Nikoi Private Island

Nikoi Island is part of Indonesia’s Riau Archipelago, reached via speedboat after a ferry ride from Singapore to Bintan Island. Edged by sugar-soft sand and largely covered by tropical rainforest, it’s an ideal choice for a family island escape.

You can stay in a pool villa or a beach villa right on the shoreline. Beach villas are available with bunkrooms and second bedrooms, while private pool villas have two or three bedrooms. This makes them well-suited to larger groups and multi-generational families with kids aged four and above. The villas’ architecture reflects the surroundings, with traditional alang-alang thatched roofs and custom furniture crafted from driftwood.

Dining, too, is about celebrating local flavours, with ingredients sourced from nearby markets and the island’s own farm. The hotel’s main restaurant serves Indonesian dishes while the poolside Restaurant Biru offers Mediterranean cuisine. Alternatively, you can dine under the stars on the beach or the jetty.

Daily kids’ activities include monkey-tree climbing, treasure hunts and jetty jumping. Take family nature walks to look for otters, monitor lizards and birds including golden orioles and stork-billed kingfishers. Head out with the resident marine biologist to observe Hawksbill turtles that nest here from March to October. And try your hand at kayaking before going snorkelling around the coral reefs.