Jez O’Hare and his trike, at home in Bandung.

You’ve probably seen his photographs in magazines, perhaps in a coffee-table book on the Wallace Line or the Indonesian archipelago, maybe even in an advertisement for a high-definition television. They are those rare images that capture the essence of a place, showing us an aspect that is unique and rare; images that require not only passion, drive, planning, and courage, but also a piece of equipment that creates its own centrifugal force, called a gyro stabilizer, and a micro light aircraft. Jez O’Hare’s images from above inspire travel, exploration and poetry, offering us an escape into a world that we can’t quite make tangible and triggering a mind, heart and soul reaction of awe at the beauty of Indonesia.

Flying towards Bromo, East Java.

Driving through Bandung to meet Jez, it’s not hard to see why so many artists, architects and intellectuals have made this city their hub in Java. Dotted with ancient evergreens around winding roads wrapping up and down hills, I went past Indonesia’s most esteemed Universities and made my way through a residential neighborhood that ended on the edge of a valley. I could see a slice of the view behind what has been Jez’s home for the last 8 years.

Several dogs welcomed me with barks of varying tone and volume. Slowly a lean, Celtic-looking gentleman made his way through the canine mass and approached the large green wrought iron gate. “Hi Avi, have you had lunch?” he inquired softly as a boyish spark twinkled in his eyes. His accent was unusual; British grammar school mingled with soft hints of Indonesian. “I haven’t been speaking too much English these days, at least not with people who have English as their first language.”

Above the Kei Islands.

Still in his early forties, Jez has been capturing images of Indonesia for almost 25 years now. His family moved to Indonesia in early 1974, when his father took an expatriate position as a director of a major British safe manufacturer. His specialisation in photographing Indonesia was like a karmic calling when he was on holiday from university in the UK, where he was studying scientific illustration.

“I always thought photography was too difficult,” he said with a smile. “I was still a student and had some time off, that’s when I heard there were still some stone-age people living in Papua – Irian Jaya back then – and I couldn’t believe it.” Grabbing a couple of cameras and lenses, Jez set off on the Pelni at age 19. “I ended up staying for two months!” he grinned. “Then when I got back, my Dad’s secretary invited me to submit my images to a travel magazine, Suasana, now out of print. And I got the cover!” His excitement is still palpable.
At the heart of Jez’s photography is a deep passion for exploration. “It’s about getting that photograph that no one else has taken before.” And this, perhaps, leads me to the best way of describing Jez; an explorer with a desire to go where no one’s gone before.

Ngga Glacier, Papua.

Things started to move pretty quickly after that first publication. He worked with a film production company – “they threw me in the deep-end, and I was learning a lot,” – and continued developing his photography and exploring Indonesia. This took him on various aerial photography projects: “I figured, the only way to see Indonesia is to go by air.” Then, in 1995, he had a crash in a microlight “and I thought, shit, better I learn to fly myself.”.
Shortly after getting out of the hospital the first thing Jez did was to get flying lessons. Starting with a paramotor, flying with a parachute and a fan strapped to his back, he had to overcome the fear from his recent accident, learn to fly and “learn how to take photographs from the air while strapped to a parachute and motor.” The first two flights were “not so good,” but on the third, “it was at sunset and I was thinking to myself, ‘I’m flying!’” Eventually he moved on to a microlight aircraft, or trike, which he modified to make the seat lower so that he would have the freedom to use his camera.

Jez on his trike.

Jez is meticulous in his planning and self-discipline. “There’s basically three things, three conditions that you need to be sure of,” he explained as I learned what it took to get flying. “First, the condition of your craft; second your own condition and the third; the media – your runway, the weather. Don’t fly unless you’re sure about these three conditions.”

“I’ve got desalination tablets and a lifeboat on my trike, so it’s okay to fly over large expanses of water,” he added in a matter-of-fact tone.

In 2005, Jez took Indonesian citizenship. “I could spend the rest of my life photographing this place,” he told me. “And also, I just got tired of going to Immigration every year.”

