Bintan Angsana - Day 3 (1 Nov 2008)

I still woke up early around 4+am (SGP time) as it was raining really heavily. But by the time I really crawled out of bed, it was around 7am Singapore time. That was still before breakfast was served. I decided to just go for a long and slow breakfast, as it was still drizzling a little. My first breakfast plate. Much more food than the previous day. I had orange juice and coffee all ready for a hearty meal.

Pad thai was not nice at all. I prefer the previous day mee goreng. Chicken sausage was nice, as were the potatoes wedges. Omelette was not bad but not fluffy soft.

I also decided to try some cheeses and cold cut and a bit of kim chi which actually went better with rice.

Spicy and sour noodle soup which was supposed to be tom yam but was more watery. So not nice at all. I only had the fish balls (half size) which was nice.

Beef congee which was bland. You had to add the soya sauce for flavor.

The bread which totally filled me up. The banana chocolate brioche was very nice. The croissant was not as crispy soft as the previous day and the lychee danish was not too bad.

All these food was enough to sustain me through lunch time. It was about 6 hours later before my next meal :)

Binty the tortoise which was like the mascat for Angsana?

The pond with lilies and lily pads. No frogs but lots of fishes in there. You cross the pond to get to the pool and beach.

The Fisherman Table which is actually a place for you to dine. We didn't dine there as I didn't want to be food for the mozzies and sandflies. But it is pretty neat to have the chairs like that. Reminded me of My Humble House where the chairs had long tassels behind.

More fishes. Because of the rain, the water didn't look as clear as before or it just was not bright enough.

Back to Banyan Tree side where the boardwalk is. Rocks everywhere. Be careful where you step. I regret dumping away my reef shoes in Cairns now. That was so useful for walking on the rocky beach.

Rocks with Angsana beach in the background. So idyllic. Island life is totally relaxing.

There are wash areas heading towards the resort from the beach. That was quite thoughtful with its supply of cloths and soap to clean up yourself.

Another view of the resort from the poolside. Yellow umbrellas for shade. Coconut trees all around. Oh, we also saw a huge iguana below the wooden deck. That was exciting :p

We managed to get a late check out at 2pm and so we had about an hour at the factory outlet which was next to the ferry terminal. It was very warm inside the outlet as they used fans for ventilation. I saw clothes from Fox, Abercombie, Banana Republic, Guess, Victoria's Secrets, Old Navy, Express and other brands. Surprisingly I didn't buy anything at all. Lol. Being a good girl :) But tops were going for about S$5 to S$10 and dresses from S$15 or so. Pretty cheap. I was really surprised to see Fox.

Do not buy ice cream from the ferry terminal. It was about $6 for a small cup of Haagen-Dazs ice cream. On board the ferry, Walls' cornetto was about $2 or so. Much more reasonable. To me, ice cream should be just $2-$4 as it is a fun holiday snack treat.

The end of my short getaway. It was so relaxing that now I still slept early and woke up around 7am.

Bintan Angsana - Day 2 (31 Oct 2008) - Pasar Oleh Oleh

Bintan is actually quite a big island and much of it is undeveloped. You see lots of trees when you get out of the resort areas. You also see many power lines too. The nearest "town" is Pasar Oleh Oleh which is essentially a place for tourists living in the resorts. It was the first time I went there as usually I only remained in the resort compound.

The entrance of Pasar Oleh Oleh, which consists of close to 30 stores and restaurants, welcoming visitors. The food is definitely cheaper than in the resorts but other than the cheaper food, there is nothing else to do. There are a couple of spas/salons offering massages, hair stuff and facials at a lower rate but I am not sure of the quality and the ambience is definitely not there.

It is not the typical street market where locals actually buy things from. Instead it was so quiet that there was hardly any activities or life at all. You could buy souvenirs and trinkets for keepsake too.

The "center" of the market. Maybe there will be more people in the evening when people want to have cheaper eat? The shuttle costs $6 return. The ticket is valid for multiple trips for the day though the bus driver will ask to keep the ticket. You just have to tell them you are making multiple trips.

Some restaurants offer free shuttle pick-up if you are going to dine there. Or they also do food delivery for a certain fee. Unfortunately this information is not available in the resorts. I guess it will come from experience. M ordered the hor fun which was not too bad. The restaurant was run by a Chinese Indonesian who was from Tanjong Pinang.

