Paradise Nikoi 2013 - Part 1

When I got to know about this little island, I told myself that we must make a trip there. As it was a private island with only 16 villas, making a reservation was rather difficult; we had to book our accommodations as many as 4 months ahead. But once we managed to settle our lodging, the rest was a piece of cake. :)

Daddy was 6 months into his new job and a long haul holiday this year end was not something we had in mind and a weekend trip to Nikoi was perfect.

 After an hour on the ferry from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, we arrived in Bintan and rested for a while in the Emerald Lounge for our land and sea transfer to Nikoi Island.

 Our transfer. We had an engaging chat with the driver and the hour of land transfer flew by really quickly. Before we knew it, we were at the piere where the boat was waiting for us. A sip of water and then we were off.

 The sea transfer was another 20 minutes but our excitement reached new heights when the view of Nikoi and the villas came into sight.

The children couldn't wait to go to the beach and we quickly took a group picture. 

A cool towel and a refreshing welcome drink later, we settled our check-in at the beach bar. The staff introduced themselves and briefed us on that we could do on the island. They also brought our luggage into our respective villas.

 Our humble accommodation for the weekend... 

 The ground level where we could gather and chat. The place came complete with a swing and a massage parlour.

 The bedroom was upstairs and it was spacious. There were 2 day beds and the staff converted one of the day bed into a sleeping area.

 Us, relaxing on the swing.

 Our private area. :) Love the space in the toilet. 

We ventured out to explore the island after resting for a while.

 This place is amazing. We trekked through forested areas and walked through a mangrove swamp and into the open where we could see the ocean bed as the tide drew out.

 posing for pictures!

 The beauty of nature: rocks shaped by being exposed to the weather and ocean.

 More pictures!

After the trek, it was sandy path all the way back.

 Flowers spotted along the way and on many parts of the island. The purple of the morning glory stood out among the green leaves and white sands.

 This little fellow reminded me so much of the cricket character featured in many Disney cartoons.

She gave out such a sweet scent as we walked past, it was quite difficult to miss. 

Some of the creatures we spotted on our exploration.

 Can you see them? The waters were clear and there were so many of them in the waters.

 Slimy and soft to the touch, these sea cucumbers were a plenty in the shallow waters too. 

 Where the little fishes hide themselves.

Do you see it? Perhaps the red eyes would give it away.

Spotted on our way back to our villa.

Nikoi is a paradise, a place you should visit to get away from the city yet it isn't that far away from home. If you are a nature lover and an avid photographer, this place has much to offer too. The next time we come, we will want to catch the turtles in action. :)