were really nice..the building looks nice..hehe...well..I heard tim is going to Aus..is that right???

hi,

do you know if there is an easy internet access in the club ?

You mean you are gonna bring your laptop?!!! Haha, don't do that!!! Just forget about outside world and work. Enjoy your club med life there. Hehee, you won't have time for computers anyway

There is internet available (internet cafe type). You will have to pay for it, which is not cheap. The speed is ok (Low level broadband I believe). I don't think there is any wireless for laptop or any other fast internet connection in rooms.

thank you for all these informations !! it's not for me actually, but i'm trying to reach someone by email, and as i had no answers, i was wondering if he could have an easy/not expensive internet access in the club ....
i never bring my laptop in hollidays, despite my boss' wishes !!! ;)

4 get bout work during hols

Does anyone here noe whether or not Paul had arrived at Ria Bintan yet??

Yes, Polski is in Bintan. Just saw him yesterday. He's come up with a new chair routine that is gonna premere soon in the circus show

Hi Dawne,
Did u just return from Ria Bintan yesterday? Wow! How lucky that u live less than an hour away from a CM village!!!
How r things there? Last I heard, some of the rooms were quite run down. Planning to go but still deciding between villages.