Club Med Bintan offers an all-inclusive experience for families looking for lots of fun! It is just an hour away too!
*Updated (6 July 2022): Added new information and pictures
Venue: Club Med Bintan
Fees: Varies, do check Club Med for the latest offerings.
Located just an hour away by ferry, Bintan is a popular destination for families looking for a short-getaway. Families will usually choose to stay in one of the many resorts on the island, and one of these options is the all-inclusive experience at Club Med Bintan.
Original article was written in 2019 with the invitation by Club Med Bintan. The article is updated in 2022 with new information and pictures contributed from Mummy Valerie.
Club Med Bintan
A former pirate refuge, Club Med Bintan Island welcomes families in a haven of luxurious tranquillity, with beautiful white sand beaches and magnificent tropical parks.
The Family Friendly Activities
Let's take a look at what families can look forward to when visiting this award winning resort. family and kids friendly activities happening at Club Med Bintan,
Getting To Club Med Bintan
Families can get to Bintan via Bintan Resorts Ferries that plies a regular ferry service between Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, Singapore and Bandar Bentan Telani (BBT) Ferry Terminal, Bintan.
During our visit in 2019, our tickets cost $236 for 2 adults and 2 kids, and in 2022, the tickets are priced at $356. You may check Bintan Resorts Ferries for the latest pricing.
*Take note that the time at Bintan is an hour behind Singapore, so you will be arriving at the same time as you depart.
At the BBT Ferry Terminal, you will spot the Club Med counter located nearest to the exit. Here, you will check in and receive a key tag (to be used at the resort for any spending). You will board the resort bus and start your 15 - 20 min ride to the resort.
Check-in & Check-Out Times
Plan your ferry times with the check-in and out times below.
Check-in Time: 3 pm
Check-out Time: 11 am (late check-out is available at additional cost, subject to availability)
All-Inclusive Stay
One of the key highlights of staying at Club Med is that it is all-inclusive. You will enjoy full meals, an open bar and most activities as part of your stay. Meals are served (almost) throughout the day and we had a wide variety of food over the 4 days that we stayed.
Kids below 4 years old will stay for free, and there are special rates for kids between 4 to 17 years old.
Restaurants
You will find 2 restaurants at Club Med Bintan, The Waterfall and The Terrasse.
The Waterfall serves a buffet at regular hours, and in our opinion more appropriate for families as there are more kids-friendly food, think pizza, pasta, cold noodle, fruits, and it is generally noisier and lively (making it more forgiving for screaming little ones).
On occasions and when the weather permits, the buffet is moved to the beach or poolside for a BBQ lunch or dinner. You can even enjoy a performance on the pool while having dinner! Simply open a bottle of premium wine (chargeable) to reserve a front role table too!
The Terrasse serves course meals and is available for late breakfast, late lunch and late dinner. Due to it's limited space, you will need to reserve for dinners. It's a great chance to enjoy a romantic dinner for two while the kids are at the Junior, Mini or Petite club!
You will also find a number of bars around the resort for you and the little ones to enjoy a drink too!
The Kids Club - Junior, Mini and Petite Club Med
For parents looking for a relaxing time on the beach or to re-ignite the sparks of passion, you will be glad to know that Club Med provides Kids Clubs for toddlers, kids and teenagers!
Petite Club Med (for 2 - 3 yrs old), this is a chargeable service and it's available at SGD $98 per day. We did not engage the services but we saw the toddlers around with 2 GOs (guest officers) to 5 kid (this is not the official ratio but what we observed).
Mini Club Med (for 4 - 7 yrs and 8 -10 yrs old), included as part of the package, kids will be grouped according to age and given the opportunity to experience various activities, such as the flying trapeze, archery, various land and water sports, and workshops under the watchful eyes of the GOs.
Note: kids above 8 yrs old have the option of self sign-out. So you can allow them to leave and enter the club at will.
Junior Club Med (for 11 - 17 yrs old), also included as part of the package, the teenagers will be brought around by a GO to the various activities around the resort. A great chance for your teen to meet new friends and have fun.
Our Mini Club and Amazing Family Experience
*The following is our experience in 2019. While most of the experience remains the same, activities are subject to changes.
