As we disembarked from the public domestic ferry onto the pristine pier of Telunas Private Island, I did what any first-worlder would do. I looked at my phone.
The E symbol is like the sign of connectivity death. Not 4G, not 5G. Not Wi-Fi. But E. E which stands for Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution – which is essentially the second slowest mobile network.
I won’t fret, I told myself. Because the hotel would have Wi-Fi. Nope. It didn’t. If you ask nicely, I’m told they could let you in to the office Wi-Fi network, but only if you tap into it from the lobby.
The journey to this private island was pleasant enough. We were met at the international arrival terminal by hotel staff bearing a basket of fruit and water.
We were ushered to the domestic ferry terminal where we boarded for an hour-long boat ride through Kasu and Sugi islands. All local eyes were on us as we left the vessel with an escort, and into our weekend state of E.
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Escape to a private island
Telunas is a 20-year-old brand synonymous with community building and eco-friendliness. Made of the words Teluk (cove) and Nus (squid), the brand runs two offerings in the Riau archipelago – the Telunas Beach Resort and the Telunas Private Island.
The latter is where we’d be spending the weekend. This 10-year-old island with just 15 villas and five hyper-private Ridge Villas offers a private beach, an infinity pool and free activities to keep guests entertained.
After you’re shown to your room, you will note that you don’t have a key; a simple, yet profound testament to the privacy of the island. Your two-storey Malay-inspired overwater villa is now your private sanctuary where you can escape into a tech-free, stargazing old-style reality as you see the sea below glistening through the gaps in the floorboards.
Eat well on Telunas Private Island
The package at the Telunas Private Island is a full-board offering. So all meals throughout your stay are included for a price of around S$100 per adult, per night. The only exception is the ‘honesty fridge’ – which houses canned drinks you can pay for upon checkout.
The meals were substantial and fantastic. Each was a three-course offering with a starter, a main and a dessert. After every meal, the staff would politely present you with two choices for the next seating so they can have it all ready by the time you sit down.
Meals were a healthy mix of local and international fare and obviously prepared with a lot of pride and care. Considering where we were, we even noted that the bread platters were purpose-made, and not just off-the-rack carbs from a bag. Olives, sun-dried tomatoes and herbs aren’t what we were expecting, despite knowing there would be good food for us.
Full board also means refills — I’m a two-coffee guy, and they delivered a second without question. They told us the restaurant wasn’t open for supper and when I mentioned that two weekend bachelors might get peckish late at night, they presented us a cling-filmed plate of cookies and peanut butter. How thoughtful.
Eco sensitive private island resort
The literature in the lobby educated us about community building efforts, saving turtles and growing mangroves. Add that to the facts that the villas were not air-conditioned, instead of bottled water, there is a water cooler, and you have to request for toiletries.
And you get a good flavour of their commitment to the environment. We went to the sea sports centre, where there was a distinct lack of motor-based water activities like the expected banana boats and parasailing. Instead, surfboards, kayaks and paddleboards were on display next to one sleepy attendant.
As avid island enthusiasts, we noticed healthy coral through translucent green waters, as well as curious but comfortable wildlife roaming the island.
Yes, having a monitor lizard in the next deck chair sunbathing with you can get unnerving at times, but you are after all, on an island in the sea. The abundant mangroves also provide places for fish and snake species to thrive.
Excitement without ostentation
The only adrenaline-inducing activity they mentioned was pier-jumping, which let’s face it, you would do twice. Mainly for the photo. There are hiking trails as well which give you an excuse to clock you steps.
Other sports facilities like a ping pong table and beach volleyball are available, but I believe we visited during a lull, so we didn’t want to disturb the peace with our macho man grunting while serving balls.
There was only one other couple on the island during our stay, and they seemed genuinely excited. The food, the privacy, the romance of it all.
The Telunas seemed like that kind of holiday.
Euphoria in the moment
As an example, you can expect to fork out around S$1,320 to S$1,560 for two for a three-day stint at the Ridge Villa in June. After all, a long weekend seems like a nice duration for a stay here.
Two days in, and you slowly start to be less of an awkward urbanite. The first day was getting used to the bugs, the lack of Wi-Fi and the fact that there wasn’t an air-conditioned library or gym to duck into.
But on day two, you settle into beach life. You sit in sandy hammocks. You lounge on sun chairs. You look up at the stars and listen to the waves. The euphoric sense is that the experience does not seem nostalgic to you. It just seems like a good ‘now’.
Yesterday I was worried about my jewellery falling through the cracks in the floorboards, lost forever to the gods of the sea.
Today, I wondered why I had two rings, a bracelet and a rather expensive watch with me on a beach holiday. Today was the day I let go, and had the floating sense of freedom you do not ever experience in cosmopolitan Singapore.
Enlightenment needs no Wi-Fi
On our last day, we strolled over to the adults-only spa for one of those synonymous-with-an-island-holiday treatments. The entry hut was a framed gateway to private over-water cabanas, each with a massage bed or two.
As I was rubbed into a sense of deep relaxation, it did occur to me that I would like to Facebook this moment. Because if it hasn’t been socialised, it doesn’t exist right?
But again, that E signal on my phone reminded me that wasn’t even an option, so I let my mind wander. And then it hit me. This wasn’t about the memory of the moment. It was about being fully in the moment. That’s what every moment in this private island getaway was all about.
And with that, I reached Island Nirvana. The state of vacation enlightenment.
How to get there
From Singapore, take the ferry from Harbourfront Centre to Sekupang (Batam).
Upon arrival at Sekupang, a Telunas staff will escort you to Telunas Private Island.
SilverStreak Special:
Key in promo code SSTR2024 in the ‘Promotional Code’ field when you book a stay at Telunas Beach Resort or Telunas Private Island.
Promo code entitles you to 100 SGD resort credit per night per room of stay add-ons. Not
applicable towards transport, adult room, or adult dining.
Valid until 19 December 2024,
excluding public holidays and holidays periods.
