Club Med Bintan Island

Hey! Im off to Bintan on April 4th... is anyone from the forum going to be there?

Madi x

Madi

Hey Madi

Have fun in Bintan!

I just got back from Bintan yesterday, and as usual it was a blast. Met Mitr and Ric there as well. A sort of informal clubmedplanet meet n greet. Photos should be up soon!

Yrs truly
Maukitten

hey madi
i wont be going to bintan nomore...since most the guys wont be there nomore by easter...but have fun yeah!

Hi Madi,

Hope you don't mind me using this forum for a trip review.

Well, I was in Bintan from 26-29 March with Mitr. Ric and his friend Frank came along on the 27th. We missed Ric's arrival ... but recognised him straight away when we saw him at the trapeze later!

Lessee ... what's new? The weather is much better than it was in January. Watersports are back in operation so I had fun falling off the windsurf board and going sailing (just taxi rides - I just wanted to sit there like a lazy cow, and refused offers to let me steer.) The ferry crossings were also tamer, though I popped a couple of dramamine for the return trip because I was told that the sea was rough. And promptly knocked myself out - so sleepy!!

Ric was in the flying trapeze show, and Mitr was in the pareo show. But I won't steal their thunder by writing about these events!

Oh, I tried Taz's fitness classes for the 1st time - OMG! Tough is an understatement! Also spent quite a bit of time at golf - there are a couple of new GOs there - Cory (USA) and Don (Korea).

GOs were v nice as usual. The only thing which I was a bit disappointed about was that they did too few crazy signs!! After the show, they did "Hands Up" and there was the usual one dance at sundance. Apart from that, zilch. They seem to have eliminated dance floor before the show, and there was only one night that they had some crazy signs in the disco. So a bit disappointing in that sense!

But all in all, a great time!

Yrs truly
Maukitten

Dear friends,

I just come back home yesterday night.

This was a wonderful holiday. Except that I was ill on 31 Mar 2004 and 01 Apr 2004. I had headache and stomach-ache. On 31 Mar 04, I went Body Pump on 31 Mar 2004, but I could not follow Taz, so I did not join Pool Game and Sun Dance before lunch. I just had a rest in my room before I played Flying Trapeze. I could not do the trapeze, my hands were hurt, left some blood in the bar, Paulio wash my wounds. I am very sorry about that because the circus GOs were always busy and I gave them extra work. On 01 Apr 2004, I just did something simple. I went Power Walk in the morning and joined Badminton Tournament in the afternoon (I won by luck). Then I went to the circus area and watched, just watched.

When my photos are ready, I will inform you.

Dear Maukitten,
Thanks for your photo.

Hi Ric

Welcome back! I'm sorry to hear that you were ill. Hope you are feeling better now. Did Frank enjoy his holiday too?

Congrats on winning the badminton tournament!

Hey, when you were sick, you couldn't keep up with Taz at Body Pump? Well, when I was feeling fine, I couldn't keep up with him!! He's a real iron man! ("No pain, no gain")

Looking forward to seeing your photos!!

Yrs truly
Maukitten

Dear Maukitten,

Thank you very much. Frank also enjoy the holiday.
The photos will be ready very soon.

I am torn between Ria Bintan and Cherating. I should be leaving at the end of next week. What is the CDV like in Bintan? Has anyone been to both recently? Maukitten, if I am not mistaken, I think you have. What do you think?

Hi Eklectik

Sorry, haven't been back to Cherating since the renos.

Bintan - yes I enjoyed myself v much. And Hammer is a great CDV who's introduced a lot of fun events in the village. However, the nightlife in the disco isn't wonderfully great. A significant number of GOs congregate around the pool table, and don't mix around that much. And also, I was there before the change of season, so I'm not completely sure who's left and who's still there.

Cherating - a friend of mine went recently. Not terribly impressed with the renovations - no more Pantai! But the pool is very nice. Quite a number of GOs are in their first season (good thing - fresh faces and not jaded yet; bad thing - you probably know more about CM than they do!)

Her words of advice to everyone - don't pay for the deluxe rooms. You're supposed to get a tv, but all she got was a tv cabinet! :-)

On the balance, I think I'd still go to Cherating. BTW, have you checked on availability? End of next week is the start of school holidays in both Msia and Singapore. I'd asked about Cherating, and was told that it was full during weekends!

Do let me know which one you choose in the end.

Yrs truly
Maukitten

i'd say go to cherating just for the sake of the renos...i heard they did the place up really well and if u've been to cherating pre-reno u could see how much the place has changed. i havent been back in 2 years so i have no idea how it looks like, although i reckon i'd like the old cherating better...but thats just me :)

When I contacted my travel agent a week ago, she told me that there was room at CM Cherating. Maybe it has filled up since then. I will have to find out.

I actually might try to go at the end of June rather than in a week’s time. I have a report to finish and it is far from being done. It also gives me more time to decide which CM to go to. Is July also high season at Cherating?

Two of my favourite things at CM are the GOs and the nightlife – what did your friend think of Cherating from those aspects? Where the new GOs friendly?

Cherating does sound better than Bintan at this point.

Thanks for all your advice!
Eklectik

Hi Friends out there...

I've never been on a club med holiday before, my close friend strongly recommended Club Med at Ria Bintan.

I will be going off to Bintan with my two boys (aged 8 & 4). Anything interesting events awaiting for us? Please advise.

Thanks.

Janice Lim

Hey Janice,

Your boys will absoulutely love it at CM Bintan... there's never a dull moment.

Both of them will be able to join the Kids or Mini Club which will take care of them all day. The club organizes events for the children such as beach games, trapeze etc etc. From the moment you place them in the care of the GOs at the Kids club, you will not have to worry about them.

Hence you can spend the entire day with your husband without having the kids around. There are a lot of activities for the adults to do such as Scuba Diving, snorkelling, learning to fly on the trapeze or just taking part in the games organized by the GOs.

Hope this helps! Take Care... Ciao.

Who Needs Wings to Fly?

Good day eternal_kisses,

Thanks for your reply. My boys are getting very excited about going on holiday to CM, especially my eight year old boy.

See Ya....


Janice Lim