Aik Cheong Cappuccino

For those who don't like the coffee to be too sweet, try this instant Cappuccino from Aik Cheong. I would consider it has the right mixture. Of course, you can't compare this with immediately brewed coffee make into cappuccino. Nevertheless, it is acceptable as an instant cappuccino.

Aik Cheong Cappuccino

Gold Kili Instant Double Shot White Coffee

I quite like this coffee. Firstly is the double shot wording on the sachet. You get that coffee taste yet it doesn't give you that strong left over smell like "Alicafe". Usually if you get a white coffee instant coffee, it is rather too sweet. But I consider this has the right mix of sugar, not sweet for my taste. In addition inulin is added which may be good to certain extend, one should still consider the side effects of inulin.

Gold Kili Instant Double Shot White Coffee

Kim Guan Guan Kopi O

This can replace the general Kopi-O from the locate coffee shop. This 2-in-1 instant coffee tastes about the same as those standard coffee you can get from the coffee shop. You can store some at home, so that the next time you feel like having a cup of Kopi-O, just reach for this instant coffee.

Kim Guan Guan Kopi O

Hard Rock and Planet Hollywood Wine Glass

I have long forgotten the aim of collecting the wine glass from Hard Rock Cafe of different countries, until I went to Macau Hard Rock Hotel. I should start to collect them once again. So far my collections are from Amsterdam, Paris, Heidelberg, Tokyo, Surfers Paradise and Macau.

Hard Rock Wine Glass

Another collection range is from Planet Hollywood, currently from Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong and Amsterdam.

Planet Hollywood Wine Glass

Gold Roast 2-in-1 White Coffee

Sometime I find that going for 2-in-1 may be a better choice than 3-in-1. Without the sugar, it seems to taste much better and a sip of it seems to perk you up. Coffee portion is not strong. But one can't expect too much from instant coffee.

Gold Roast 2-in-1 White Cofee

Moccona 3-in-1

No idea where they are from and whether you can get it in locate supermarket. So far I have not seen this brand in the market. The one in yellow packaging caught my attention first. Saw the word "Gold", thought it should be the best among these three. I am wrong. After trying all three, the one I liked best is the "Original" favour, with stronger taste of the coffee portion.

All three, tasted average. Yet there will always be lover of different portion mix of the sugar, cream and coffee. So which one will be your choice?

Moccona 3-in-1 Gold

Moccona 3-in-1 Espresso

Moccona 3-in-1 Original

Birdy 3-in-1 Robusta

Thought this will be a robust coffee, but just taste like normal 3-in-1 instant coffee or we called it "kopi po" (coffee light + sugar + cream). Light coffee drinker can go for this.

Birdy 3-in-1 Robusta

Ah Huat White Coffee

Tonight was desperate for a cup of coffee. In this instant society, coffee will be instant too. There are always new choices in the basket of instant coffee. This round I saw an interesting cute old man on a small appealing packaging. I picked that up, poured boiling water into the cup and soon a cup of hot aromatic coffee was waiting for the taster.

Not very strong, nevertheless it still left behind the taste of coffee in your mouth. Tasted about the same as other brands of white coffee in the market. Not very sweet but felt that the cream portion was more than the sugar portion. Average coffee drinker can try this, at least it doesn't leave behind a strong smell (when you release it later) compare to Alicafe.

Ah Huat White Coffee

Bintan, Indonesia (Part 4 of 4)

The most difficult part of organising a free and easy trip is to arrange the activities into the timing slot to fully utilise the days one have and to accomplish as much as possible. There is no perfect itinerary, as it all depends on the pace of individual, the size of the group, the age group and what type of trip one would like to have. Having a feel of what others have in the itinerary does give you a gauge how much time is spend for a particular activities and it helps to plan or organise your own itinerary better.

3D2N Bintan, Indonesia Itinerary

Day 1

Morning

• 07:30 (GMT+8): Check-in at Tenah Merah Ferry Terminal (TMFT)
• 09:05 (GMT+7): Arrive at Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal (BBTFT)
• 09:30 (GMT+7): Check-in at Nirwana Resort Hotel
• 10:00 (GMT+7): Booking of Mangrove Day Tour, with complimentary Mangrove Night Tour
• 10:30 (GMT+7): Resort Centre (touring, shopping, lunch)

Afternoon

• 14:30 (GMT+7): Pick up to BRC Tour
• 15:00 (GMT+7): Mangrove Day Tour
• 16:15 (GMT+7): Pasar Oleh Oleh and Kampoeng Lagoi (touring, shopping)

