Glamping, or glamorous camping, takes your vacation to a whole new level with a twist.  It’s the same idea of being close to nature just like when you go for camping and yet still get pampered as if you are staying at a fancy hotel.

My close friends surprised us with a generous wedding gift, which was a two-night stay at Natra Bintan , booked on my birthday.  It was my first glamping experience –we had so much fun that I wanted to come back with family and friends next time.

I love the close proximity of Marriott’s Natra Bintan (note that this used to be called The Canopi) to Singapore — it saves you the hassle of taking a flight, in fact, it’s just one-hour ferry ride from the Little Red Dot.

How to Get to Natra Bintan from Singapore:

Take a ferry from Tanah Merah port going to Bandar Bentan Telani (be sure to choose this port carefully as some resorts are for Tanjung Pinang instead).  If you are travelling on a weekend, it’s best to book early in order to get a cheaper rate (I’ve booked via Direct Ferries but realized later on that price seems to be cheaper via Bintan Resort Ferries.  Natra Bintan has a free shuttle that goes from BBT to the resort and back (I have requested a pick-up via Natra’s Instagram account).

My favorite part of the tent would be the open-air bathroom which gives a mix of the lush outdoor yet lavish concept with the presence of brass shower and faucets plus the abundance of flora.

We were supposed to stay at the Garden Tent but was eventually upgraded to Lagoon View Tent, a 40-square meter room which is right in front of Blue Crystal Lagoon.  The luxurious interior of the tent is Safari-themed that you’d want to hibernate in its grandeur (this is Marriott, afterall, so expect it to be really classy).  If you are in the mood for barbecue, you may order food from Natra and they will set up the BBQ pit for you.  

Activities around Marriott’s Natra Bintan

As Natra Bintan just sits beside Crystal Lagoon, the activities here are countless for the sunbathers to the adrenaline junkie that, in fact, we didn’t leave the area for three days!  At Treasure Bay, you can enjoy wake boarding, ATV Road Trail, Mangrove night tour, riding bumper boat, choo choo train or wheeler transport (Jon and I’s favorites were the Slip n Slide and kayaking).

 

The Patio

Natra Bintan is the perfect venue for birthdays, anniversaries and important celebrations and their in-house restaurant, The Patio, will definitely satisfy your gastronomic desires. I ordered the grilled Local Tiger Prawn (it was fresh and very tasty) while Jon had Ayam Geprek (breaded fried chicken with beancurd, fried eggplant and fresh green salad).

The staff surprised me with a birthday cake and I love how warm and accommodating they were to us. The Patio offers a great ambiance, be it indoor or outside overlooking the lagoon. We also had a delicious Indonesian breakfast here the following day.

So far, I’ve only been to Bintan twice, and while there are a lot of resorts to choose from, I feel some of them are quite overpriced. I like Natra Bintan so much that I’m still going to choose this glamping resort over trying something new when I’m back in this island. If you’re living in Singapore (or even just visiting and looking for a side trip nearby) and yearning for a quick escape, Natra Bintan is definitely an ideal getaway.