Indonesia - Batam & Bintan

[winston]

Bintan's Treasure Bay signs on US brands, Chiva-Som

BINTAN will see the Phase 1 opening of mega integrated resort, Treasure Bay Bintan, in 4Q2014, whose pioneering development will be an adventure hotel offering guests proximity to nature.

Malaysia-based Landmarks, which also owns The Andaman in Langkawi, announced that Phase 1 is anticipated to add 1,500 room keys to the island.

Spanning 90ha, it will feature Chill Cove, which boasts the largest Crystal Lagoon in Asia, as well as entertainment areas, bars, restaurants, aquatic sports facilities, retail areas and locations for at least eight hotels.

To date, 60 per cent of these hotels have been committed to by renowned international and boutique operators.

Targeting nature and wellness visitors, Phase 1 will also include a destination health resort helmed by Canyon Ranch; a 40-hectare natural discovery centre with a mangrove enclave; river canoeing and other eco-themed activities; and a 20-hectare organic farm producing fruits and vegetables.

Phase 1 is fully planned and ready for implementation, and forms part of a 20-year master development to be rolled out in three phases, across the whole 338ha that is Treasure Bay Bintan.

In Phase 2, boutique health and wellness brand Chiva-Som will manage a resort under a new brand.

http://www.ttgasia.com/article.php?article_id=23282

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Welcome to Treasure Bay Bintan – the living destination

http://www.treasurebaybintan.com/

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Treasure Bay is a “water resort city” that is situated within the famed Lagoi area on the island of Bintan, strategically located next to Bintan Bandar Telani Ferry Terminal, the main gateway to Bintan from Singapore.

http://www.agksb.com/project/list-of-cu ... evelopment

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Forum on Bintan:-

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthrea ... 32&page=17

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Hotels in Bintan no longer accepting Singapore dollars

All transactions must be made in local currency, Indonesian hotel operators say

By Kelly Ng

SINGAPORE — Several hotels and resorts in the Indonesian island of Bintan have stopped accepting Singapore dollars since the start of this month, citing a government policy that requires all transactions to be made in the Indonesian rupiah.

Five hotel operators, including Banyan Tree Bintan and Nirwana Gardens, told TODAY that they had been told not to accept foreign currencies. Prior to this, Singapore and American dollars were allowed to be used on the island, the operators said.

The Indonesian Embassy in Singapore, however, said the rupiah-only policy is not a new one. An embassy official from its information, social and cultural department referred TODAY to a Bill passed by the Indonesian Parliament in May 2011, which requires all financial transactions within Indonesia to be made in rupiah.

An online report posted on legal firm Allen & Overy’s website said the currency law took effect on June 28 that same year, but does not apply to “transactions related to the state budget, grants given by or to a foreign state, international commercial transactions, bank deposits denominated in foreign currencies and international finance transactions”.

While it is not clear why the law is being enforced only now, a report by the Antara news agency in June this year said the Bank of Indonesia is encouraging people to use the rupiah in their transactions ahead of the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community next year.

“Bank of Indonesia has asked all entrepreneurs and the Indonesian community to use the rupiah currency in every transaction across the nation, as the bank feared that other countries will be one step ahead of Indonesia,” the central bank’s Deputy Governor Ronald Waas had been quoted as saying.

Some travel agencies in Singapore said they had not been told about the rupiah-only policy. But an Asia Travel spokesperson said the company had been told by local operators in Bintan that travellers must use only the rupiah because of a “new government policy”, although it did not receive any official notification. Several travellers described the currency restrictions as inconvenient, but added that they will not be deterred from visiting Bintan.

Communications specialist Chua Ee Ghim, 27, is concerned about carrying too much cash as the rupiah comes in far smaller denominations than Singapore dollars. “I have to be very careful in keeping my notes and ensure that shopkeepers give me the correct change,” he said.

The policy appears to have not taken effect in Batam yet. Batam is another Indonesian island popular with Singaporeans seeking short getaways.

Three resorts there told TODAY that they still accept payment in Singapore dollars. Batam was in the news last month after Indonesian immigration officials at the Batam Centre began sending ferry passengers back to Singapore for talking too loudly.

http://m.todayonline.com/singapore/hote ... re-dollars

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Indonesian eco-resort to be accessible only from Singapore

According to the developer, visitors will only be able to access the islands in Indonesian waters via a ferry service shuttling to and from HarbourFront.

By Wendy Wong

Source: CNA

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sin ... 05674.html

[winston]

Indonesian eco-resort to be accessible only from Singapore

According to the developer, visitors will only be able to access the islands in Indonesian waters via a ferry service shuttling to and from HarbourFront.

By Wendy Wong

Source: CNA

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sin ... 05674.html

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‘Funtasy Island’ resort map prompts Indonesia-Singapore spat

by Jeevan Vasagar

Singapore has been forced to clarify that it does not lay claim to a group of islands owned by Indonesia after a mistake on a holiday resort website’s map prompted an Indonesian military mission to assert sovereignty.

Pulau Manis, a cluster of six small islands 16km south of Singapore, was shaded in blue on the “Funtasy Island” map — the same colour as the city-state.

Source: FT

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/48f9f5f8-27b0 ... z4AJEkYRcX

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Jakarta Plans Tax Haven On Two Islands Near Singapore

Indonesia has earmarked two islands near Singapore as its own tax havens to prevent taxpayers from keeping their assets offshore – in Singapore, for example – a senior Cabinet minister has said.

The two islands being looked at are Bintan and Rempang, Coordinating Maritime Minister Luhut Panjaitan said on Friday, as reported by jakartaglobe.com news site.

Source: Straits Times

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Riau's BBK zone woos Singapore investors

Analysts say it has failed to attract significant investment or create employment due to a lack of infrastructure, rising labour costs and red-tape issues.

A one-stop processing centre for paperwork will iron out administrative kinks and business licence approvals for companies which fulfil mininum capacity requirements will take only three hours, when previously they could take weeks to months

Source: Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asi ... or-a-boost