NIKOI ISLAND Beach Accommodation
Niloi island is a new white
sand beach island near
Singapore that will remind you of the Maldives islands paradise, but is
so much easier to get to. The best way to describe Nikoi Island is
Five Star meets Robinson Crusoe. Nikoi island is an eco-friendly resort with the last
of 15 beachfront cottages on the small tropical island completed in
late 2009.
The architecture and feeling of freedom is superb. Picture
this...you arrive by speedboat onto a beautiful white sandy beach, where
check-in is at the thatched beach bar. Next to the bar with
panoramic blue ocean views are the two dining rooms with white sand
floors, distinctly "no news, no shoes"
for the beachcomber in you who also wants five star comfort.
It will take you half an hour to wander around this beautiful island,
and only five minutes to walk through a rainforest to the two swimming
pools with elevated views and another thatched bar near your beachfront
accommodation.
And what accommodation it is! The Australian owners
recruited an American
named Peter to partner them after he developed and then left another
nearby Indonesian island. Peter's development of Nikoi is remarkable,
enhancing Nikoi's natural palm-fringed beauty with eco-friendly design.
Australian owner Andrew is a frequent visitor and his marketing
expertise complements Nikoi's appeal.
Your accommodation near the white coral sand beach is a perfect, natural
experience; open-air two storey thatched cottages that are superb in
design, from the gorgeous Queen size beds hanging from chains to the
designer driftwood timber. Everything inside is beautiful local
timber, past which you gaze blissfully over your stretch of white sandy
beach only metres in front of you.
Below your elevated balcony is the white sand ground floor where you can
rock from your hanging sofa or relax on your thatched daybed as you
contemplate ordering a beachfront massage. You understand instantly why
Nikoi's motto is "Relaxed by nature."
These elegant cottages are so open plan that there are no windows, doors
or locks. Even if you're a little nervous at first, you quickly get back
to nature and become one with the island spirit of honesty and freedom.
There are room safes if required, but the wonderful feeling of waking up
in daylight, cocooned only by mosquito netting on this island paradise,
is a real revelation.
That may sound unprotected, but that's the whole point. Here, you're
getting back to nature to enjoy the purest of holidays, and the gentle
Indonesian staff become like family members. When you sleep surrounded
by nature, cooling breezes and a fan above you make artificial air
conditioning obviously unnecessary. Even the elevated al fresco
bathroom is all natural, from the solar-powered waterfall shower to the
timber toilet roll holder hanging from the ceiling, next to the "loo
with a view" of the ocean outside.
The weather on Nikoi island is usually perfect. It's only 1 degree
from the Equator and boasts a "blue sky zone" that allows you to watch
storm clouds in the distance over Singapore as you bask in sunshine.
Occasionally, the putt-putting of early-morning fishing boats from the
village on
Bintan Island across the water may wake you, but this also is a pleasurable experience if you lift your head slightly to see the silhouette on the ocean, often by the light of the moon.
If you're lucky, you'll catch sight of a turtle coming ashore in
front of your cottage to scoop out a nest and lay her young. This really
is the complete natural experience.
Accommodation with swimming pool near Singapore
The one bedroom beachfront cottages cost Singapore $330 a night, the 2 bedroom huts $550 and the 3 bedroom huts $770 a night. Three meals a day cost an extra $80 per person or $40 for children. Enjoying the meals on Nikoi is one of life's experiences. You sit at one of the long beautifully lacquered timber tables that seat 20, with your feet in the sand and eyes on the beach. The gentle local staff quietly advise the fresh menu items on offer and are happy to accept requests for something else. Fitra and Su are two of the outstanding Indonesian
staff here.
DINING ON NIKOI ISLAND
Lunch and dinner is usually freshly caught seafood, mainland beef or
vegetarian options including tasty rice and pasta. Drink prices
here are less than Singapore and local identity Yogi is happy to mix you
just about any fresh-fruit cocktail imaginable, including his special
Yogi-colada.
Many guests on Nikoi are Australian or British ex-pats living in
Singapore who've discovered this stunning secret before the rest of the
world.
Weekends are almost always booked because of Nikoi island is near Singapore,
so go to the Nikoi Island website at
www.nikoi.com and check availability in advance.
WHAT TO DO ON NIKOI ISLAND
There's a big white sand bar that forms in front of the beach bar
from July for many months where visitors love to dip into the
crystal-clear water.
Coral reefs just off shore allow for easy snorkeling, or you can kayak
or windsurf.
Resort boats will take you to deserted nearby islands for daytrips or
fishing trips, or you can wander through the rainforest to the pool with
views to Ipod rock (yes, it looks like an ipod in the ocean). And
yes, there are also Ipod docks in the rooms for all your favourite
music.
Similar to some Maldives resorts, open-air movies are played at night on
the big screen as you sit in a deck chair with your toes in beach sand.
If you want to keep fit, the walk around the island at low tide will
take you half an hour, or you can walk through the jungle and pull
yourself up and down the occasional thick rope through lush palms in the
middle of the island.
HOW TO GET TO NIKOI ISLAND
Take the ferry from Singapore's Tanah Merah ferry terminal
near
Changi Airport. The ferry terminal is only a 15 minute taxi ride
from Singapore City, costing just 10 Singapore dollars. From Singapore,
it's a 55 minute trip to Bintan Island, which is Indonesian territory
and requireds US$10 for a quick visa on arrival. Nikoi Island
guests are treated as VIPs and given a separate lounge and swift customs
clearance on arrival at Bintan. Then it's a one hour chauffeur
drive to the other side of Bintan for your 15 minute speedboat trip to
Nikoi Island.
In summary, Nikoi Island is a new destination that is one of the world's
most natural yet luxurious beach experiences. It's easy to see why it's ranked
#1 among international travellers ahead of all other Bintan resorts
including the Banyan Tree.
Go to Nikoi Island Resort for an unforgettable holiday experience - the
perfect combination of a pretty, palm-fringed island with enough modern
comforts to keep you happy.
Nikoi Island is certainly a new and worthy inclusion as one of the
world's best beach holidays.
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