When we’re not eating and drinking our way around thebest restaurantsandbarsin Singapore, you’ll likely find the Urban Journey team whizzing to the airport to jet off for yet anotherbeachy weekend getawayor Southeast Asian city break. But sometimes we want more of the holiday and less of the, well,travel. And recently when island fever hit, we didn’t feel like taking another trip to our second home (Changi airport) so instead, we jumped on a ferry to trusty ol’ Bintan, Indonesia. For we’d caught wind that Club Med was offering a killer all-inclusive day pass to its swish resort for a mere $189. Can you say free-flow?
Getting there and back
It doesn’t get easier than a trip to Bintan; it’s a mere 50-minutes away by ferry. Upon arrival, we were picked up by a Club Med bus and whisked to the resort where we were greeted by the smiley and enthusiastic Club Med team. After a quick intro and resort briefing, we were unleashed to get the party started.
The day-pass entitles you to a full 10 hours of all-inclusive fun before being transferred back to the ferry port at 7 pm for the 8.15 pm ferry. You’ll be in SG and ready to continue the party by 9 pm!
The food and booze situation
Sometimes the promise of an all-inclusive deal can be misleading, but not at Club Med! We arrived in time for breakfast and gorged on omelettes, waffles, juice, coffee, pastries (we could go on… you get the gist). And at lunch, the feasting continued thanks to the array of cuisines available, from Western and fresh seafood, to Asian and Indian; the options were seemingly endless.
And you can let your cup runneth over when it comes to booze too! We began our day with an obligatory Bloody Mary (in the pool bar, obvs), and followed this up with multiple trips to the fresh juice bar, more cocktails, and even more beer and wine. The best part? It’s all included in the day pass price: bargain!
The fun stuff
As well as eating and drinking, there are plenty of other fun and free activities available to those visiting with a day pass. Pull up a sun lounger and relax by the pool, take a stroll along the powdery sands of the (surprisingly) beautiful beach, and take a dip in the ocean if you’re in need of a little r&r. Or, if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, get involved in a spot of water Zumba (yes, it’s a thing, and it’s surprisingly fun after a few too many Moscow Mules), yoga, table tennis, bocce, paddle boarding, kayaking, or have a bounce on the giant trampoline trapeze! There’s even a spa on site if you fancy chilling with a massage (be warned: you will pay extra for spa treatments).
The verdict?
A day-pass at Club Med is great value and great fun; we will be back!Pssssst….UJ TIP ALERT!Make sure you email the resort at the time of booking, we scored a decent discount for our large group booking.