Regions Of Riau Archipelago

Bintan

Bintan Island or Negeri Segantang Lada is an island in the Riau archipelago of Indonesia. It is part of the Riau Islands province, the capital of which, Tanjung Pinang, lies in the island's south and is the island's main community.

Bintan's history is traced to the early 3rd century. The island flourished as a trading post on the route between China and India, and over the centuries it came under the control of the Chinese, the British, and then the Dutch when it was declared part of the Dutch East Indies through the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824. In the 12th century, the Bintan island in the Strait of Malacca was known as the "Pirate Island" since the Malay pirates used to loot trading ships sailing in these waters.

Singapore, the closest major city, is a 45-50 minute trip by motorised catamaran across the Singapore Strait from Bintan Resort area in the northwest of the island. The island has beaches with beach-front International hotels and resorts; the most prominent of these beaches is the Bintan Resorts set over an area of 300 hectares (740 acres) of tropical environment. The archipelago of the Riau islands is right opposite to this resort across the South China Sea. Indonesia is promoting Bintan as the next best tourist destination after Bali.

Bintan

Batam

Batam refers to both an island, municipality (an Indonesian kotamadya), the largest city in the Riau Islands Province ofIndonesia, across the Strait of Singapore, the third-largest city in Sumatra region after Medan and Palembang, and the eighth-largest city in Indonesia after Jakarta Raya, Surabaya, Bandung, Medan, Semarang, Makassar, and Palembang.

Batam is an industrial boomtown, an emerging transport hub, a part of a free trade zone the Indonesia–Malaysia–Singapore Growth Triangle, located 20 km (12 mi) off Singapore's south coast. The 715-km2 (276-mi2) island, now just barely smaller in size toSingapore due to the latter's reclamation, is the core part of the municipality, of which 450 km2 is classified as urban. Batam's 2,200  km2 municipality (administratively) covers a number of scattered islands and islets, with Galang and Rempang islands to the immediate south connected to Batam by short bridges, collectively called Barelang with these two islands maintaining their rural character. Bulan Island is also rural. The municipality has a population of 1,035,280 (prediction in May 2015). also It is the closest part of Indonesia to Singapore, at a minimum land distance of 5.8 km, similar in length to the Transbay Tube. As per the 2010 Census, it was the fastest-growing municipality in the nation, with a growth rate of 11% per year.

Batam City

Karimun

Karimun is a small island offerring a range of tourist activities in the Riau Islands province of Indonesia. It is also the name of a group of islands and regency (kabupaten) to which it belongs. Karimun is located just off the east coast of Sumatra, guarding the southern entrance of the busy Straits of Malacca. It lies west of Batamand to the southwest of Singapore and is the furthest west of the Riau Islands.

Its proximity to Singapore has made the islands quite affluent and busy. Its main town, Tanjung Balai is a bustling port town with a lot of commerce, boosted by tourists from Singapore and Malaysia. Note that it must not be confused with Tanjung Balai in North Sumatraprovince, a much larger city also known as Tanjung Balai Asahan and an international port. Like Batam and Bintan, Karimun is also listed as a Free Trade Zone area.

Coastal Area Karimun

Kundur

Kundur is part of the Karimun group of islands and is located south of Karimun Island. Although larger that its northern neighbour, Kundur is much less developed and more laid back. Tanjung Batu, the main town, has a busy waterfront and a couple of streets lined with shops.

Most connections are with neighbouring islands, e.g. Tanjung Balai on Karimun, and Mainland Sumatra. Direct ferry services to Singapore have been terminated because of the loss of profits, so travelers need to detour via Batam or Bintan.

Singkep

The south Riau archipelago consists of a large number of islands where Singkep and Lingga dominate.

The more populated Singkep Island had a lot of tin mines but they were shut down by the government. The local governeur over Singkep-Lingga resides on Lingga instead of the much more populated Singkep.

Natuna Islands

The Natuna Islands archipelago (272 islands) is located in the South China Sea in the larger Tudjuh Archipelago, off the northwest coast of Borneo. Administratively, the islands (including the nearby Bunguran Islands) constitute a regency within the Riau Islands Province of Indonesia and are the northernmost non-disputed island group of Indonesia. The Natuna Islands themselves are divided into three groups: North Natuna, which includes Laut Island (Pulau Laut); Middle Natuna, which includes Bunguran (or Natuna Besar); and South Natuna, which includes Subi Besar.

Alif Stone Park At Natuna Island

Anambas

Anambas archipelago (Indonesian: Kepulauan Anambas) is a small archipelago of Indonesia, located 150 nautical miles north east of Batam Island in the South China Sea between the Malaysian mainland to the west and the island of Borneo to the east. Geographically part of the Tudjuh Archipelago, it is administratively a regency within the Riau Islands Province.

Anambas have a large reserve of natural gas that is exported to countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. The island of Matak is the main base for oil exploration.

Other islands are Siantan (Terempa), Mubur, Jemaja and Kiabu (Airabu).

According to CNN, the Anambas Islands are one of Southeast Asia's most spectacular coastal spots, with good snorkelling and diving. The main island, Pulau Bawah, is an unhabitated naturally protected lagoon. The shipwrecked vessels Seven Skies and Igara attract a variety of indigenous marine life and offer diving opportunities.

Anambas Island