Night

• 17:30 (GMT+7): Dinner at Kampoeng Lagoi
• 19:30 (GMT+7): Mangrove Night Tour (fireflies)
• 20:30 (GMT+7): Pick up to hotel
• 21:30 (GMT+7): The Pub (drink)

Day 2

Morning

• 09:00 (GMT+7): Buffet breakfast at Coffee Shop
• 10:30 (GMT+7): Touring the resort, visit Mini Zoo, Swimming

Afternoon

• 13:00 (GMT+7): Lunch at Pool Side Restaurant
• 14:15 (GMT+7): Touring the resort
• 15:00 (GMT+7): Room massage
• 16:00 (GMT+7): Wash up and get ready for dinner

Night

• 17:35 (GMT+7): Dinner at Kelong Restaurnat
• 20:30 (GMT+7): Bowling at Resort Centre
• 21:30 (GMT+7): Shopping at Resort

Day 3

Morning

• 08:00 (GMT+7): Buffet breakfast at Coffee Shop
• 09:30 (GMT+7): Action ATV Adventure
• 11:00 (GMT+7): Wash up and get ready for hotel check-out

Afternoon

• 12:00 (GMT+7): Hotel check-out and collect boarding pass
• 12:30 (GMT+7): Lunch at Makan Makan Foodcourt
• 14:15 (GMT+7): Land transfer to BBTFT
• 15:35 (GMT+7): Depart for TMFT
• 17:35 (GMT+8): Arrive at TMFT

Bintan, Indonesia (Part 3 of 4)

We were in for ladies luck. We came on the day where there was a promotion of the Mangrove Day Tour which came with complimentary Night Tour (firefiles). Hence we save around SGD 30 plus. I personally felt that the Mangrove Day Tour will be more value for money compare to the Mangrove Night Tour. If you manage to get hold of any good deal promotion, then you should visit both the Day and the Night Tours. If luck is on your side, then you will be able to see the animals that live around the mangrove. We were only fortunate enough to see a few snakes up in the trees and lizards. (Please refer to the Mangrove Map)

Mangrove Day Tour

After the 3pm Mangrove Day Tour, we were back to Pasar Oleh Oleh and Kampoeng Lagoi Leisure Village. We decided to stay put here until the Mangrove Night Tour. We spent our times by taking photos, shopping and having dinner. It was like a ghost town, with little tourists. Wonder was it because it was a weekday and off-peak season, hence there weren't much people. Seems like we were the only people around.

Pasar Oleh-Oleh, a souvenir gift market and shopping village set up to promote Indonesian culture, arts and crafts is located in the Township. There is a whole array of Indonesian gifts, cultural artefacts, Indonesian batik wear, beach wear, fashion and local cuisine. There are three restaurants providing drinks and a variety of local and western dishes as well as two mini marts selling a wide range of necessities and local delicacies. Aura Spa and Kintamani Spa also offer services at local prices.

Pasar Oleh Oleh

Aroma Day Spa is located in the pleasant environment of Kampoeng Lagoi Leisure Village, just opposite Pasar Oleh Oleh. It has a variety of spa packages that bundle 2-way land transfer from the hotel to the spa. This will help you to save the SGD5 unlimited bus ride to Pasar Oleh Oleh and Kampoeng Lagoi.

If you like to have some drink, you can try Cafe Tampo. It is open daily from 4 pm to 1 am. It has a wine bar and equipped with sports TV and free WIFI.

Kampoeng Lagoi Leisure Village

Makan Makan Foodcourt at Resort Centre where we had 2 of of lunch here to save some cost so that we can spend on the activities. It is open at 12pm on weekdays and 11pm on weekends. The food is quite nice and acceptable, with reasonable price.

Makan Makan Foodcourt

Lunch at Makan Makan Foodcourt

We had dinner at Bumba Indonesia Restaurant at Kampoeng lagoi, and we were the only customers that evening. The lunch from foodcourt tasted much better. If not for the satay and avocado drink, I will blacklist this dining place. May be the food at Pasar Oleh Oleh will taste better. If you don't try, you will never know.

Lunch at Bumba Indonesia Restaurant

Glad that we had one of the lunch at Pool Side Restaurant to try out the food prepared by different restaurant. I liked the Korean food that I shared with my friends. It came with side dishes and by adding another dish of vegetables and 2 bowls of plain rice, the portion was just right for 2 ladies sharing the food.

Pool Side Restaurant

Lunch at Pool Side Restaurant

How can one leave this place without having a meal at the Kelong Restaurant. So far this is the best dinner we had. The food are tasty and well-cooked. Do not worry about how to get there, the hotel provides shuttle bus to bring you to and back.

Kelong Restaurant

Dinner at Kelong Restaurant