And his next adventure? “My dream is to fly throughout Indonesia on my trike, starting from Java.” I’m already beginning to dream of where he’ll take us next.

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Vikas Swarup, author of Q&A (a.k.a. Slumdog Millionaire) and Six Suspects, is set to appear at the 2009 Ubud Writers and Readers Festival.

Q. Your appearance at the festival next week is much anticipated, we’re looking forward to seeing you here. Will this be your first visit to Bali?
A. Absolutely. I am very much looking forward to the visit, having heard so much about the fabled beauty of Bali.

Q. You were inspired to start writing your debut novel, Q&A, while living in London. What was it that prompted you? Had you always felt that you had a novel or several lurking inside you?
A. I am an ‘accidental’ writer. I used to write in my school days and even won some creative writing contests. But I never thought I would be a novelist and did not write a word of fiction for almost fifteen years. It was only when I was posted in London that I got inspired to try my hand at fiction, motivated by some of my contemporaries in the Foreign Service who had written novels, and by the city of London itself, which is such a vibrant cultural hub.

Q. On a practical note, how did you find the time and keep the motivation to finish Q&A in two months, given that you didn’t share what you were doing with family and friends, while also keeping your career as a diplomat on track?
A. The plot of the novel was fully formed in my head. I just had to write it down (or, type it on my computer). Since I was in a busy day job, I used the evenings of the weekdays to do my research, and on weekends and holidays I wrote, even managing 20,000 words on one occasion.

Q. You were born into a family of lawyers in Allahabad. Can you remember when you first saw a slum, or became aware of the extremes of poverty and wealth that exist in India? Did you ever encounter kids like Ram Mohammad Thomas and his brother?
A. No one in India leads a hermetically sealed life. The rich and poor live constantly intersecting lives. The gap of income and wealth is something you become aware of very early on. Not only did I visit slum areas, I had several friends from there with whom I played cricket. You can encounter boys like Ram Mohammad Thomas every day in India.

Q. When writing the novel, did you have any sense of the immense reaction it might receive? Did you already envision it as a movie? At one point, it seemed that it might be made into a Bollywood film, do you think this is still a possibility?
A. I knew that I was on to a good thing, that the plot was new and it was a unique way of telling a story. But never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that it would get translated into 42 languages and become an Oscar-winning film. If at all I visualised it as a film, I thought it would be a Bollywood film and that film would probably also have been set in Dharavi but you could bet your bottom dollar there would have been a couple of dream song sequences set in Switzerland!

Q. When the film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ was released in India, some were upset and offended by it – why do you think this was? Did you experience any reactions like this with the release of the book?
A. I think people were upset by what they thought was an overemphasis on the poverty and slums of India. Fortunately the canvas of my book was much wider than simply Dharavi and I did not encounter any negative reactions with the book.

Q. The book is a story about the possibilities that are within all of us, and how lives can go through dramatic transformations – in a way this is mirrored by the story behind the book; you were an unknown author, as yet unpublished in India, and you wrote in two months a debut novel that has been picked up by publishers all over the world and made into a blockbuster Oscar-winning movie, you hang out with people like Oprah and already have a second novel set to be filmed… Do you believe in luck? Destiny? Hard work?
A. I believe there is no shortcut to success. You have to put in hard work, but then you also need that little bit of luck to carry you all the way. I don’t believe in destiny as something foreordained. Basically you create your own luck.

Q. Your follow-up novel, ‘Six Suspects’, is structured as a thrilling whodunnit. Your young son read the ending, and then threatened to give the game away on Facebook – did he follow through on this? Was there a big payoff?
A. Teenagers are very persistent. I had to give him an MP3 player to buy his silence!

Q. Do you foresee that writing may one day become a full time job, or are you still very much committed to your work with the Indian Foreign Service? Is there a gripping novel about Indian diplomats somewhere in the pipeline?
A. I love my job and take great pride in representing my country especially at a time when India is the flavour of the world. Having a day job means that I can write only in my spare time. But having the security of the day job makes it easier for me to write. I don’t think readers will be interested in a diplomat’s real life trivia. I’d much rather entertain them with fiction!

