ROOM DIRECTORY
1° 04’ N, 104° 43’ E
WELCOME TO NIKOI
Your hosts during your stay will be Tony (General Manager), Andi (Assistant GM), Yogi (Captain Scallywag) Dika our chef, Yudi (Assistant Operations), Dar to (Head of Waterspor ts) and Gaspar (Head Barman). All of our staff will be happy to help should you need any assistance. We would like you to think of Nikoi as if it is your friend’s private island hideaway. We have therefore avoided having signs, formal rules and prefer to keep things more laidback. So take off your shoes, put your watch and valuables in the safe and switch on over to “Island Time”. Below are a few tips to guide you. If nothing else please read the first page which is a brief summary of the following pages.
QUICK GLANCE MEALS AND DRINKS Meals are served in the main dining pavilions throughout the day. Breakfast (7am – 10:00am) is typically fresh fruit, eggs and fresh juices, home made muesli, pastries and breads. Lunch (12pm – 2pm) is typically fresh salads and a selection of local dishes. Dinner (6pm – 9pm) is typically barbequed seafood, beef with a selection of vegetable dishes, a pasta dish and salads. There is a separate children’s menu that is served before the adults’ meal. If you have any par ticular requests please discuss these with our staff. The menu changes daily and will depend on what is available in the markets. If you would like to eat somewhere other than the main dining pavilions please discuss this with our staff well in advance.
QUICK GLANCE
ACCOMMODATION For obvious reasons, absolutely no smoking in the rooms. Note our hot water is heated by solar panels and may run out if you have extended showers. TELEPHONE There is no fixed telephone line to Nikoi but mobile coverage is excellent. SAFETY We have endeavored to make Nikoi a safe place to visit but please bear in mind that Nikoi is a remote island and access in the event of an emergency is difficult. Please read the more detailed notes below. ACTIVITIES Diving, Fishing, Island hopping, Kayaking, Massage, Nature walks, Rock Climbing, Sailing, Windsurfing, Stand-Up Paddleboarding, Snorkeling, Swimming, Boule, Tennis and Croquet. For children there is a kids club, mini flying fox, Tarzan ropes to swing on, trees to climb in and beaches to comb. CONSERVATION We designed and built Nikoi along sustainable and ecofriendly principles. Please help by conserving water and electricity, reusing towels, and leaving nature as you find it (i.e. please do not remove large numbers of shells from the beach) and take the rubbish you brought with you home with you.
MEALS AND DRINKS
MEALS AND DRINKS
MEALS AND DRINKS
Meals are served in the main dining pavilions throughout the day. We serve a mixture of local Indonesian dishes, barbequed seafood, chicken and beef, fresh fruit and salads. It is a fixed menu that is written up on the blackboards in the dining pavilions. Some simple western meals such as pizza and pasta may also be served or be available on request. If you have any par ticular likes or dislikes let us know in advance although please note that many western foods are not widely available in this par t of Indonesia. We can cater for guests with various allergies and can provide Vegetarian and Halal meals (most of our staff are Muslim) if given sufficient notice. We buy almost all of our food in local markets and the menu is dictated by what is fresh and in season. Most of the fruit and vegetables are grown locally on small-scale farms where the use of pesticides and inorganic fer tilizers is rare. Through The Island Foundation we are working on trying to promote sustainable and organic farming practices in Bintan. The soil quality is poor and the locals are traditionally fisherman so this will take time. We have a preference for unprocessed foods and make all of our own fruit juices, breads, muesli, cakes, pastries, ice cream, cordial and bar snacks. Many western ingredients including dairy products are not available locally. Our beef is from Australia or NZ. We only buy locally caught seafood and do not purchase any seafood that the WWF Indonesia regards as unsustainable. We are working on improving our knowledge of our food sources and the sustainability of the practices used. If you are interested in knowing more about sustainable fishing practices we can highly recommend you visit the www.panda.org website where there are consumer guides for environmentally friendly seafood. Alternatively try and watch the excellent documentary “The End of the Line� which is based on the book by Charles Clover. Be warned though it may put you off eating seafood ever again. We try to serve average por tions so as to avoid food waste but recognise our guests will all have different appetites so are always happy to increase the por tions if you request so. If you are hungry during the day or feel like a snack