I was craving for nasi goreng. This had more ketchup taste which I did not fancy. The nasi goreng over at Angsana was way better. But at the price (S$3.50 compared to US$10.50) I can't complain too much.

V ordered the fried chicken. I didn't try it but it looked real dry.

I think this is Pasar Oleh Oleh (POO) mascot or something. This was just outside the tourist information booth where you pay for your shuttle ticket.

Goodbye, Pasar Oleh Oleh. Across the road, there is a new market place too with much more authentic Indonesian food and a much better looking spa. The F&B at POO was more fusion with Western, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Indonesian dishes.

We bought dinner from an Indonesian restaurant across the road and it was good. Sop ayam, gado gado, some rice with tempeh, fried chicken, fried beef, egg and rojak for 3 of us. Nice.

Bintan Angsana - Day 2 (31 Oct 2008) AM

Day 2 of Bintan trip started bright and early, especially since I actually fell asleep by 930pm (Singapore time - 1030pm) So naturally I woke up close to 6am, even before the restaurant opened for breakfast. Being on the ground floor meant that I could actually come in and out via the balcony door and we were pretty close to the restaurant and pool, so I could see the crowd situation. Morning view from the balcony. The sun rose around 6am, I took this around 7am, so I miss the sunrise shot. Pity. It sure looked very lush with the greenery.

Breakfast. I dined alone as I wanted to hit the pool after breakfast and I had nothing to do in the room. The others joined me later. There were not many people at 7ish am. Guess they were all sleeping in. When you sat down, the waiter would place the napkin over your lap for you. Your order of tea or coffee would be in its own carafe so that the beverage will still be warm when you pour it. The wait staff would also come round and top up your cup with tea/coffee.

There were always 8 jugs of drinks to choose from. Besides the usual iced water and orange juice, there were pineapple & honeydew, celery cucumber, carrot something, pink guava, watermelon and something else.

I liked the breakfast - mee goreng was good. Pineapple fried rice was not bad. Beef sausage and bacon were the usual fare. I should have gone for seconds :P

I only had the croissant which was heated up under a lamp so you did not have to put it through the bread grill (which also got stuck in most hotels). I loved the variety of jams available too. I picked strawberry, peanut butter, pineapple & black pepper and dark cherry. There were 8 choices too.

It was quite a good spread with cold dishes like salad, yoghurt, fruits, cold cuts, cheeses, noodle station, congee, pancakes, egg station (which was not indicated), danishes, muffins and even steamed buns and different types of bread (brioche, rye, wheat, white...) besides the warn dishes.

I loved this view of the beach with the sundeck loungers and attap roof shelters. I only stayed by the pool and didn't grab the lounger by the beach. Maybe next time :)

Banyan Tree side of beach, which was just next to Angsana. A signboard for the wooden boardwalk which basically said it was walked at your own risk. There were more rocks on Banyan Tree side.

View of Banyan Tree section of beach. The clear water was amazing.

Another view of the South China Sea. Blue sky, crystal clear water. Rocks. What is not to love about this little part of the world?

Waves pulling away. The sand was soft and fine. Either the workers were very diligent in clearing the debris or the guests were equally good in not littering. But the beach was just very pristine and welcoming. It could be because it was a private beach.

Another view of the sea.

It was a sunny day. The sun reflecting on the water created the sparkles in the water and that actually helped to camoflague the fishes which swam up to shore. I could barely see the screen on my camera when I took these pics due to the bright sunlight.

Pretty, isn't it?

Postcard view of the swimming pool. So yes, the picture in Angsana website is actually true. Lol. The section nearer was the baby pool, middle part was the usual and at the end was the jacuzzi area.

Suntanning the toes :p On the right side were the jacuzzis. There were 6 sections for the jets. Pretty good for groups or couples.

Dragonfly on the wall at the patio. I didn't really walk the grounds of Angsana at all. Basically I hung out by the pool and main buildings :)

Bintan Angsana - Day 1 (30 Oct 2008)

The ferry to Bintan was at 2pm and that gave us enough time for lunch. I decided to have the laksa and iced coffee from Killiney Kopitiam. Much as I like the kaya butter toast, I didn't think it would be that substantial :p The Kopitiam also served chicken rice, mee rebus, mee siam, nasi lemak (sold out), mee goreng and other noodles dishes.

The laksa was not too bad but definitely not as lemak or as good as at Sheraton Towers. I missed the cockles in laksa. A bit plain with just taupok and fishcake and regular egg.