Vikas Swarup appears at the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, October 7th-11th 2009. For complete programme details, visit www.ubudwritersfestival.com.

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Ubud Writers and Readers Festival founder, Janet De Neefe.

Kabar asked festival founder/director Janet De Neefe what she’s particularly looking forward to this year: here she recommends her top 5 things to see at the festival.

“1. Wole Soyinka – a senior statesman of global literature and the first Black African to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Be inspired.

2. the annual poetry slam – this year we have some of the world’s best performance poets, so hang on to your hats. Features the winner of 2008 Australian National Poetry Slam, Omar Musa. Be entertained.

3. Literary Lunches – the most divine venues Ubud has to offer with a glittering cast of international and Indonesian speakers. ‘Dangerous Women’ will feature some of the strongest female literary stars of 2009 and Wole Soyinka with Hari Kunzru at the Four Seasons is guaranteed to knock your socks off! Be enthralled.

4. Tribute to WS Rendra – join us in celebrating the life, works and legacy of the ‘peacock’ of Indonesian literature. Be moved.

5. Out of the eighteen workshops available, I’d love to do the ‘Introduction to Screenwriting’ with UK screenwriter Asitha Ameresekere. He’s planning to show some scenes from films and distribute scripted scenes to show what happens in the transfer from page to screen.”

Each year throws up interesting authors that many attendees either haven’t heard of before or haven’t got around to reading yet. This year, Kabar asked the UWRF team which books you should read before the festival. Here are their top 10 suggestions:

1. Wole Soyinka’s ‘Poems from Prison’
2. Lloyd Jones’ ‘Mr Pip‘
3. Julia Leigh’s ‘Disquiet‘
4. Tom Cho’s ‘Look Who’s Morphing’
5. Hari Kunzru’s ‘My Revolutions‘
6 Neel Murkherjee’s ‘Past Continuous’
7. Vikas Swarup’s ‘Six Suspects‘, ‘Q&A‘
8. Seno Gumira Ajidarma’s ‘Eyewitness’
9. Bejan Matur’s ‘In the Temple of a Patient God‘
10. Mohammad Hanif’s ‘A Case of Exploding Mangoes‘

For the full program and schedule of the 2009 Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, visit www.ubudwritersfestival.com

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St. Regis, Bali.

FEATURED SPECIALS

Hotel Santika Premiere Jogja
Decorated with a variety of classic Javanese ornaments, this four-star
hotel is only 20 minutes away from the airport, 10 minutes from the
main shopping areas and 5 minutes from the train station, and offers
all the facilities and convenience required by business and leisure
travellers alike. Guests can enjoy views of the hotel swimming pool,
the bright lights of the city or the magnificent Merapi volcano.
For fur ther information and Kitas rates,
T: +62 274 563036, 562743,
E: jogjapremiere@santika.com.
reservation@jogjapremiere.santika.com

The Phoenix Hotel, Yogyakarta
Superior Room Rp.750,000 net/room/night
See profile of The Phoenix on page 52 of issue 03 of Kabar & Expat Indonesia.
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits, please contact
T: +62 274 566617
E: info@thephoenixyogya.com
www.mgallery.com

Best Western New Kuta Condotel (Kawasan Pecatu Indah Resort)
Special Domestic Package: Rp. 1,500,000 net
(Valid for Indonesian Citizens and KITAS Holders)
Includes: Two nights stay in a Superior Room, Free return airport transfer,
Refreshment welcome drink and cold towel upon arrival,Daily breakfast for two persons,
One time Set Lunch or Dinner at Kayu Manis Restaurant,
Tropical fruits basket upon arrival.
Validity immediately until September 30th, 2009
High season surcharge applies from
July 1st – August 15th and September 17th – 27th, 2009
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits, please contact
T: +62 361 8484 555
E: reservation@bwnewkutacondotel.com
www.bwnewkutacondotel.com

