Introduction

I moved to Singapore with my husband Rich two years ago. Having moved from Luxembourg, the picturesque, quaint, quiet country bordering France, Germany and Belgium, I was thrown into a cosmopolitan, modern and ever expanding city. It couldn't have been more different from the old cobbled streets of Luxembourg city where we would visit the local market on Saturday mornings and sip coffee in the main square. Since that day I have used every opportunity to explore the exotic, beautiful and diverse countryside and cities of Asia.
Before moving to Asia, I had visited Singapore only once on my way to Australia. Marina Bay Sands was yet to exist and Sentosa island was still being transformed into the theme park island it is today. Most travelers visiting Singapore are on their way to somewhere else. This is a shame, as Singapore has much to offer as a tourist; from the boutique shops in Haji Lane, colonial charm of Raffles Hotel and bright lights of Marina Bay Sands. That said, Singapore is in a perfect location to explore the region and discover what Asia has to offer. Changi Airport is one of the most efficient airports in the world, taking you to multiple destinations within a three hour flight. The only question was where to go first.
Our first destination was Bintan in Indonesia. Our friend Caroline was visiting from Luxembourg for the week and we spontaneously decided to take her to Bintan for the day in search of a white sandy beach. We were not disappointed in what we found. We booked ourselves onto the first ferry leaving from Changi Port and arrived in Bintan Indonesia 45 minutes later. The ferry ride took us past the oil tankers moored off Singapore's shore. The sea was littered with oil

tankers as far as the eye could see. It was incredible to see the ships up close as we weaved our way past them. After paying our visa entry fee we went through customs and were greeted by a sea of taxi drivers offering to take us to their resort or beach. We stumbled across a travel shop which was selling accommodation at the Banyan Tree resort. After a bit of negotiating we agreed to pay for a massage and in return we were allowed to use the resorts facilities for the day. The Banyan Tree Resort was only a short drive away and we were greeted by the friendly staff with a delicious welcome drink. The resort was set in stunning grounds, surrounded by a lush green golf course on one side and the ocean on the other. The resort had a huge private beach with beautiful white sand. We spent the day sunbathing, having a massage and eating in the hotels restaurants. The food was delicious. serving a selection of traditional Asian dishes. We ate overlooking the sea before being dropped back off at the ferry port to catch the last ferry back to Singapore. We were not the only ones

traveling back to Singapore and I could see why so many people would choose to come to this tropical island for a day trip. It was an unexpected gem and I would definitely recommend anyone to spend the day there as long as you have a spare page in your passport and you don't mind arriving back in Singapore late on a Sunday evening.