It has been some years since I last boarded the ferry from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and I was a bit impressed with the new boarding pass. It is a card with your details on it. That is pretty cool! We also did the self-immigration thing where you scanned your passport and then thumbprint. I am undecided if I like that as sometimes it seemed to take longer than going to a ICA officer for immigration.

The garuda. I didn't realize it means eagle which is also the national bird of Indonesia. Hmmm....something in common with the USA then.

I didn't really take much pictures the first day when we got to Angsana Resort. Basically I hit the pool which was gorgeous. It seemed small but it was actually a decent size. One end is the baby pool and the other end is the jacuzzi area. 6 little acloves which can seat 4-8 persons. I was short enough to even stretch my legs out on the shorter end :p

Dinner was at Lotus Cafe (also where breakfast was served) which was casual dining. Though the prices were in USD, it was actually not too bad. Definitely not as bad as I always thought. Not exorbitant at all. Local food or pizza were around US$10-US$12. Appy around US$4-$8. Western mains from US$18 or so. It was pretty much the amount you pay in the States/Canada.

I ordered the butter chicken dish which was not very good. The chicken pieces were not as tender as those found in Indian restaurants in Singapore. Plus it didn't really taste that buttery. Then I realized maybe I should have pour in the clarified butter in the side dish :p The rice was a bit lemak and definitely not rice pilaf as described in the menu. The naan was more like pita bread. I only like the yoghurt and chutney.

Nasi Goreng which Mom ordered. This was the best dish! The fried rice was so fragrant and full of flavor. It came with keropok (very nice and crispy), chicken (tender), achar (didn't try), fried egg (didn't try) and satay (didn't try). The rice itself was already amazing.

V ordered the fried fish fillet which came with a side of kangkong and steamed jasmine rice. The fish was not deep fried enough to achieve the crispiness. Plus it was a bit rubbery with a bit of fishy smell. Not that great but probably better than my butter chicken :p

Total bill came to US$39.30 or so for the 3 dishes. Service was impeccable with the staff coming over to top up the water glass and checking if everything was to our satisfaction.

We were given the cold towel to refresh ourselves or to wipe our hands after applying the insect repellent. The sachets were available everywhere as there were lots of mozzies in the resort and sandflies in the beach area. The room also had incense stick and essential oil burner to repel the mozzies/insects. An electric burner was also in the room to be used.

Our room keys. I love the starfish keychain. As we were on the first level, we found out one of the keys could be used for the balcony/patio door. And our room was just steps away from the Lotus Cafe and pool. Very convenient to get around.

Short Getaway to Bintan (Angsana Resort & Spa)

A video on the short getaway to Angsana Resort & Spa in Bintan.

OPI Suzi Loves Sydney

I don't really go for manicure as I tend to chip it really fast. So I prefer to go for pedicure instead. I do like this color as it is a shimmery dark berry which is lovely for Winter.

Ramen Santouka @ Central

After wandering around Level 3 of Central trying to find Ramen Santouka, I finally found it tucked away in a corner on Level 2. It is near the escalators facing Billy Bombers and directly below Ma Maison which faces the Singapore River/Clarke Quay. On a public holiday close to 1pm, it was the only eatery which had lots of people waiting for a table. Surprisingly there was no queue over at Marutama at all.

We were told it would be a 20 to 30mins wait but it turned out to be just 10mins, probably because it was only for 2 persons. They do not take down your number (unlike other establishments) so you do have to wait there patiently for a table.
We decided to share some side dishes besides the ramen. We had the miso ramen which came with a few slices of pork (don't really know which cut they are :p) and bamboo shoots, fish cake. I have read that the soup was really salty and was mentally prepared for it. I guess miso was not too bad as I could still take it and I am the type who do not cook with salt at all :p There was a jug of water on the table for you to refill the water glass. The noodles were pretty ok. The small bowl was deceptively deep as it seemed to contain a never ending supply of noodles. I didn't finish it at all. But I think I prefer Marutama ramen.

I also prefer Marutama stewed egg as the version here was not as flavorful and the yolk was not as runny as over at Marutama. We ordered the famous Tokusen Toroniku (choice pork - the pork cheeks) where only 60 portions were served per day. It was a bit salty and soft. I would not really say it was melt in your mouth tender but definitely not dry or tough at all. The Char Siu could be better though. Again, Marutama grilled char siu was so much better and definitely melt in your mouth.

