Golf courses on Bintan
- Ria Bintan Golf Club 27 holes (Ocean 18 / Forest 9) · Lagoi, north of the island · Gary Player design
- Laguna Golf Bintan 18 holes / par 72 · East coast · Greg Norman design (renovated 2016)
Map of the golf courses on Bintan
Golf on Bintan
Bintan is an island in the Riau Islands province at the western edge of Indonesia. It lies southeast of Singapore, about an hour away by ferry, and the Lagoi area on the north of the island was developed jointly with Singapore into the resort district known as Bintan Resorts.
The island combines white-sand beaches, mangroves and inland forest, and the golf courses use that landscape as they found it. Holes that run up to the sea, rocky shoreline and fairways ringed by forest mean the view keeps changing within a single round.
Getting there from the airport and Singapore
The island has two gateways. The first is Raja Haji Fisabilillah Airport at Tanjung Pinang in the south; the drive from the airport to the courses in the north takes about 60 minutes. The second is Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal at Lagoi in the north, where the ferries from Singapore dock.
From the ferry terminal both courses are about 15 minutes away. If you are starting from Singapore, this side is far closer.
There are two golf courses you can play on Bintan. The number is small, but both came from designers with well-known names.
Gary Player and Greg Norman
Ria Bintan Golf Club is a Gary Player design, while Laguna Golf Bintan was laid out by Greg Norman in 1998 and then renovated by Paul Jansen between 2015 and 2016. For an area with only two courses, having both come from names of this stature is unusual.
The courses you can play on Bintan
Ria Bintan Golf ClubLagoi, north Bintan
- 27 holes (Ocean 18 holes, par 72 / Forest nine holes, par 36)
- Ocean about 6,470 m from the black tees / Forest about 2,978 m
- North Bintan · Jl. Perigi Raja, Lagoi (Bintan Resorts)
- Designed by Gary Player
The course sits within Bintan Resorts at Lagoi in the north of the island, and was designed by Gary Player.
It runs to 27 holes, the 18-hole Ocean and the nine-hole Forest, and as the names suggest the two are clearly divided in character. Ocean measures about 6,470 metres from the black tees, Forest about 2,978 metres. The combination in play varies from day to day, so please confirm when you book.
Laguna Golf BintanEast coast of Bintan
- 18 holes / par 72 · about 6,200 m (6,805 yards)
- East coast of Bintan · Bintan Resorts
- Designed by Greg Norman (1998) / renovated by Paul Jansen, 2015 to 2016
The course lies within Bintan Resorts on the east coast of the island. Greg Norman designed it in 1998, and Paul Jansen renovated it between 2015 and 2016.
It plays 18 holes at par 72 over about 6,200 metres (6,805 yards). Nearly twenty years separate the original design from the renovation, so the course you play today is Norman’s original with later hands on it.
Comparing the two courses
| Course | Area | Holes / par | What it is | Price level ※relative within Bintan |
From airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ria Bintan Golf Club | North of the island, Lagoi | 27 / 72·36 | Gary Player design. Ocean and Forest | — | About 64 min |
| Laguna Golf Bintan | East coast | 18 / 72 | Greg Norman design. Renovated 2016 | — | About 58 min |
Price level is relative within Bintan. Actual rates move with the day, the time and the season, so we do not list figures — check the price and availability for your date from the Book a tee time button on each course. A — means we could not retrieve a rate when this page was compiled.
Times from the airport are measured from Raja Haji Fisabilillah Airport with clear traffic. If you arrive by ferry from Singapore, both courses are about 15 minutes from Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal.
How to choose
By the number of holes
Ria Bintan Golf Club has 27 holes, and the views on Ocean and Forest are clearly distinct. Choose it if you are playing on consecutive days or would rather not repeat the same course. If a single round is enough, the 18-hole Laguna Golf Bintan is the more straightforward option.
By the designer
For Gary Player, the answer is Ria Bintan Golf Club; for Greg Norman, Laguna Golf Bintan. On an island with only two courses, the work of both these figures is present.
Frequently asked questions about golf on Bintan
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Which golf course on Bintan would you recommend?
If design and variety matter most to you, start with Ria Bintan Golf Club. Laid out by Gary Player, it runs to 27 holes: the Ocean course over 18 holes (par 72, about 6,470 metres from the black tees) and the Forest course over nine (par 36, about 2,978 metres), so you get two quite different characters, seaside and woodland, in one place. The other course, Laguna Golf Bintan, was designed by Greg Norman in 1998 and renovated by Paul Jansen between 2015 and 2016. It is 18 holes at par 72 and about 6,200 metres long, which suits you if you want to finish in a single round or prefer a modern post-renovation layout.
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How many golf courses are there on Bintan?
Two: Ria Bintan Golf Club and Laguna Golf Bintan. Both lie within Bintan Resorts, which stretches from the north of the island round to the east.
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How much does it cost to play golf on Bintan?
Rates change with the course, the day, the time and the season, so we do not publish fixed figures here. Check the price and availability for the date you plan to play from the Book a tee time button on each course.
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How do I get from Singapore to the golf courses on Bintan?
A ferry from Singapore takes about an hour and arrives at Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal in Lagoi, on the north of the island. From there both courses are about 15 minutes away. Coming instead from Raja Haji Fisabilillah Airport at Tanjung Pinang in the south takes about 60 minutes, so if you are starting from Singapore the ferry gets you there sooner.
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Is there a 27-hole course?
Yes, Ria Bintan Golf Club, which is made up of the 18-hole Ocean course and the nine-hole Forest course. Ocean is par 72 and measures about 6,470 metres from the black tees, while Forest is par 36 at about 2,978 metres. The combination in play varies from day to day, so please confirm when you book.
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Who designed the two courses?
Ria Bintan Golf Club is a Gary Player design, while Laguna Golf Bintan was laid out by Greg Norman in 1998 and later renovated by Paul Jansen between 2015 and 2016. For an area with only two courses, having both come from names of this stature is unusual.
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Can visitors and non-members play on Bintan?
Yes. Both courses sit within the Bintan Resorts area and accept players from outside the membership through a tee time booking. Weekend morning slots tend to fill first because many groups come over from Singapore, so it is worth booking early.
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When is the best time to play golf on Bintan?
Bintan lies close to the equator and has no clearly defined dry season. Rain tends to arrive as a short, heavy squall in the afternoon or early evening. What matters more than the season, then, is whether you can secure a morning tee time.
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Is Bintan suitable for beginners?
Yes. If you would prefer a lighter round, the Forest course at Ria Bintan Golf Club is only nine holes at par 36 and about 2,978 metres, so it can be finished in a short time. Heat and humidity drain you faster than in a temperate climate, so carry plenty of water.
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Where should I stay if golf is the focus?
The Lagoi area on the north of the island is the most practical base. Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal is there, and both courses are about 15 minutes from the terminal, which keeps travel on playing days short.
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Can I combine Bintan with other golf destinations nearby?
Yes. Batam, also in the Riau Islands province, has six golf courses, and Singapore is only about an hour away by ferry from Bintan. Building a single trip around these islands is a common pattern.