Kamandalu Resort & Spa (Ubud)
Ubud Peaceful Package (net/villa/night): Ubud Chalet Rp.1,550,000,
Duplex Villa Rp.2,890,000, Garden Villa Rp.2,170,000, Pool Villa
Rp.3,320,000, Deluxe Pool Villa Rp.4,600,000, Two Bedroom Pool
Villa Rp.6,500,000.
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits, please contact
T: +62 361 975825
E: sales@kamandaluresort.com
www.kamandaluresort.com

Maya Ubud Resort & Spa
Ubud Escape Package (per room/night):
• Superior Room Rp.1,500,000
• Superior Garden Villa Rp.1,900,000
• Deluxe Pool Villa Rp.2,300,000.
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits, please contact
T: +62 361 977888
E: info@mayaubud.com
www.mayaubud.com

Other Specials:
Bali
Java
Sulawesi
Sumatra

If you have a hotel or resort anywhere in Indonesia and would like to share special offers with our readers, contact us at
ed@kabarmag.com.

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Grand Swiss Belhotel Medan
Weekend Getaway Package:
Rp. 595,000 net / 1-night stay
Rp. 1,100,000 net / 2-night stay
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 61 4576999.

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Ciputra Golf Surabaya
Swing and Stay Package: (Weekdays)
Superior Single USD 88 net, Superior Double
USD 144 net, Deluxe Single USD 93 net,
Deluxe Double USD 149 net.
(Weekends from) Superior Single USD 130 net,
Superior Double USD 223 net, Deluxe Single
USD 135 net, Deluxe Double USD 228 net.
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 31 741 2555.
www.ciputragolf.com

Losari Coffee Plantation, Central Java
Weekdays Special: Arum Villa Rp.1,900,000++
per night (for 2)
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 298 596333 or
info@losaricoffeeplantation.com.
www.losaricoffeeplantation.com,
www.slh.com/losari

Hotel Nikko Jakarta
Superior Room Rp.800,000 net,
Deluxe Room Rp.1,250,000 net.
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 21 2301122.
http://www.nikkojakarta.com

Kemang Icon, Jakarta
Expat Offer:
Courtyard Suite Rp.1,450,000++,
Inner Courtyard Rp.1,750,000++,
The Edge Suite Rp.2,250,000++.
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 21 7197989.
www.alilahotels.com/kemangicon

Nextage Tea Garden Resort, Bandung
10% discount for KITAS holders and
Indonesian citizens. 30% discount & special
treatment for guests staying on their birthday
or Golden/Silver anniversary.
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 815 73006888
or +62 260 470962.

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Karma Kandara (Bukit)
3 Bed Room Villa at USD 580 net/villa/night
(on room only basis), 4 Bed Room Villa at
USD 680 net/villa/night (on room only basis)
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact res@karmaresorts.com.
www.karmaresorts.com

Novus Bali Villas (Kerobokan)
Novus Escape: Pool Villa Rp 5,500,000 net
5-Night Family Getaway (Parents and one child
under 14): Garden Villa Rp 11,150,000 net,
Pool Villa Rp 12,150,000 net (Rp 2,150,000 net/
additional child), Family Villa Rp 13,150,000 net
(Rp 920,000 net/additional child)
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 361 411 388.
www.novusbalivilla.com

Novus Gawana (West Bali National Park)
Nature Adventure (3-night special package)
Rp 9,950,000 net, Romance Escape (2-night
special package) Rp 8,800,000 net
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 362 94598.
www.novusgawana.com

The Bale (Nusa Dua)
Weekend & Relax Package (3 days, 2 nights)
Rp 8,500,000++
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 361 775111.
www.thebale.com

Damai Lovina Villas
Exclusive offer: Superior Villa
Rp.1,300,000++/night.
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 362 41008
or resort@damai.com
www.damai.com

Vivalavi (Kerobokan)
Bali Family Summer Special: Accommodation
in 2-bedroom Garden Villa with private jacuzzi,
Rp 2,000,000 Net/Villa/Night .
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact reservation@vivalavivillas.com.
www.vivalavivillas.com