Overall, I think I prefer Marutama Ramen :)

Location

Ramen Santouka

6 Eu Tong Sen St

#02-76, The Central

Tel: +6 6224 0668

Red Flower Candles from DFS

I just discovered The Wellness Section over at DFS. It is a small counter near the entrance and it stocks products relating to body stuff, essential oils, CDs, candles and teas. Now I know where I can go when I want some nice candles to burn. I bought a set of 3 candles from Red Flower as it worked out to be slightly cheaper than if I get them individually.

Himalayan Larch (fir forest fir), French Lavender (soothing lavender scent) and Italian blood orange (citrus sweet scent). I love how it came with its own little book of matches too.

This is the mini candle which is only 1.5oz (12-15 burn hours). See how it is about the size of my thumb. Fantastic for travel.

I googled more and found out Red Flower is from New York and is also available from Beautyhabit. But the pricing in Singapore is already pretty good. The mini candle is S$19 and US$12. The big candle is 6oz (45-50 burn hours) and is topped with dried petals which you can put into a sachet and scent your drawers or something.

There are so many other brands of candles available at The Wellness Section at DFS. Good to explore :)

Angsana Spa @ Bintan

I was away the last few days and had an awesome time over at the Angsana Resort & Spa in Bintan. I never thought it would be fantastic as I have been to Bintan before (stayed at different resorts) and was not too impressed.

Angsana Resort & Spa was a whole new kettle of fish. The Angsana Spa was simply the best spa (at moment) which I have ever experienced.

The treatment rooms of Angsana Spa on Level 2 in another wing off the Lotus Cafe. It probably depends on your treatment on which rooms you will be given. These face the beach area so you could see the sea, beach and trees.

The view from my room after my treatment ended around 7pm. It started getting dark after 6pm. I could see bits of the azure blue sea and beach and lots of coconut trees when I went in around 450pm for my treatment. Should have taken pic then.

One side of the room. Yes, it is open-air. Initially I thought it was glass windows as it was pretty cool then. Instead the ceiling fan was turned on, cooling the room. You are "outdoor" and yet indoor at the same time.

The spa treatment room. I love how they spilt the room into two. After the treatment, you are given 30mins calm time to relax and absorb the bone-melting after effect of the massage. The fantastic view (in daylight) would prolong the effect too. The massage beds are on the other side.

The outdoor shower area where the water gushes from the bamboo tube. Nice experience.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Review of Duet for the Lady Treatment (US$110++ / 150 mins session)
Adorn your body with flowers for a memorable start to this Duet. The Flower Petal body polish is a natural, purifying scrub, followed by a warm body lotion that is smoothly absorbed into skin. Finally, a soothing massage releases tension in face muscles, improving blood circulation and complexion.

30-min Flower Petal body polish • 60-minute conditioning massage • 30-minute face massage
(Description taken from website)

It is best to book your treatment either before you went to the resort (they do reply to your email enquiry within 24 hours) or once you arrive for the time slot you prefer. Do arrive 15 minutes before the treatment time as recommended so that you can get the best out of it.

Upon arrival, the receptionist will re-confirm your treatment and ask about my face skin type (as I have the facial massage) so that they can use the appropriate oil/ingredients. I was given a glass of cold sweet lemon drink which was refreshing while waiting for them to prepare the room. There is a small gallery (or gift shop) where you can browse while waiting. Or you can read a mag by the sofa.

Shortly after, I was introduced to my therapist (Sari) who took me to the treatment room. I was asked if I need to go to the bathroom first. She would wait just outside before continuing on. There were a few rooms on the landing of the 2nd level and many rooms outside. Each room has its own name. Mine was Melati. It was like a labyrinth of stone slabs walkway to get to the room.

I was asked to take a seat by the wooden lounge chair while she prepared a foot bath. The view was breathtaking with the sea peeking through the trees. I could sit there all day with a book. Lol. Sari introduced herself and asked for my name (she would addressed you as Ms xxx for the rest of the treatment). Then she asked me to soak my feet into the basin and explained all the ingredients which would be used for the treatment.

She spoke good English and you could tell she was reciting from memory the ingredients used and the benefits. I was just happy that at least Angsana Spa has trained the staff to be hospitable, polite and equipped with the knowledge of what they are doing. Obviously I don't remember all the ingredients which went into the treatment. Hahaha. It was nicely presented. The ingredients to be used in its treatment had its own dish. Real flower petals were laid out in a circular manner with the yoghurt and rice flour(?) in the center. You could smell them too. Sari would bring each bowl up for you to smell. The oils were good too. Maybe you were to smell them so you know they were not very diluted or cheap quality ingredients which were used in so many other spas.

