258. INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOGA 2026 ON BINTAN

 

The Indonesian islands of Batam and Bintan are short ferry rides away. The ferries are fast and comfortable making the islands popular with Singaporeans looking for weekend escapes. 

I'm on Bintan to observe this year's International Day of Yoga. An excuse for me to check out a corner of this huge island.

Staff put on this dance to welcome us...

Nice venue at the Sheraton with a large pool and good restos to stuff oneself silly...

Entertainment to boot...I love how the performers are also staff of the hotel working in the restos or other departments...

 A refrigerated box one climbs into for a ice bath. Didn't see anyone trying it!

The hotel's staff are tops with their customer service. They laid out the mats in the early morning where we gathered to wake up our sluggish systems before breaky. The staff took us through our paces with pilates and zumba. The same staff was seen at the Reception counter the rest of the day, another was the cashier in the coffeehouse...

Took a sidetrip to Tanjung Pinang, the capital city of this province known as the Riau Islands. This huge region with its several islands forms the Riau Archipelago...

There's a large ethnic Chinese community living in the main town of Tanjung Pinang. They run businesses trading in dried seafood and eateries. The Chinese here are traditional, I see talismans, feng shui installations and altars of buddha and kuan yin figurines. They would be into ancestral worship. It feels like my childhood home...

The 'real Bintan' - island life, local culture and lifestyle, stilt homes and fishing villages, mangrove forests, topped off with a sudden heavy tropical downpour...

Timing was perfect - it poured during lunch break at this wooden structure built out into the water amidst a mangrove forest. The fish came from its 'private collection' under the floor boards - they don't have them in tanks...

After that torrential downpour the air was charged with fresh energy, it smelt clean, green, earthy. Through the rain curtain, the surroundings appear almost ethereal, dreamlike. Beautiful - peace and calm descends, if one is sensitive enough to sense the new energy all around, one feels the same peace and calm taking over the body and mind as one communes with the Elements all around...

This old shrine is overgrown with the roots of a banyan tree which act almost like its support system as the original parts are really old and may be in danger of a collapse. I offered thanks that I'm there...

Nobody does spice layer cake like the Indonesians, with just a hint of cinnamon and clove. The purists will include nutmeg, cardamom, mace and star anise...

I shall discover more on 3 upcoming trips to less travelled to Indonesian towns...

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some pics came from fellow 'yoginis'