Need to get away from the big city? Long working week, endless meetings and MRT breakdowns getting you down? You need a weekend in paradise…
Problem: You need to catch a flight to the nearest slice of paradise… right?
Wrong! Enter… Cempedak (pronounced Chem – pe – dak). Opened in March 2017, it’s a small private island located just off the eastern coast of Bintan in Indonesia. Brought to you by the owners of a similar island paradise – Nikoi – which is located just to the north.
We spoke to one of the owners about their inspirations. Guests loved Nikoi (opened May 2007) but the common feedback was, “We love it but… there are just too many kids!”. Plenty of families are looking for an island getaway but they also wanted to offer something quieter, more romantic and exclusively for adults.
That’s right – no under 16s allowed. So you don’t have to worry about hoards of screaming 3-year-olds around the breakfast table whilst you are nursing a hangover, or the pool being overrun with pink inflatable unicorns.
Moreover, the owners have learned a lot from their experiences of building and running Nikoi – so Cempedak is even more polished, thoughtful and sustainable.
The Journey
It all starts at Tanah Merah ferry terminal. You have a choice of 11:10am, 5:00pm or 8:00pm. You only need to arrive around 1 hour before. The ferry ride is 50-55mins. Sit near the back if the sea is choppy!