There was a small changing room in one corner and you were given a sarong to wrap around to get to the massage bed. I liked how they use sarong to cover you instead of the usual towels in Singapore spas. Sometimes the towels felt damp in those spas and you wondered if they were fresh but the dark damp rooms made them damp or they were simply re-used. The sarong cloth used at Angsana Spa was cool and non-scratchy.

Before the treatment, Sari already asked about the pressure I preferred and if there were any areas I would like to be concentrated on. When the treatment started, she re-checked that the pressure were fine and then left me to just enjoy it.

The body polish was wonderful. She sprinkled the petals on my back which felt like fluttering little kisses. It was a bit ticklish initially but after a while it was soothing. When it was over, she asked if I would like the shower to be warm or room temperature. Wow! She even had the shower running with the preferred temperature so that I could just nip into the shower room without any shock.

My skin felt so soft and smooth as if I had bathed in milk when I showered off the residue. That was definitely a "MUST TRY" treatment. Just found out this would only be available as part of the "Essence of Angsana" treatment, so you cannot just have that on its own.

Flower Petal - For dry/all skin types

Angsana’’s signature flower power treatment is a magical, purifying treat for all the senses. A natural scrub made from soothing almond meal, cucumber juice, milk and honey is applied, followed by a sprinkling of sweet, fragrant flowers that impart natural essence to your skin.


I must have showered too quickly (though I thought I was already in there for quite some time) as Sari was still clearing up. On to the 2nd part of the package.

The massage was really really good. It was meant to be soothing massage and so even though she was firm in pressure, it was never painful. I actually dozed off several times during the massage. She really did the entire body, including the feet (which was heavenly). She would ask if you want to cover your eyes (I did that for the body polish but not the massage as it was getting dark by then) - and they would be covered by lavender scented eye pillow.

The facial massage was good (I think - I don't recall much now maybe I did sleep during the treatment) and included a bit of back massage when they slid their hands underneath the shoulder blades and pushed up like in a facial. She also cleansed the face before massaging which was a nice touch.

After the treatment, she would wipe off the oil. You would know the treatment ended when you hear the gong went off 3x. That was Angsana Spa way of letting customers know the treatment has ended. It was probably a less intrusive way of waking your conscious if you have fallen asleep. And they do not have to tap your shoulder or whisper or shout for you to wake up. This was communicated before the treatment started so you know what it meant.

The only time Sari left the room was after the treatment when she went to get the tea for calm time. After 2 hours, I needed to use the bathroom and had to wait for a while outside for someone to take me there. There were no signages to guide. Luckily there were other staff around to take me there and they waited for me so they could take me back to the room.

The tea and a piece of cinnamon carrot cake (nust be low fat and low sugar as it was a bit tasteless and not sweet at all. Lol) were placed in a tray for me to consume. A comment card was also given for feedback. All in all, it was really money well spent for a fabulous treatment. I would book for 4pm next time so that the treatment will end in time for sunset.

After Angsana Spa, I would say the spas in Singapore cannot hold a candle to that. Spa Botanica, Asian Spa in Fullerton Hotel (which I thought was pretty good already), Aspara and the various hotel spas (e.g. Wellness Village in Pan Pacific, Retreat Spa at Hyatt (now it is a new spa) and Marriott, Amrita Spa at Raffles the Plaza previously, St. Gregory Spa) and others just do not come up to scratch at all.

I think besides the therapists, the training and entire concept of service are equally important. The view/ambience just completes the experience. Unfortunately it is not happening for Singapore at all.

Idyllic Singapore River

I was at Boat Quay on a Sunday afternoon and this picture greeted me. Who could have thought you could actually find slices of peace in busy bustling Singapore. The flock of pigeons in front of the guy so reminded me of scenes of New York City or in Canada. It is a common sight in Toronto or even in Australia where birds just fluttered around, pecking and looking for food. I wonder if that guy is feeding the birds.

And this - people setting up easel stands and painting the landscape and buildings. How European is that?

If you click on the pic, you can see the guy's painting and it looked pretty good :) The 2 ladies do not seeemd to be local? But it is nice. I always like to go to the CBD area on weekend afternoons as it is usually quieter and you can appreciate the quiet beauty of our city.