Bali Niksoma Beach Resort & Spa
(Seminyak)
Exclusive Rupiah Rate (per night):
Superior Room Rp.1,225,000++, Deluxe
Room Rp.1,450,000++, Junior Suite
Rp.1,650,000++, Suite Rp.1,950,000++,
2-Bedroom Villa Rp.5,250,000++
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact sales@baliniksoma.com or
+62 361 751946.
www.baliniksoma.com

The Viceroy Bali (Ubud)
2-night Honeymoon Package: Garden Villa
Rp 7,300,000 net, Terrace Villa Rp 8,100,000
net. High Season Surcharge
(July 15 – September 30) Rp 1,500,000.
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 361 971 777.
www.viceroybali.com

Bali Dynasty Resort (Kuta)
Fun in the Sun Package: Room Rate
Rp 990,000 net per night.
Booking reference FIS 2009
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact info@balidynasty.com.
www.balidynasty.com

Bali Rani Hotel & Spa (Kuta)
Honeymoon Package (3 days – 2 nights)
Rp. 2,050,000 net
High Season Package (3 days – 2 nights)
Rp. 1,950,000 net
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact therani@dps.centrin.net.id.
www.theranihotel.com

Hard Rock Hotel (Kuta)
Rockin’ Getaway Package: from Rp.899,000++/
room/night (Sunday – Thursday) and
Rp.999,000++/room/night (Friday & Saturday).
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 361 761869 or
bookings@hardrockhotels.net.
www.hardrockhotels.net/bali

The Westin Resort & Spa (Nusa Dua)
Westin Family Holiday Package: starts from
Rp.1,450,000++/room/night in Classic Garden
View Room. Package includes daily breakfast
for 2 adults and 2 children (up to 3 yrs old).
For more information or to make a reservation,
please visit westin.com/bali or contact
+62 361 771906 or
reservations.00035@westin.com.

ALiLA Ubud
Superior Room Rp. 1,350,000++/night,
Deluxe Room Rp. 1,600,000++/night,
Valley Villa or Suite Rp. 3,000,000++/night.
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 361 975963 or
ubud@alilahotels.com.
www.alilahotels.com

ALiLA Manggis
Superior Room Rp.1,000,000++/night,
Deluxe Room Rp.1,200,000++/night,
Valley Villa or Suite Rp.2,000,000++/night.
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 363 41011 or
manggis@alilahotels.com.
www.alilahotels.com

Puri Santrian (Sanur)
Special rate: Garden Wing Rp.650,000,
Beach Wing Rp.750,000, Bungalow
Rp.850,000, Santrian Club Rp.950,000.
(High season surcharge may apply.)
For terms, conditions, and additional
benefits, please contact +62 361 288009.
www.santrian.com

Pita Maha Resort & Spa (Ubud)
Special offer (net/villa/night):
Garden Villa Rp.1,800,000, Pool Garden
Villa Rp.2,300,000, Pool Duplex Villa
Rp.3,900,000. High season surcharge:
Rp.500,000 per night for period 1 July – 31
August 2009, and Lebaran (18 – 23 Sept. 2009).
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 361 974330.
www.pitamaha-bali.com

St. Regis Resort Bali (Nusa Dua)
City Escape Package: starts from
Rp.4,500,000 per night in a St. Regis Suite
(includes Rp.1,000,000 Resort Credit).
For terms, conditions, and additional
benefits, please contact +62 361 8478108
or stregis.bali@stregis.com.
www.stregis.com/bali

Tjampuhan Hotel (Ubud)
Special Offer at Raja Room: Rp. 750,000
net/room/night.
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 361 975368.
www.tjampuhan-bali.com

The Royal Pita Maha (Ubud)
Pool Vill: Rp.2,800,000 net/night.
High season surcharge: Rp. 500,000 net/
night for period 1 July – 31 August 2009,
and Lebaran (18 – 23 Sept. 2009).
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 361 980022.
www.royalpitamaharesort.com

Komaneka at Bisma (Ubud)
Expat Package: 2-night stay at 2 Bisma Suite
Room Rp.9,960,000 net.
For terms, conditions, and additional benefits,
please contact +62 361 971933.
www.komaneka.com

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After the film's success at the prestigious X-Dance Film Festival in Utah, USA, winning awards for Best Emerging Filmmaker (for Dave Arnold and Tyrone Lebon) and Best Original Score, 'Mengejar Ombak' is finally hitting the big screen in Indonesia. The documentary feature offers a close and personal insight into the life of the young and talented Indonesian surfer, Dede Suryana (current Indonesian surf champion and 2-time Gold medallist at the Asian Beach Games). The film follows Dede as he embarks on his first serious season on the World Qualifying Series (WQS) - where he has been touted to become the first Asian to qualify for the World Championship Tour (WCT).

