Tanjung Pinang: A Must-Visit for Sightseeing in Bintan Island

A short boat ride from Tanjung Pinang city is the little village of Senggarang, where a majority of the villagers are ethnic Chinese who still practice their customs and rituals. In this village, you can see wooden houses built on the water, maintaining a charming sense of nostalgia like a place suspended in time. Many villagers are fishermen, so you will likely see many men fussing about their fishing boats, something you won’t see much of if you came from the big city. Villagers are generally friendly and warm to tourists.

Senggarang is home to many ancient Chinese temples, and these temples are often visited by Singaporeans and ethnic Chinese from other countries who come here to pray. Each temple is said to have their own deities and purposes to pray for, so it would be fascinating for anyone who is interested in culture and mythology. So if you are making it down to Senggarang, then don’t forget to visit these temples and perhaps pray for your own needs as well. It’s clear that Senggarang should be on your “what to see in Bintan” checklist!

Since Tanjung Pinang is located next to the sea, plenty of seafood restaurants are located in the town that you can go to and eat prawns, crabs, and other yummy seafood to your heart’s content, mostly cooked in the Chinese style. Eat them on their own or paired with fluffy white rice to complete the meal and offer you some much-needed carbohydrates after going around Bintan Island’s Tanjung Pinang. Be sure to have at least one lunch or dinner at one of these establishments, or you will likely regret it.