The Mini Club Med is flexible in that you can actually register the kids at anytime during the program. If you spot the GOs and kids walking around, you can just head over to the activity and have your kids join the activity (similarly, if you like to sign them out too).
However for a full day experience, you will need to register in the morning (it starts at 8.30 am) at Level 4, and the activities will start from 9 am.
Registration (8.30 am)
You will need to sign a waiver and also indicate your preferences. Will the kids have lunch with the group or with you? Will you allow the kids to sign-out by themselves (an option for those above 8 yrs old)? Does he have any allergies? Can he swim?
Circus School @ Trapeze Garden (9 am)
One of the highlights is the Flying Trapeze. Climb up the tall ladder, stand on the top of the structure, hold onto the bar and GOOOoooo! It is indeed quite a scary experience for the kids but most kids are brave enough to give it a try! If parents like to go onto the Flying Trapeze, family time at the Trapeze is at 10 am.
For those who are too young or do not wish to go on the Trapeze, they will play other ball games around the garden.
Archery @ Sports Center (10 am)
Those aged 6 and above will have the opportunity to try out Archery where the instructor will teach you the basics of how to hold the bow, place the arrow, draw, aim and shoot!
While the older ones are shooting arrows, the younger ones are shooting hoops and other other ball games at the Sports Center. Families may also try their hands at Archery at 11 am.
Break / Free Play / Lunch (11 am - 2 pm)
The Mini Club heads back to the room to take a break and to play with their new-found friends before heading out to The Waterfall for lunch at 12 pm. The kids will be seated around the table with a GO each to watch over them and to assist if they need something too!
If you have a young one that joined the Petite Club Med, the GOs will also help to feed your child too - you can enjoy your lunch in peace!
When back at the Mini-Club the kids can choose to either watch a Cartoon or take part in an Art & Craft activity. Or to play with their friends again!
Tip: Listen out for the army-like singing as the troop of kids from the Mini Club move from place to place. Its your chance to spot your kids in a "no-parent" environment
Aqua Fun @ Mini Club Pool (2 pm)
Remember to pack a set of swimming attire, equipment and towel because the kids will head to the pool! In case you were waiting by the resort's pool, do note that the kids will be playing at their own private pool at the Mini Club!
Snack and Free Play (3 pm - 4 pm)
This is basically to allow the GOs to prepare the Mini Club Special Afternoon event which starts at 4 pm.
Mini Club Special Afternoon Event (4 pm)
The event changes everyday. The day we arrived, we saw the kids doing a dancing / game competition at the Disco room. On our 1st full day, the kids got to bake their own cookie, and on the 2nd day, they had an outdoor picnic with foam party!
Parents were invited to join in the foam party too! and after that the Amazing Family's Slip & Slide opened for everyone to just get wet and have fun!
Sign-out and Pick-up (5 pm)
Probably the saddest part of the experience - pick your kids at 5 pm and we assure you that they won't want to leave! After this, it is time to head for dinner or take part in the Amazing Family programme planned. Different activities are planned for each day.
Mini Club Special Evening Event (6.30 pm)
It was a very interesting Show and Tell event where the kids got on stage to perform! They could choose to sing, dance, do aerobics, tell a joke or even just skip! And every kid was so brave and amazing - an adult would have had stage fright with a proper audience of 50 - 100 watching from down the stage!
And after this, it's time to catch the resort's main performance and return the next day for another Mini Club experience again!
The Beach in the Evening!
In the evenings, you may wish to gather the kids and have fun at the beach! The soft sand and shallow water is perfect for them to play in! You can even enjoy a drink at the bar beside the beach, while keeping an eye on the kids as they play!
Additional Information
- The all-inclusive will include all meals, drinks and most alcoholic drinks, the only exception are the premium spirits and wines.
- Beware of monkeys - they are around and if you see them, just avoid them.
- Conditions of the rooms can be improved - in the 2022 visit, it is noted that the rooms' conditions are disappointing as they are quite run down. Something to take note and to set expectations on.
- Kids club for kids below 4 yrs old is chargeable - do take note of this and don't get a shock when you arrive.
Have more questions? Or had a different experience? Let us know in the Community Forum! If you like to share your family fun experience, do write to us too!