Wall Street Institute is giving away freebies with every ticket bought, and purchasers of 4 tickets or more are eligible for some great prizes from resort stays to Hurley gear. Spread the word!

See the trailer here.

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]]> http://kabarmag.com/blog1/2009/05/12/mengejar-ombak-now-in-cinemas/feed/ 0 http://kabarmag.com/blog1/2009/04/14/this-side-of-paradise-nikoi-island/ http://kabarmag.com/blog1/2009/04/14/this-side-of-paradise-nikoi-island/#comments Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:10:06 +0000 Adrianna Tan http://kabarmag.com/blog1/?p=181

Nikoi Beach House.

Think of Indonesia’s perfect beaches and idyllic island life, and Bali and Lombok immediately spring to mind. Their beaches and other island offerings may still rank among the world’s most stunning and exotic, but seclusion is an increasingly rare commodity. Perhaps you’ve tired of the ‘tropical paradise’ picture perfect postcard retreats you love, which are still undeniably beautiful, but now spoilt by unkempt beaches and more likely to feature other red-faced foreigners more interested in their Bintang Beer than endless stretches of white sand and palm trees. Or perhaps as a seasoned Southeast Asia old hand you’ve seen it all, and island-hopped enough so much so that it’s the rare few special island or resort that can stir up any excitement at all.

One of the best things about Indonesia that’s easy to forget, especially after getting caught up in the big city lights of Jakarta, is that the country is in fact also the world’s largest archipelago, among its other claims to fame, which puts more than 18 000 islands at your disposal — 6000 if you count only the inhabited ones. And the fact that few international travellers bother to venture elsewhere beyond the usual suspects only means more space for the rest of us.

Nikoi Beach Sunshade.

Closer to Singapore than to Jakarta, Nikoi island off the east coast of Bintan, is Riau’s best-kept secret. The private island is owned by a small group of expatriate owners who’d spent decades working in the region. The vacation spots in the vicinity fell short of their expectations. Bintan and Batam’s resort selections offered mostly mass tourist hysteria, and the very idea of a ‘resort’ was synonymous with uniform mediocrity and packaged tourists. They accidentally discovered the island of Nikoi on a boat trip from Bintan, and the rest is history: building up the the island’s slowly and sensibly, there are a mere six houses on the island at the moment, and plans in the pipeline for just nine more. If you’re here for privacy, seclusion, and a spot of romance, this is precisely it.

Zipping over from Singapore by ferry, we whizzed through the VIP lounge on arrival, the seaport equivalent of ‘fast track’ immigration clearance. An hour later we were in Kawal, site of a small Nikoi-bound jetty. My measure of how special an island is is pretty rudimentary. How much does it makes my jaw drop, in the first minute or so when the island comes into your line of sight, and does it make me think “I’m so lucky to be here”? Islands like Koh Lipe do that to me, while Phuket and Koh Phi Phi never do. And now, onboard Nikoi’s homebound classic wooden launch boat “Mana”, as we approached Nikoi I felt what owners Andrew and Julia Dixon must have felt when they first spotted the island in 2001: this might be paradise.



Fishing Floats.

There was no one on the beach when we landed except the affable Yogi (”Call me Yogi Bartender!”) and his crew — amazing. Yogi mixed us a much-needed welcome drink, and the mellow sounds of good jazz never stopped. Some islands just exude a wonderful vibe without having to try too hard, and Nikoi was one such place. It felt more like stumbling into someone’s Robinson Crusoe island, not the least bit like the impersonal resorts we’ve all grown used to. And it kept getting better.



