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Bintan Island is the perfect getaway from busy Singapore if you want to take a quick break fast, cheaply and economically. Just 45 minutes by fast ferry from Singapore, you go from the hustle and bustle of a busy city to the peace and quiet of a blue water and clear sand tropical island.

However, landing in one of the hotel resort in Bintan Island can be expensive, as they have pegged all prices to Singapore dollars at Singapore cost of living! While you may physically be in Bintan, Indonesia, you are paying Singapore equivalent price for a meal, for a beer or even for a massage as long as you are within the premises of the hotel!

Here’s a tip for all massage enthusiasts to Bintan who wants to save some money. If you are prepared to forgo the luxury settings of a hotel spa and yet enjoy the nimble fingers of Indonesian massage ladies, go off the Bintan Hotels and head to the villages and towns!

If you are in the Bintan Hotel Resorts, take a 10 minutes shuttle bus and go to Pasar Oleh Oleh. In this small village just off Bintan Resorts, you will find shops, grocery stores, restaurants, hair salons and massage salons at local prices.

Alternatively, if you have more time, take a taxi (S$50) for 4 and go to the nearest town at Tanjung Ubad and enjoy old town Indonesian charm.

Here, you can find traditional Indonesian delicacies in local food stalls, local markets that offer fresh seafood to bring home, DVD shops offering the latest DVD discs and various local massage palors that will provide quality tourist massage services at local prices. Try out the popular Indonesian Massage or the Indonesia Coconut cream wash where coconut cream is used to both massage and wash your hair!