MEALS AND DRINKS
please ask our staff. There is usually a large bunch of bananas hanging at the main bar and a jar of cookies - please help yourself. Morning and afternoon tea is available on request free of charge. If you would like to dine at your beach house, have a picnic lunch on a secluded deser ted island or a romantic dinner on the beach let us know in advance and we will be happy to arrange it for you. There may be an additional charge for this depending on where you want to eat. Each of the beach houses has a cool box at the bottom of the stairs. If you would like it to be filled with drinks and ice then please ask our staff. You will be charged for any drinks consumed. If you want ice for your own drinks then we will charge for the ice. Please note that any late night par tying in the houses will not be tolerated. If you are in a group and would like to par ty then we are happy to provide a barman until the wee hours and can even provide a professional music system. We suggest that such par ties be hosted at the pool area so as to not disturb other guests. We do not allow BYO of spirits or beer but will allow guests to BYO a special bottle of wine. Corkage is S$25++ per bottle. Our bar will close when the last guest leaves. If that makes you feel guilty then just ask the staff to leave you enough drinks and they will work out the bill in the morning. We have a small but carefully selected wine list that is largely made up of boutique labels that we believe offer excellent value for money. If you are after something even more unique then ask to see the Owners Selection wine list. We have a preference for screw caps and those vineyards using organic or biodynamic farming practices. Taxes (which are higher than Singapore), availability, arcane licensing laws and greedy customs officials mean we do occasionally run out of cer tain wines. We believe we have one of the finest selections aged Caribbean rums in Asia and we highly recommend you try a Ti Punch or one of our Pi単a Coladas that are all made from Rum Agricole (i.e. not Bacardi). For whisky fans we have 6 of the 7 Islay malt whiskies available plus a selection of some of the other better-known malt whiskies. We also stock a collection of boutique gins from all round the world.
MEALS AND DRINKS
MEALS AND DRINKS
Tea and coffee is available free of charge throughout the day. The coffee served is from Java and is filtered. We have espresso machines at the beach bar and at the pool bar. For espresso coffee there is a charge. The coffee used in our espresso machines is a single origin semi-washed Arabica coffee from Gayo Mountain in Aceh. The coffee is grown using natural and shade grown farming practices. All beans are handpicked by small holder farmers. These small holders grow their coffee on their own land, which the locals call a ‘Kebun’ or garden. The entire coffee growing area in the Gayo Mountains is made out of these ‘Kebuns’ rather than large plantations. The popularity and high value of the coffee has largely contributed to the current development and welfare of the farmers after decades of civil unrest in the Province of Aceh. It is cer tified Fair-trade (Max Hevalaar) and environmentally sustainable (Skal).
ACCOMMODATION
ACCOMODATION
ACCOMMODATION
Our accommodation is not only designed to provide shelter from the elements but a grandstand view of the sea. By raising the beach houses off the ground and building them amongst the native Sea Almond (Terminalia catappa) and Sea Putat (Barringtonia Asiatica) trees, the houses are well ventilated by sea breezes and provide glorious sea vistas. Driftwood to build the beach houses was found and recovered from local beaches. Local fishermen were engaged to help in this task with some of it recovered from broken down fishing kalongs. The two 9m long dining room tables were cut from a single piece of driftwood found 120 nautical miles away. As much as possible we have tried to be sensitive to the environment by using; 1. A design, which has minimal visual impact 2. Natural materials 3. Natural ventilation instead of air-conditioning 4. Solar hot water systems 5. Minimal landscape lighting so as not to disorientate nightlife (par ticularly nesting tur tles) 6. Low voltage LED and CFL lighting 7. Indigenous trees and shrubs 8. Local materials, local tradesman (training many in the process) and local produce wherever possible. 9. A solar photovoltaic system All of our staff except our General Manager and our Marine Conservation officer are Indonesian. This has helped us build a harmonious relationship with the local community. Recognition of our effor ts has led us to being awarded Bintan’s best company of the year (2009) award by the Mayor of Bintan and being selected as a finalist by Wild Asia for three years in their annual responsible tourism awards.