Each one of the houses was a sturdy two-storey beach house. Downstairs, a wonderful chill out space with day beds and a bar; upstairs, a comfortable, spacious bedroom with the balcony opening out to the ocean. The houses, like most other architectural elements on Nikoi, are the pride and joy of designer Peter Timmer, who was part of the original founding party. Having lived in Bintan for decades and passionate about the natural surroundings of the region, he handcrafted the houses from driftwood, and emerged with distinctive double vaulted roofs for each. The way the houses are built, says Timmer, makes the very idea of air-conditioning unnecessary — the houses are kept cool naturally, for hot air escapes through the chimney-like roofs.



I haven’t been in a hotel like this in a long time, in fact I wasn’t even sure I could call Nikoi a ‘hotel’ or a ‘resort’. It was everything it promised to be: secluded, private, charming, quiet… and different. This was barefoot luxury at its best. The houses in their smallest configurations, the one-bedroom houses (they also come in two and three-bedroom) had at least 100 square metres upstairs, a far cry from tiny standard hotel rooms. Instead of opulent five-star luxury, accommodation is all about adventure and charm — “Luxury Survivor”, according to its owners — and every inch of the rooms, with natural touches of stone and wood everywhere, stood out. Within five minutes of being there, I felt like I never wanted to leave.



The food was fresh and seasonal, with the items on offer depending on what’s available that day transformed into fine dishes under the watchful eye of Nikoi’s expert chefs. The wine list was short but commendable, and Yogi Bartender’s cocktails delightful. Local flavours and dishes, barbequed seafood and unbelievably sweet tropical fruits, were served three times a day at the dining room or sea-view clubhouse, with the occasional live jazz act on hand to provide entertainment. At other times, meals can be served in the privacy of your own beach house or right on the beach. Whatever you end up doing in Nikoi one thing’s for sure: there won’t be many people around to cramp your style. The island can hold up to 60 people, but in reality very rarely ever even reaches half of that.



Yoga on the Rocks.

If long lazy dinners, pina colada in hand, gets too much for you, the fine people at Nikoi will be glad to help. Pick up snorkelling or fishing equipment, and head for the sea — the waters off Nikoi are as lovely and pristine as the island itself is. All equipment for activities are provided free of charge, and on a slow day if you feel like sailing — but can’t — one of the staff will be happy to take you out to sea on one of the lasers they own. Land-roving adventurers may prefer unwinding at the beach or the lovely swimming pool, or if that gets stale, beach vollyball or a nature walk around the island to witness the beautifully conserved flora and fauna are always viable options (if you have children, ask about special activities for kids — there are too many to name).



All of which was activity enough for us for three days. We woke up every morning in Nikoi to a view of the open ocean and trundled about barefoot everywhere: beach, house, beach, house, pool, house, bar, clubhouse, and when we decided to attempt to be ‘active’, ended up stuck at sea in a laser neither of us could operate (but that’s another story for another day). The food was good, and the beach, perfect. In a short period of time Nikoi’s become the best-kept secret you only want to tell your favourite people about, and is already becoming increasingly harder to book, but it’s easy to see why. This could be the new paradise.



Getting There
Via Singapore: Numerous ferries depart from Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal for Bintan, daily. Upon arrival at Bintan’s ferry teminal, Nikoi’s transportation package arranges for VIP clearance at immigration, the car to Kawal, and the boat ride to Nikoi (return).


Via Jakarta: Riau Airlines and Sriwijaya Airlines fly from Jakarta to Tanjung Pinang, Bintan’s main town. Upon arrival, transportation can be arranged towards Kawal, and to Nikoi.



Nikoi: www.nikoi.com Everything you need to know about the island, accommodation, activities, and bookings.
 

Adrianna Tan is a Singaporean photojournalist and new media producer based in Dubai and Kuala Lumpur. Her “Postcards from London and Dubai” travelogue can be found online at http://fortylove.tv.

This article was published in the print edition of Kabar in March 2009.

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