Riau Islands

The Riau Islands are a scatter of islands just south of Singapore. The largest, Bintan, lies a short ferry crossing from Singapore — roughly an hour — which makes it one of the most easily reached island escapes in South-East Asia. Its north coast, around Lagoi, is lined with long sandy beaches and calm, shallow water, with several championship golf courses laid out along it.

Inland, boat trips wind through the mangrove forests of the Sebung River, rich in birdlife, and hawksbill and green turtles come ashore on the beaches to nest. Bintan sits just north of the Equator, so it is warm all year: the wetter north-east monsoon runs roughly from November to March, while the months from about April to October are drier and calmer. The Riau Islands suit families, golfers, couples looking for a short beach break, and anyone adding a few days by the sea to a stay in Singapore.