ACCOMMODATION
Our water comes from wells on Nikoi and whilst we have not experienced any water shor tages we would appreciate it if you are conservative with your use of water. The production of water is our biggest single use of electricity. It is filtered and UV treated but not chlorinated. Because it is not chlorinated we do not recommend you drink the tap water. Bottled drinking water is provided in the rooms. We do not stock mineral waters and avoid buying products packaged in plastic. We recommend that you turn off all your fans and lights if you are not using your room as not only does it save power but you are less likely to attract bugs into your rooms at night or disorientate nesting or hatchling tur tles. We recommend that you do not hang towels and clothes on the front railings as the tannins in the wood rails can leave stains on the towels. Hot water is heated by solar panels on the roof of each beach house so if it runs out then you will need to wait until the sun shines again. We have to generate our own electricity and would appreciate your help in minimising your power use. From the outset our focus has been to look at minimizing our power usage, as this is the simplest means of reducing our carbon emissions. As we have become to better understand our energy consumption better we have looked at how we can use renewables to generate our power. A comprehensive review conducted by an environmental engineer in 2012 identified fur ther ways to reduce our loads and how to better manage them. The review also set out a plan to install a photovoltaic array, switch our fridge compressors over to more efficient ones and identified ways to reduce our water consumption. As a result we have recently installed a 24kWp Solar Photovoltaic array and 2830Ahr/48V battery bank that is designed to allows us to switch off our generators for around 12 hours of the day. We continue to look for ways to reduce our power consumption and one-day hope to be able to switch off our gensets completely albeit that they will most likely be
ACCOMMODATION
retained as a back up. Reducing our power consumption is the key to achieving this and as the production of water is our biggest user of electricity. We deliberately do not label ourselves as eco-friendly as we believe it is a label that has been overused by operators seeking the latest marketing fad. Fur thermore we have wanted to take a more holistic approach that not only embraces the environment but also gives something back to the community. See chapter on Community Programs below. We operate a biological sewerage system so please do not put anything down the toilets that is not biodegradable. Each bathroom has soaps and shampoo and conditioner for guest use. These are made using essential oils blended especially for Nikoi. In order to reduce our consumption of plastics, we refill these and request that they not to be taken with you when you leave. If you would like to purchase these please ask our staff. All of our soaps, detergents and cleaning products are biodegradable. Our check-out time is 11am and check-in 1pm or sooner if your room is available. If there are no guests checking in you are welcome to use your beach house for the whole day. We will let you know if we will be requiring your beach house for guests checking in. There is a day shower just behind the boathouse, which can be used after you check out. For obvious reasons please do not smoke inside the beach houses. Fire extinguishers are located in a glass box adjacent to the wardrobe.
ACCOMMODATION
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS In 2009 we established The Island Foundation to formalize the work we were doing to help the local community develop in a sustainable manner. In the beginning we were for tunate to have had some invaluable assistance from the Population and Community Development Association (“PDA”) a ver y successful NGO that was established by Khun Meechai in Thailand. Much of our approach has been modeled on the PDA’s programs. The Island Foundation is now registered as a charity in Singapore and in Indonesia. This has provided the Foundation with a platform to receive donations from external par ties both in terms of cash, resources and general suppor t. These organizations include, UWCSEA, Tanglin Trust, SJII, NUS (SERIES – solar institute) amongst others. We would like to make par ticular mention of the suppor t we receive from UWCSEA (one of Singapore’s leading schools). UWCSEA’s suppor t has been tireless and unrelenting. Most recently they have helped us produce our own bilingual curriculum that we are gradually rolling out at our learning centres. We have established 5 learning centres and have over 500 children registered in our English and IT classes. These
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
learning centres have been ver y well received which is not surprising given none of the local schools have any books let alone a computer. You will pass two of the villages en-route to Nikoi so if you would like to stop by and take a look then please ask your driver. The learning centres in two of our more remote villages now have solar power so they can power notebooks. We have also helped a number of different villagers develop ar tisanal products that we have begun selling under the brand name Kura Kura. Some of these items are available for sale on Nikoi. In the remote village of Berakit we have been helping the Orang Laut the indigenous people develop jewellery using crystals donated by Swarovski. If you would be interested in finding out more about this program please ask or visit our website www. theislandfoundation.com or our The Island Foundation Facebook page. The concept is for those businesses that we help establish to not only provide a training ground for staff but to be profitable so that we can suppor t and grow the Foundation with these profits. In addition the Foundation has hosted a number of teacher training workshops in conjunction with UWCSEA and a series of batik workshops run by Said Sakarsi Singapore’s leading batik ar tist. Our long-term goal is to help them reduce their dependence on the fishing trade, which is in decline due to decreasing fish stocks and increasing costs.
TELEPHONE, FAX & INTERNET Whilst there is no fixed line telephone on Nikoi, there is however excellent mobile phone coverage (3G and GPRS). In addition, we have 2-way radio communication with our boat. We also have an Internet connection via a microwave link back to Bintan. Bad weather and ISP reliability mean that it occasionally drops out but it is the best that we can obtain. There are WiFi access points scattered around the island so that most of the dining areas and most of the houses have reception. We provide free access for the first 30 minutes but charge after that. We would like to be able it free but we do not have sufficient bandwidth to do so.
