Spanning 330 hectares of lush tropical land and powder-soft beaches, there is Nirwana Resort Hotel – the sun-kissed paradise for fun seekers; Mayang Sari Beach Resort – a reclusive getaway for the urban-weary; Nirwana Beach Club – a haven for seasports’ lovers; Banyu Biru Villas – homes for cosy reunions; and the magnificent Indra Maya Villas – when ultimate privacy and luxury is a priority.
The resort is a 15 minute bus ride from Bandar Bentan Ferry Terminal.
We stayed in Mayang Sari Resort and the ambience is delightfully soothing, set against a calm and picturesque bay of crystal clear waters and silky sand beach. Interstingly, we were allowed to use the facilities of all the other resorts in the Nirwana Gardens group. they even provide a free shuttle service which takes you around to the different destinations within the 330 hectare compound.
All the rooms in Mayang Sari are named after sea creatures!
We stayed at the sea-turtle ensemble :)
There are a total of 12 restaurants/eateries scattered all over the estate – Makan Makan, Coffeeshop, Poolside, Dino Bistro, Jeju, Rin, Spice, Belle Ile, Nirwana Beach Club, Baan Aarya Thai, Kelong Seafood, and Calypso. we only managed to try 4 and here’s what we ate…
Nirwana Beach Club by night…
The mangroves – great for spotting little sea creatures.
The beach with it’s powdery white sands…
And almost crystal clear waters…
With stinging jellyfish *LOL*
We also tried our hand at kayaking – we did spot a brown jellyfish. Yikes!
If you’re not a big fan of jellyfish, you can always swim at the pool.
Or just sit on the beach and enjoy sunrise or sunset.
Or partake in some activities in the Nirwana Resort Centre…
Nirwana Gardens also has a mini zoo ‘Wildlife Explore’, showcasing many exotic birds and tropical animals. This sanctuary is a home for Cockatoos, White Crocodiles, Soft-shell Turtle, Alligator Fish. There are a number of reptiles rescued from illegal smugglers. Estaurian Crocodile, Iguana, Reticulated Python, Red-Tailed Catfish, just to name a few.
Birds include the Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Cassowary, Sulpher-Crested Cockatoo, Brahminy Kite, Eclectus Parrot. All of which are rescued and will not survive in the wild.
A woodpecker roaming freely…
Pasar Oleh Oleh is located within the resort boundaries and offers an array of Indonesian batik, souvenirs, local delicacies and snacks, hand-drawn art pieces, handicrafts, beach gear & apparel. You can also get designer bags like Gucci and LV at very discounted prices (I can’t guarantee that they are authentic though).
Batik clothing at Pasar Oleh Oleh…
We went on a Romantic River Spa tour (S$75 per pax) which was supposed to include a trip to Mutiara Beach in Trikora, Aroma River Spa Massage, learning how to make a traditional basket, Fisherman’s Lunch, and exploring the Malay kampung nearby. But all we had was a fantastic aromatherapy massage and a Nasi Lemak lunch. We did walk around Mutiara Beach but it was quite a dissapointment and definately not pristine. Also, they skipped the basket making completely.
Aroma River Spa – Bintan’s only floating spa on a mangrove river by the sea.
Look what we spotted sleeping in a mangrove tree!
Black-and-yellow mangrove snake, or gold-ringed cat snake (Boiga dendrophila).
A short trip down through the mangroves via sampan…
Our Fisherman’s Lunch AKA Nasi Lemak…
A female dog named Toby *LOL*
A closer shot of Toby…
And some very playful kittens…
Mutiara Beach in Trikora
Total expenditure per person this trip was: S$525
- Travel & 3D2N accomodation – S$300
- Romantic River Spa Tour - S$75
- Food and Meals - S$100
- Shopping - S$50
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Max, hope you had a good trip to Bintan! Do you have any pictures and experiences to share?
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Many thanks for the information!!! With the reasonable px @ the food court means i need not have cup noodles :)
Oh the BBQ dinner sound a bit steep, but if the variety is not too bad, then no harm.
Cheers,
Max
Hey Max,
Makan Mkan is a food court so you can get food reasonably cheap there… about $3-$4 dollars for noodles. Poolside restaurant came up to about $20 per person for us for lunch…. bbq buffet dinner was about $50 per head.
Hope you have a good trip :)
Cheers,
Joy
Hi Joy,
Am planning a trip to Nirwana Resorts coming weekend. Is food price at Makan Makan & Poolside Restaurant reasonable?
My 1st & previous trip to Angsana was a killer, cost me S$60 per pax for a buffet bbq dinner but i did not find it appetizing at all and limited choice of food, though service was ok as they serve the freshly bbq items to your table.
Cheers,
Max
Hi Victor,
If i remember correctly, I think both are facing the sea and have somewhat similar view. $150 per night per room is about right for the sea-view chalets. Have a good trip and looking forward to reading about your experience!
Cheers,
Joy
Joy,
Thanks a lot for guidance. We are now debating between Octopus and Lobster rooms. They are offering it at $150 per night. Any suggestions.
We will make sure we will send you the links to our travel log after our trip.
Cheers,
Victor and Dana
Hi Victor,
Thanks for dropping by my blog and glad that you enjoy our posts!
We did consider Angsana, but it costs about $100 more par pax just for travel and accomodation. We also went on the weekdays, so Mayang Sari was ideal as it was considerably cheaper and less crowded. And since we just wanted to enjoy the beach and sea, Mayang Sari seemed to be a better choice.
There were some non-meat dishes like pastas and pizzas on the menu – they did have cheese and probably eggs, so it really depends on how strict a vegetarian she is :)
Jellyfish are not in season right now, so you might just see one or two!
Cheers,
Joy
Joy,
Great post. The Wife and I are planning a trip to this resort but read at Lonely Planet that the Angsana is ranked higher. Did you and Scott consider that? If so, why did you decide with Mayang Sari?
Also, my wife is a vegetarian, can she manage with the food in the restaurants?
We both enjoy your blog and keep up the great post.
Hoping to meet the jelly fish,
Victor and Dana