The Indonesian island has far more than just resorts and golf courses.

For many visitors to Bintan, the island is a Disneyland-type colony of resorts with swimming pools, buffets, entertainment and hordes of weekend trippers. But the reality is, most of Bintan is really quite rural. So it’s worth stepping outside the resort colony to visit the “real” Indonesia.

Visit the Villages

The small villages that dot Bintan are typical of rural Indonesia. Simple huts built with brick or wood house families that earn their living fishing or farming. You can go on tours or hire a car and just drive around. A guided Kampong Tour will take you to a weaving workshop, rubber plantation and blacksmith—set up for tourists but still pretty authentic. Try BFG Tour Services (251-620-072, bogorfreeguide.tripod.com).

Climb Gunung Bintan

While tourism and industrial development have claimed most of Bintan’s rainforest, a small area remains on the island’s highest point (340 meters) called Gunung Bintan. The four-hour climb is steep and in parts you even have to pull yourself up on fixed ropes—kind of tricky but everyone should be able to handle it just fine. Don’t forget to look around while you hike, as there are eagles and monkeys along the way. There is a waterfall at the end. The trail is not marked, so go with a guide. Organized treks include food, and there is also local fruit to buy from the villages at the start and end of the trek. For tours, contact Indonesian Ecotourism Center (21-9827-2744,
www.indecon.or.id).

Visit a Royal Mosque

Pulau Penyengat, an island so small you can circumnavigate it on foot, was a major Muslim town in the 18th to 19th centuries. Pulau is just 15 minutes by fishing boat off Bintan’s main town of Tanjung Pinang. The large yellow and green Royal Mosque was a beacon in its day and remains one of the most visible landmarks. Visit at prayer time (Fridays at noon) to witness a colorful procession.

Go Scuba Diving

Bintan doesn’t often spring to mind when one thinks of a good dive, but there are some good spots here. Sandy Bay, for one, is an easy 10-meter-deep dive. As its name suggests, the site has a flat sandy bottom, and its marine life includes lionfish, grouper and huge clams. More advanced divers can head to Mapor Island off the northeast of Bintan, where depths go up to 30 meters and visibility can reach 20 meters on a good day.

Drive a Jungle Buggy

If you’ve ever harbored fantasies of bashing through the bush like Indiana Jones, this might be a chance for you to come close. Dirt bikes, quad bikes and two-seater dune buggies are available for hire here (ask your hotel) and there is plenty of jungle to venture into. The trail takes you through the jungle and onto the beach, and at one point hits a steep four-meter drop—step really hard on that brake!

Cycle Through the Hills

Bintan’s countryside has gentle hills and off-road trails that are great for biking. The roads near the resort colony are in good shape—just watch out for the traffic. Signage is poor though, and maps are amateurish so you need to have a good sense of direction. If you are planning to stick to the main roads you are probably fine on your own, but if you want to go off-road into the jungle and plantations, we strongly advise you hire a guide.

Sail Through a Mangrove

When you disembark at Bintan Ferry Terminal, one of the first things you notice is the mangrove lining the coast. Mangrove tours take you up the Sebung River and its tributaries, which get narrower and narrower, with vegetation eventually hanging low overhead and brushing the side of your boat. You can spot monkeys and lizards by day, while at night it’s quite a romantic sail with fireflies everywhere. Day tours take about an hour and a half, and night tours an hour. For tours, check out travel agent Coopemangle’s website, www.villasgaia.com.

Sundowners

It does exist on Bintan—well, a little. Bintan Lagoon opened the island’s first nightclub, Silk, which serves some pretty good cocktails along with live bands and DJs. Besides Silk, each resort has its own bars and lounges if you just want a quick nightcap. Nirwana Resort (Jalan Indera Segara, Bintan Utara, Lagoi, 770-691-388) has a bar at the end of a kelong overlooking the sea. To get there you have to teeter your way along a skinny jetty, which might feel just that much smaller and flimsier after a few drinks.