SAFETY Your safety is our utmost concern. We do ask that you exercise reasonable care and follow the instructions of our staff. We also ask that you be mindful that the nearest hospital is over an hour away and the standard of facilities and care, whilst competent, are not of western standards. We have an extensive first aid kit with a defibrillator and oxygen on the island and a procedures manual to be followed in the event of an accident. There are however no trained medical staff on the island although a large number of our staff have attended first aid training. If an accident occurs at night and there are no staff on duty then please send someone to the staff kampong for assistance. In the event of a serious accident it is possible to evacuate guests to either the local Navy hospital in Tanjung Pinang or the 24 hour clinic near to the Bintan Resor ts Ferry Terminal or if necessary to Singapore. In addition Nikoi is a member of SOS International who provide an emergency hotline with doctors based in Singapore that can provide medical advice over the telephone 24 hours a day. From time to time there are strong currents in the waters around Nikoi so please be very careful especially with young children. The best swimming locations vary with the seasons so if you are not sure where to swim please ask our staff. There are a tide char ts at the Boat House and at Main Bar that will provide you with an indication of the tidal pattern. We would recommend that when either swimming or walking around the island that you wear reef shoes to protect your feet from the coral and any stinging marine life. There is a collection of these available at the boathouse. Life vests are also available for your use and we insist on their use when sailing, kayaking or windsurfing. Please avoid standing on the coral reef when swimming or snorkeling as not only will you damage the coral you are most likely to end up with some nasty cuts. If you do cut yourself on live coral we would strongly recommend you put antiseptic on it as it can easily become infected. We also suggest that you wear a hat and use a good quality sunscreen during the day.
SAFETY
There are no venomous snakes on Nikoi. We do have one of the largest spiders in the world – the Golden Orb Web spider – the very elegant long legged female can be as large as an adult hand and is usually found in the middle of the web with a harem of dispropor tionately small pale pink male spiders which she is know to eat, hiding on the fringes. These shy and harmless spiders prefer the shelter of the jungle and have never been known to visit the beach houses. Whilst not common, stonefish are occasionally found in the waters around Nikoi as they are in most tropical waters. You are highly unlikely to spot them, as they are rather rare and extremely well camouflaged. There is a more common brown speckled fish that is harmless which are sometimes confused with the stonefish. Stonefish can release a powerful and painful toxin through their spines if stepped on. Whilst reef shoes do not offer complete protection we do recommend that you wear them in the shallow water or when exploring the reef. If stung the best immediate treatment is to try to remove the barb and immerse the wound in hot water as this helps to neutralise the toxin. Sea snakes have also been sighted on rare occasions and whilst the venom from these snakes is highly toxic they are typically very shy and not able to open their jaws wide enough to bite a human. You may see the occasional black tipped reef shark in the water – these are harmless and usually less than 1m long. Any larger fins will most likely belong to dolphins. Like everywhere in the tropics the mosquito is ubiquitous, we are however for tunate that the sandy soil and sea breezes make them scarce around the beach houses and dining areas. We have begun a program to eradicate them by using an automated version of an ovitrap called an ALO. You will see a number of these around the island – they are about one meter square have 4 small concrete roofs on each corner. The ALOs are designed to attract mosquitoes to lay their eggs. Before the larvae mature into an adult the device destroys them. As the adult mosquito typically only lives for two weeks this has helped reduce mosquito population on the island significantly. We also are using manual version of
SAFETY
the trap made from coconut shells around the undeveloped areas of the island - these are marked with spray paint and are emptied on a 3 day cycle. This has meant that we no longer need to fog or spray for mosquitoes. Please help us in maintaining this program by not throwing unwanted coconut shells into the bushes. We are for tunate that there are no sand flies on Nikoi but you may find them on some of the islands nearby. A liberally applied oily sunscreen is the best protection. We often get asked about piracy. Whilst piracy has been problematic in the Malacca straits, the focus of this activity has been around Aceh (1200 km from Nikoi). With peace being established in Aceh a number of years ago there has been a substantial reduction in the piracy in the Malacca straits. As there is little commercial shipping along the east coast of Bintan – the main focus of pirate attacks – there is little incentive for pirates to operate in the Bintan area. Fur thermore, the Singapore Straits and surrounding areas are well patrolled by the Singaporean, Indonesian and US Navies. There have been no recorded incidents of piracy in the waters surrounding Nikoi. Local fishing boats often take shelter in the lee of the island on their way to fishing grounds NE of Nikoi. In the past they would occasionally come ashore to replenish their supply of water and coconuts. We have not discouraged this practice but as the fishermen are typically quite shy they rarely come ashore these days. We have not had any problems with them in the past and found that a friendly wave or hello usually brings a warm smile. The only annoying feature of their presence is that they have a habit of heading off to the fishing grounds very early in the morning so you may be woken by the clack clack of a diesel engines star ting up. We have a security guard that patrols the island at night but the only intruder they see are nesting tur tles.
ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENT
The island has been surveyed by Raj Subaraj, a well known Singapore based naturalist. Raj has been visiting the island since 2005 and returns at least twice yearly to update his surveys. In addition, the marine life around the island has been surveyed by Sek Chuan a marine biologist. We have a resident Marine Conservation officer in Michel Lippitsch who has spent the last 20 years of his life studying coral reefs. We are for tunate to have a wide variety of birds resident on the island and an interesting mix of migratory birds that visit during the year. Residents include a pair of White Bellied Sea Eagles whose colossal nest can be seen in one of the taller trees on the nor thern side of the ridge running up behind the pool. They are the source of the goose like squawking that can be heard at sunrise. Other residents include a pair Brahminy Kites, bright yellow Black-naped Orioles and the rare Stork Billed Kingfisher that can occasionally be seen in the mangroves on the eastern side of the island. Frequent visitors include the stunning Pied Imperial Pigeons that fly in fantastic formations, huge Frigate birds that soar in the thermals at a great height and the very elegant Great-billed Heron. There has been one sighting of the quite beautiful and rare Nicobar Pigeon in the forested area of the island. On nearby Mapur Island we have sighted the rare Oriental Pied Hornbill. If you do go exploring we would recommend you use insect repellant and if you see anything par ticularly interesting please let us know as the records of this par t of Indonesia are scant. The waters around Nikoi are abundant with plankton that can result in poor visibility but it does mean that there is an abundance of fish and interesting marine life. Tur tles are know to occasionally nest on the beaches typically very early morning when there is a full moon between March and August. If you do come across their tracks please let our staff know and please leave the nest undisturbed. They often dig false nests above the high tide mark amongst the shrubs which means it can be hard to determine exactly where they have laid (if at all) so please do not explore the area too closely because you may unwittingly step on the nest.
ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENT
It is our policy to leave the nest undisturbed and to fence it so that the monitor lizards cannot feast on the eggs. In the last two years we have had 129 nests hatch with over 9000 hatchlings making it to the sea. Without our program in place the eggs would have been eaten by the monitor lizards or collected and sold in the local markets. If you would like to be woken up should a tur tle nest on the island do let our staff know (be warned this is often in the wee hours). It is very impor tant that you do not shine torches or disturb the tur tles when nesting so we would ask you to keep a distance and be quiet. We have been very careful to develop Nikoi without disturbing the environment so please help us by leaving it as you found it. If you enjoy collecting shells on the beach please be conscious of the fact that if you take too many shells hermit crabs and other animals may not be able to find a new home when they grow out of their shells. Please also note that both Singapore and Indonesian customs authorities are now very strict on policing their respective border crossings for people carrying any form of wildlife (dead or alive, including shells) and this is not just for rare and endangered species. At low tide it is possible to walk out on the reef but we would recommend that you wear reef shoes. The exposed reef might look dead but it is full of life and a habitat for all sor ts of animals from crabs, starfish, sea cucumbers and even juvenile Moray Eels. You will often see the Great Heron stalking prey at low tide as well as kingfishers, the eagles, egrets and monitor lizards. Like most coral reefs, the reef around Nikoi would have formed over thousands of years star ting from the fringing the rocks at the base of the small hill on Nikoi. As the reef grows upwards, the older par ts die and on top of that new coral forms. Once the coral gets too close to the surface they die altogether. Over thousands of years this process has created the fringing reef you see today and in the process has seen Nikoi expand from the small pile of rocks you will find in the centre of the island to the 15ha island it is today. Occasionally if there is a low tide in the afternoon you might notice a rotting smell from the reef. This is a natural decomposition of the organic material exposed by the reef.
ENVIRONMENT
There is a fascinating symbiotic relationship between the algae and the corals that grow on the reefs well beyond the scope of this guide suffice to say that together they suppor t a larger number of animal and plant species than any other. It is our ambition to make Nikoi free of plastic and we would appreciate that you take any plastic, batteries or other non-recyclable items you have brought with you back to Singapore. We recycle as much as possible but recycling facilities only exist where there is some economic value in the item. There is no proper disposal process in Bintan for batteries etc. We do however recycle aluminium cans and even use Styrofoam to fill our beanbags. We have been truly amazed at the variety and volume of plastic that washes up on the beaches of Nikoi every day. The worst of this is dumped overboard by vessels after they leave Singapore waters in order to avoid the expense of disposing it in Singapore. We have petitioned the authorities to do something about this disgraceful and illegal practice and live in hope that those responsible will wake up to the damage being done. If you know anyone in the shipping industry or working with the Singapore por ts authority please make a plea with them to help us put a stop to this practice. Based on the volume we see washed up on our shores we are convinced this is not just a small minority that is guilty. If you do see tar on the beach do let our staff know so we can record it and clean it up. Our staff will be able to assist you remove tar if you unwittingly step on tar on the beach.
