Only For Grown-Ups!

Expat Living heads to a private island escape in the nearby Riau Archipelago of Indonesia.

- Rebecca Bisset

After the success of Nikoi Island, a resort off the east coast of Bintan, the team there decided to make an adult-only version about 20 or so kilometres further south – and Cempedak is a grownup island in many ways. From the design to the self-sustainability practices, they’ve used the years of experience at Nikoi to make this one even better, in my opinion. I took my sales team for a couple of nights away and it was wonderful; they’ve added their views to this review too.

It always surprises me how – especially when it’s not the rainy season – the sea off Bintan can be so clear and blue. And how in under three hours from leaving home you can be feeling completely relaxed, sipping your cocktail on a tropical island and looking out at that clear, blue sea. There are no flights, and if you book Emerald Class on the ferry across from Singapore for an extra $20 like we did (I will never again go “normal” class!), there are no queues at either end – plus, you get to sit upstairs and watch Tom & Jerry.

But back to the resort: everywhere you look there are beautiful textures, shapes and materials, as well as views of jungle, beach or sea. The bar at the dining area has a cool wall of blue battered copper, while the majority of the structures – including the attap – are bamboo in different forms and shades.