Getting Around Bintan: Transport Options & Tips
How to get around Bintan: compare private drivers, resort transfers, taxis and rentals, with ferry-terminal tips and mistakes to avoid.
On this page
Last updated November 2026. Getting around Bintan depends on where you sleep and how often you plan to leave the resort. Most visitors lean on pre-arranged transfers, a private car with driver, or taxis where the hotel confirms they run. Settle that choice before the ferry, not after you land.
Featured image: Syahpril, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Quick answer: how most people get around Bintan
Bintan is spread out and resort-centered, so distances between sights are longer than they look on a map. Most visitors book a hotel transfer from the ferry terminal, then hire a driver for any day away from the resort. Inside a resort, shuttles and short walks cover meals, pools and beaches.
- Choose a private driver if you want Senggarang, the mangroves or 500 Lohan Temple in one day.
- Choose resort shuttles and transfers if you plan to stay inside the resort belt.
- Choose a guided tour if you want a fixed route with no navigation or haggling.
Getting around Bintan: your options compared
Five modes cover nearly every trip. Availability and rates change, so confirm each one with your hotel before you rely on it. Cells marked "confirm locally" are not verified in our sources.
| Mode | Best for | Trade-offs | Booking notes | Cost basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private car with driver | Multi-stop sightseeing days | Price depends on hours and distance | Book through your hotel or a licensed provider; save the driver's contact | Per day or per trip; agree inclusions in advance |
| Resort transfer or shuttle | Ferry terminal to hotel; moves within the resort area | Fixed schedules and limited routes | Reserve ahead, especially on weekends | Per person or per vehicle; confirm locally |
| Taxi or ride-hailing | Short one-off hops | App coverage on the island is unverified; return rides may be hard to find | Ask your hotel whether taxis or apps operate near you | Confirm locally |
| Rental car or motorbike | Confident drivers who want flexibility | Licence, insurance and road-safety rules need checking; caution advised | Confirm locally before you commit | Per day plus fuel; confirm locally |
| Tours and day trips | First-timers and groups | Set itinerary and set pick-up times | Book through your hotel or a tour desk | Per person; compare what the fee includes |
From the ferry terminal to your hotel
Ferries run from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore. Operators named in our sources are Bintan Resort Ferries, Sindo Ferry and Majestic Fast Ferry. Crossings take around 70 minutes to just under two hours, depending on operator and destination terminal. Check each operator's own timetable for the exact figure. Many resort guests arrive at Bandar Bentan Telani and take a hotel transfer from there. Our Bintan ferry guide covers terminals and booking. Ask your resort to confirm its transfer times through Bintan Resorts' official site or by email. Pick the terminal that matches your hotel, because a wrong choice adds road time on arrival.
Tanjung Pinang sits roughly 1 hour each way across the island, so the terminal you book decides how far your first ride runs.
- Match your ferry terminal to your hotel area before you book tickets.
- Book the hotel transfer for the same arrival time as the ferry.
- Confirm the return transfer time before leaving the resort.
Which area you stay in decides how you move
Resorts in the north cluster around Lagoi, where on-site pools, golf, dining and activities reduce the need for a vehicle. Tanjung Pinang lies on a different side of the island, and our notes put the road gap at roughly 1 hour each way. Treat that as an estimate and confirm the drive time with your hotel. Beach days at Bintan's beaches or an afternoon at a Bintan Spa: Where to Go by Budget, Location and Style need little more than a short shuttle. Dinner options in the best Bintan restaurants guide may need a ride, so plan the return before you go.
- Skip a car if you are staying 1 or 2 nights and mostly using the resort.
- Hire a driver all day if you want Senggarang, the mangroves and 500 Lohan Temple in one trip.
- Split a driver with a group to reduce the per-person cost.
- Avoid self-driving unless you are comfortable with local roads, licensing and insurance.
Sample day plans by transport style
Each plan below uses only sights named in our sources. Treat every time and distance as "verify" with your driver or hotel. For more stops, see 10 Best Things to Do in Bintan: Beaches, Day Trips & Planning. For boat-based days, see Bintan Island Hopping: Boat Trips, Costs & Planning.
- Resort-only stay: shuttle to Nirwana Gardens for the obstacle courses, then a spa or pool afternoon. Return by shuttle and skip the long drive. Verify shuttle hours.
- One-day driver hire: Senggarang Village and its Banyan Tree Temple, whose tree is described as 200 years old. Add a mangrove tour and 500 Lohan Temple. Agree a finish time that leaves daylight margin. Verify distances.
- Tour-based day: a booked mangrove or village tour with hotel pick-up, then Pujasera street food in the evening. Confirm the pick-up time and the ride back.
Costs and how to avoid overpaying
Our sources give no confirmed local rates for drivers or taxis, so ask your hotel for the going rate and compare it with a second quote. Agree the price before you set off, along with what it covers.
- Ask whether the price includes waiting time, fuel and the return trip.
- Carry small cash notes for tips and short rides.
- Compare a full-day driver against one-way transfers for each leg you need.
- Check whether Bintan is worth visiting on your budget before you add paid day trips.
Timing and planning around crowds
Weekends and Singapore public holidays tend to be busy, so reserve transfers and drivers early on those dates. March to October is described as the warmer, drier stretch, and November starts the rainy season. Temperatures run roughly 20 to 32 degrees Celsius, per one competitor. Check forecasts with Indonesia's meteorological agency before fixing outdoor days. Our Best Time to Visit Bintan: Dry vs Wet Season Guide guide covers the seasons in more detail. A rain-season trip works better with flexible driver hours than with fixed tour slots. Evening trips such as the Bintan Night Market Guide: Where to Go and What to Know also need a confirmed ride back.
Common mistakes to avoid
Most transport problems come from skipped planning, not from the island itself. Daylight and rain limit sightseeing, so do not save every outing for the last day.
Leaving far sights for the last day risks rain, since November starts the rainy season while temperatures run 20 to 32 degrees Celsius.
- Assuming you can walk from the resort to the sights.
- Booking no return transfer to the ferry terminal.
- Choosing the wrong ferry terminal for your hotel.
- Relying on a ride-hailing app without checking that it operates on the island.
- Leaving the far sights for the final day without checking daylight or the weather.
Pre-trip transport checklist
Run through this list a few days before departure. Three to five days is the stay length one competitor calls comfortable, so repeat the check if your plans change.
- Hotel transfer booked for arrival.
- Return transfer and ferry time confirmed.
- Cash on hand for drivers and small purchases.
- Driver's contact number saved.
- Offline map downloaded.
Notes for your Indonesia trip
Optional updates when we add or change a town or island guide.
You might also like
Continue reading
More guides you'll find useful