ENVIRONMENT
HISTORY We are told that Nikoi gets its name from a local derivation of the Hokkein word for the papaya fruit originally farmed on the island but there is no written history about the island. The earliest reference we have for the name of the island is from a map published in 1863 where the name of the island is spelt “Nekkoi”. We have found shards of pottery and coins that indicate that the island was inhabited around the turn of the 20th century. These fragments have been shown to archaeological exper ts in Singapore and the UK who have helped us conclude that the great variation in these finds indicates that the island was a trading post outside the por t of Tanjung Pinang – possibly to avoid taxes. In those times trade between China and India was brought by sailing ship and it was more efficient to use the trade winds to sail to the bottom of Bintan rather than into Singapore. Penyengat Island just off the coast from the capital of Bintan, Tanjung Pinang, was the cultural and royal seat of power for the Malay empire for many years. It is also where one of the most renowned Malay texts, Tuhfat al-Nafis (“precious gift”) was written by Raja Ali Haji. There is a fascinating book on the history of Bintan, a copy of which should be in your room – if you are interested in purchasing a copy please ask our staff. More recently it was from the nearby island of Merapas that a group of Australian troops led by Colonel Ivan Lyon, a Scot, launched “Operation Rimau” (Tiger in bahasa). This cover t group paddled canoes into Singapore harbour during Japanese WWII occupation and sank thousands of tonnes of Japanese ships using limpit mines. These attacks were kept silent as they were not authorized by General MacAr thur who had command of the South West Pacific Area. As a result it is only recently as war time records have been released that the true account of this fascinating story has become known. There are several accounts and all of them are wor th reading – in our view the best of these is “Deadly Secrets” by LR Silver.
HISTORY
The shallow waters around Nikoi have meant that there are many wrecks in the surrounding waters. Probably the most famous are the Nanking and Geldermasen wrecks which were salvaged in 1984 by Michael Hatcher who reputedly raised USD18mn from the sale of the porcelain and gold ingots recovered. There is also a Liber ty ship 6km nor th of Nikoi and a cargo ship called the Igara that sank in 1973 laden with iron ore. With the price of iron ore at record levels in 2008, a successful recovery of a large por tion of the iron ore was under taken. The actor and adventurer Charley Boorman passed through Nikoi in June 2008 for his latest adventure “By Any Means” – on his way from Ireland to Sydney by as many different means of transpor t as possible – 110 different forms of transpor t – including a Holden Kingswood and several boats Nikoi helped arrange.
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
The leasehold title for Nikoi was purchased in 2004. It was uninhabited – a true deser ted island. We, the owners, are a small group of expatriates resident in Singapore who were disenchanted with the standard of holiday accommodation on offer within close range of Singapore. It was either flearidden shacks or garish marble five star hotels. Cultural sensitivity, vernacular design, privacy and simple luxuries seemed unheard of. Building began in earnest in 2005 and the first houses were opened on the nor thern beach in May 2007 and those on the southern beach in May 2009. As owners we all delight in visiting Nikoi and nothing is more pleasing than seeing others enjoy it as well. We wanted to create something that was different and would even challenge preconceived notions of a holiday in the tropics. Most impor tantly we wanted the experience to being akin to staying on a private island owned by friends. Our approach to developing the island was to make it a sustainable venture in all respects. We have deliberately tried to offer a product that is outside of the mould of the cookie-cutter hotel model. There will therefore be many things that you have come to expect at other hotels that we do not provide. The basis for deciding whether or not to include something is whether or not it is something that guests really need or have just come to expect. To us space, privacy and the natural environment are what we look for and are the simple luxuries that we have tried to provide on Nikoi. We have been thrilled at the response we have had and have some plans to develop some other islands in the area so please ask if you are interested.
LANGUAGE & CULTURE
LANGUAGE & CULTURE
LANGUAGE & CULTURE
We employ around 100 staff all but two are Indonesian. A number of our staff are based on Bintan to handle reservations, laundry and logistics so typically around 60 are based on the island at any one time. Most of our staff are from rural Indonesia (mainly Bintan or Java) and many have been involved in the project since inception. As the project has developed we have encouraged them to learn new skills so that they can continue working with us. This created a great bond and sense of trust – but as many of them have had little formal education it does however mean that many of our back of house staff speak very little English. If you encounter this they will most likely try to find a staff member that does speak English – we just ask for your patience or suggest you use some sign language. All of our staff that have roles that require them to interact with guests can speak a reasonable amount of English although some are much more confident than others. We do offer English lessons to our staff and encourage them to learn from their colleagues and have been amazed at how keen they are to learn. Please also bear in mind that their culture and religion is very different to yours so what might seem completely normal and acceptable to you might be completely foreign or even taboo to them. If you are interested to learn more or concerned about offending then by all means check with them. We endeavour to provide service that is informal and genuine and for the most par t we will leave guests to themselves. If you do want to know something or have a par ticular request then do not hesitate to ask our staff. We have not had any problems with theft but we would ask guests to be sensitive to the wealth divide and avoid providing a temptation. Safes are provided in each of the beach houses and we would encourage you to use them.
