A Guide to the Riau Islands: Batam, Bintan and Secluded Sugi

The Riau Islands are the Indonesian province on Singapore's doorstep, sharing a sea border with it. Batam and Bintan are the islands near Singapore most people know. But the province runs far beyond them, from busy ferry towns an hour away to secluded islands and remote groups that need a separate trip. This guide sorts the main island groups by how you reach them from Singapore and what people go for, so you can match an island to the trip you actually want.

What are the Riau Islands?

The Riau Islands are a province of Indonesia. The provincial government records that Kepulauan Riau was created under Law No. 25 of 2002 and separated from mainland Riau province on 24 September 2002, with Tanjung Pinang (officially written as one word; ferry operators write it as two, as this guide does) as its capital (Riau Islands Provincial Government, retrieved 5 November 2026). The same page describes a territory that is about 96% sea, sharing maritime borders with neighbours including Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.

The province is made up of two cities, Batam and Tanjung Pinang, and five regencies: Bintan, Karimun, Lingga, Natuna and the Anambas Islands (Riau Islands Provincial Government, retrieved 5 November 2026). You will see different totals for the number of islands, even on official pages, so treat any single figure with caution. What matters for a traveller from Singapore is simpler: a handful of these islands are an easy ferry ride away, and the rest are a much bigger journey.

The Riau island groups at a glance

Here is the province arranged the way a Singapore traveller needs it: by whether a ferry goes there directly from Singapore, and by what people tend to visit for. Ferry information comes from the operators' and terminal operator's own pages on 5 November 2026; visitor interest comes from Indonesia's official tourism site.

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Sources: ferry routes from Sindo Ferry and Bintan Resort Ferries; crossing times from Singapore Cruise Centre; visitor interest from Indonesia's official tourism pages for the Riau Islands, Karimun, Natuna and Lingga's Museum Linggam Cahaya, all retrieved 5 November 2026. Ferry operators state that schedules can change without notice, so check times when you book.

Which Riau Islands can you reach for a weekend?

Batam, Bintan and Karimun are the realistic weekend options, because each has a direct ferry from Singapore of under two hours. Singapore Cruise Centre, which runs Singapore's regional ferry terminals, gives approximate crossings of 60 minutes to Batam, 70 minutes to Bintan and 100 minutes to Karimun (Singapore Cruise Centre, retrieved 5 November 2026). If you are weighing Batam against Bintan, our Bintan vs Batam comparison goes into more detail.

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Two practical points before you book:

• Check which Singapore terminal your ferry uses. Regional ferries leave from HarbourFront and Tanah Merah. HarbourFront's ferries moved into the Singapore Cruise Centre (HarbourFront) building after the old passenger terminal's last day on 14 July 2026 (Singapore Cruise Centre, retrieved 5 November 2026), so older directions may give the old name.
• Bintan has two very different arrival points. Ferries from Tanah Merah to Bandar Bentan Telani serve the resort area in the north of the island, while ferries to Tanjung Pinang arrive in the provincial capital.

Lingga, Natuna and the Anambas Islands are a different kind of trip. They are not on the Singapore ferry operators' route lists, and Indonesia's tourism site notes that most visitors to Natuna fly in, with flights from Batam to Ranai (Indonesia Travel, retrieved 5 November 2026). Treat them as a holiday of their own rather than a short break.

Batam is a gateway as well as a destination

If you have been looking at Batam resorts but really want a quiet island, it helps to know how Batam works. Batam is a city in its own right, known for the Barelang Bridge and for shopping, but it is also where journeys to smaller islands begin. Telunas guests, for example, change at Sekupang ferry terminal in Batam onto a boat that carries them on to Pulau Sugi. For a wider look at small islands within reach of Singapore, see our guide to underrated short getaways from Singapore.

So if you want sand, sea and very few people, the useful question is not “which Batam hotel?” but “which quieter island can I reach through Batam?”

Entering Indonesia from Singapore

Every Riau island on this page is in Indonesia, so you go through Indonesian immigration on arrival. Two things to sort out before you travel:

• Your arrival card. Indonesia uses the All Indonesia arrival card, submitted online or in the app before you land. You can submit it from 72 hours before arrival. Our step-by-step All Indonesia app guide walks you through it.
• Your visa position. Entry rules depend on your passport. Check your nationality with Indonesia's Directorate General of Immigration or its visa on arrival page before you go.

Why Pulau Sugi is the secluded choice

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Pulau Sugi's appeal is seclusion: a quiet island south of Batam, about 50 km from Singapore, with none of Batam's city bustle or the large resort strip of northern Bintan.

Official records often spell it Sugie, and on the map it belongs to Karimun Regency: a 2022 regency regulation created the Sugie Besar district from part of Moro district, and the island sits within that district (Karimun Regency Regulation No. 1 of 2022, retrieved 5 November 2026). In practice, though, you reach Sugi through Batam, not through Karimun's main town.

Telunas Resorts has two properties in the Sugi area:

• Telunas Beach Resort sits on a soft-sand beach on Pulau Sugi, with family-style dining and overwater bungalows, some with balconies that look west to the sunset. It suits families and groups who want a beach and a full day of activities.
• Telunas Private Island is a separate small island about ten minutes away by boat, with overwater villas whose balconies face the sea and the sunrise, and five adults-only Ridge Villas with private plunge pools. It suits couples and families who want a smaller island, quieter still.

Getting there is the start of the holiday. A ferry of about an hour takes you from Singapore to Sekupang in Batam, where Telunas staff meet you and guide you through to the resort boat. Then comes a scenic hour through the islands, with the Telunas team travelling alongside you, and you step onto the jetty about 2.5 hours after leaving Singapore. Timings vary by day, so the team helps you choose the right ferry. Our travel information page has the full route.

Scheduled activities are included in your stay at both properties and rotate through the week, from village tours and nature walks to traditional fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding and an evening bonfire, depending on which island you stay on. Most of the Telunas team come from villages only minutes away by boat, and on the village tour, nearby villages welcome guests to see how they live. You can browse the activities on the Beach Resort activities and Private Island activities pages.

Choosing a Riau island for your trip

If you are after seclusion, with space for the kids or time for the two of you, Sugi is our pick. If the shortest crossing matters most, Batam or Bintan will serve a weekend well.

By Telunas Resorts, home to Telunas Private Island and Telunas Beach Resort in Indonesia's Riau Islands. Facts checked on 5 November 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.