LANGUAGE & CULTURE
A few words of bahasa can make all the difference; Selamat Pagi – good morning (the locals will often just say “Pagi” as you might say “Morning” in English.) Selamat Siang or Siang – late morning to early afternoon Selamat Sore – afternoon to evening Selamat Malam – good night Terima kasih – thank you Enak sekali - delicious Baik - good or okay Sama sama – you’re welcome – literally “same same” Saya mau ini – I want this…. Apa ini - what is this? Di mana – where is Satu lagi bier – one more beer Dua lagi bier – two more beers Tiga – three, ampat – four, lima - five
SERVICE CHARGE
SERVICE CHARGE
We are legally bound to add 10% tax and 10% service charge to your bill (noted by “++”). The 10% tax is by law charged on service so this adds 21% to the bill. The service charge is distributed to our staff based on a points system with points being deducted or added according to their service. We therefore welcome guests’ feedback on the service (good or bad) – this can be done by either informing our manager or by sending us an email. We do not encourage it but if you would like to leave an additional tip for our staff or any individual staff member then our preference would be that this be given to the manager who pools them and distributes them to all staff. Either way it will not be expected and no matter how small it will be warmly appreciated. If you are interested in helping to contribute to our community development program either financially or with your time please let our manager know and he will be able to tell you more and put you in touch with those running this.
ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITIES
We have tried to offer a wide range of activities so that there is something for everyone. We do not however offer any motorised water spor ts. Most of the activities listed below are included in the daily board rate. If you are unfamiliar with any of these our staff are very happy to help give you an introduction. So if you have never been sailing before ask our staff to take you out first and show you the ropes!
ACTIVITIES
BOARD GAMES We have a small selection of board games available at the bar. BOULE We have a couple of sets for guest use. For those of you who would like to do some fitness training at the same time try playing it with coconuts great fun on the beach and good for helping tone your forearms. CHILDREN Nikoi captures children’s imagination – there are Tarzan ropes to swing on, natural rock slides, reefs to explore, trees to hide in, boulders to clamber over, and pirates treasure to search for. We have a collection of treasure boxes, pirate outfits and other costumes for your children to use. Our staff will even help them search for treasure! There is a dedicated kids club pavilion where kids can hang out. This is behind the kitchen and adjacent to the tennis cour ts. At night this is where we show kids movies. If you would like your children supervised or require a babysitter our staff are able to do this if you provide us with some advance warning. An hourly charge will apply. CROQUET We have a croquet set which is available for guest use free of charge. Just ask our staff. The croquet cour t is set up adjacent to the tennis cour t. We do not allow children to play unsupervised and any equipment damaged will be charged for. DIVING, ROCK CLIMBING AND FISHING Are all available by prior arrangement, subject to weather conditions and confirmation of requisite qualifications and or experience. Several of our staff have PADI open water qualifications and are being trained as Dive Masters. For divers we have a small collection of dive equipment that can be hired out. All divers must have a PADI open water qualification (or the equivalent). ISLANDS There are quite a number of uninhabited islands near Nikoi and if you are interested in exploring these then please enquire with our staff. Picnics can be arranged for such excursions. There will be a charge for the use of the boat.
ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITIES
KAYAKS, STAND-UP PADDLE BOARDS AND WINDSURFERS We have a number of each of these available for use free of charge. We ask that lifejackets be worn by anyone doing water spor ts. Note charges apply for the use of the advanced windsurfing boards. Our staff are happy to give you a few tips and advice or even take you out if you need help. KITE SURFING The east coast of Bintan is becoming an increasingly popular place for kite surfing. If you are interested ask our staff and they should be able to arrange lessons on Bintan or use of equipment if you are experienced. LIBRARY We have a small collection of books at the main bar so feel free to help yourself and leave behind any you do not want to take with you. MASSAGES are available by arrangement – this can be arranged on the day but best to book a day in advance if you have a specific time in mind. Shor ter and longer massages are available as are massages for children. Massages are usually given on the bale in front of each house. MOVIES We have a movie projector that we set up to show movies on a large screen in the kids club. If you or your children would be interested in watching a video please let our staff know and they will be happy to arrange it. We have a small collection of classic movies suitable for both children and adults. Pirates of the Caribbean and Ice Age are popular with kids as is Fawlty Towers with our staff!! A TV can be set up with prior notice to screen significant spor ting events on Indovision (Indonesian Satellite TV). Note the projector can only provide a good picture during the evening. MUSIC Music is available in the dining areas and main bar area. Please ask our staff if you have any par ticular requests or would like the music turned up or down. Please be sensitive to other guests’ music tastes and ambience. If you are par t of a large
ACTIVITIES
group and would like to par ty until the wee hours, we are always happy set up our sound system by the pool. We just ask that you give us some warning so we can schedule staff and set up the equipment. POOL There is a saltwater pool on the nor th eastern side of the island. Just follow the path at the back of the beach houses in a clockwise direction; this will take you through some jungle then along a raised walkway that wraps around massive granite boulders. It is about a five-minute walk. Please take with you the beach towels provided in your rooms. There are two pools, one of which is a paddling pool for infants. There is a bar serving drinks but no food. It is a stunning venue at night when lit up so if you are interested in a late night swim ask our staff to make sure the lights are on. SAILING We have three Lasers and two Nacras (catamarans). There is no charge for the use of the lasers provided they are returned intact and not damaged. A charge applies for the use of the Nacras. Our staff in the boathouse will rig the boats for you. Please note there are shallow reefs on the western side of the island so best to sail south of the island. If you are unsure do not hesitate to ask our staff. If you plan to sail around the island or out of sight please let our staff know of your plans so that they can keep an eye out for you. SNORKELING There is a pristine coral reef all around Nikoi providing some great spots to explore. The best snorkelling is on the NE (around past the pool) and SW (in front of the main bar) points of the island. The NE point is only accessible by boat and is rarely calm so there are few oppor tunities to snorkel this spot. Equipment is provided free of charge provided it is returned intact. Please visit the boat house to borrow any equipment. Visibility varies greatly throughout the year. March through to June and September through to November typically provide the best water visibility. The first quar ter and third quar ter of the lunar cycle is usually when the sea currents are at their mildest and as a result visibility is also better at these times. There is a lot of plankton in these waters and whilst this affects visibility it does mean there is an abundance of marine life.
ACTIVITIES
ACTIVITIES
TENNIS There are two natural grass tennis cour ts behind the kitchen area in the centre of the island. If you have not played on natural grass before then be prepared for a low bounce and a fast game. We rotate the cour ts so that one is in play for tennis whilst the other is used for croquet allowing it to recover. WALKS Only one third of the island has been developed so walking around the island takes you through untouched forest, mangroves and past stunning rock formations making it a rewarding experience for any one interested in nature or simply looking to burn off lunch. At high tide you may need to walk in the water for a shor t distance. There is also a walk from the pool area up and over the top of the island to the southern side. We would recommend that you apply mosquito repellent before setting off. There is a jungle trail that will take you from the pool area on the NE side of the island to the top of the island and across to the southern side where there some interesting rock formations. WINDSURFING We have 3 windsurfing boards (2 beginner boards and 1 advanced) and a variety different sized sails. Our staff at the boat house are always happy to give you a few pointers if you are new to windsurfing. Note there is a charge for the use of the advanced board and sails.
PRICES Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the main dining pavilions. Our daily board charge is S$90++ per day per adult, S$45++ per day per child (4-14 yrs old, under 4 free). Note this includes the cost of most activities on the island. Additional meals are priced as follows: dinner S$55/27++, lunch S$45/22++. Coffee and tea are available throughout the day free of charge. Coffee is a local coffee that we make using plungers. Espresso coffees are available from the bar but there is a charge for these coffees. Drinks – Beer S$8++, Softdrinks S$4++, Fresh coconut S$4++.
CONTACT US If you would like to complain, compliment or make a suggestion please email us at relax@nikoi.com. We deliberately do not provide a welcome or farewell letters when you arrive as one of our management team will have greeted you and farewelled you personally. We do have a very brief survey form that we would appreciate you completing for us. We take all feedback seriously and have already implemented many suggestions made by our guests. We do not adver tise in the press and rely on word of mouth referrals, blogs, press and hotel review websites such as Tripadvisor. If you do post a review or write a blog on Nikoi do let us know. We maintain a page on Facebook that lists upcoming events, competitions, promotions and special offers and have an annual award (free stay) for the best pictures posted on our Facebook page. In addition we send out a newsletter twice a year, email us if you would like to join our mailing list.
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