Our daughter, Nadiya, was going to turn one month old and we wanted to find a way to celebrate. We had also been grounded for the last few months and were itching to get out of Singapore! An island close to home seemed like the least daunting option since it only involved a ferry ride (or two). A little research and we decided on Telunas Private Island.
Telunas island is located off the coast of Batam. To get there, we had to take a 1 hour ferry to Batam and then get on a 90 minute boat from there to the island. While the ferry ride from Singapore to Batam was relatively straightforward, the boat ride to Telunas was probably not the most infant friendly (thankfully Nadiya slept through both rides so it was quite stress free for us!).
The island is home to about 16 over-water villas, giving it a very Maldivian feel (at a much more affordable cost and less travel time from Singapore). The rooms were well appointed and had 2 levels – the main bedroom was on the lower level and there was a loft unit with additional beds.
Since it was our first trip with Nadiya, we decided to take it easy and spent most of our time either in the room, the restaurant or walking around the island. Two highlights were
- a walk around the entire island. This turned out to be more of a hike than a walk and was a bit more tiring than we anticipated, but the nice views all round made it worthwhile
- a cooking demonstration where the resident chef showed us how to make the most delicious (and spicy!!) sambal.
The resort itself was quite good – service was top notch, the food was excellent and overall it is a good alternative to the more expensive and almost always unavailable Nikoi Island. We would be happy to return someday when Nadiya is a little older (the hotel staff informed us that she was the youngest ever guest on the island!)
Overall it was an enjoyable and relaxing trip – one which gave us the confidence to be more adventurous going forward.
Practical Information
Getting there – ferry to Batam (Batam fast) from the Harbourfront Centre, Singapore. The journey is about 1 hour. The resort then arranges for a boat to take you to the island. This boat journey is 90 minutes.
Visas – not needed for Indian citizens (its free of charge and you do not need any travel itinerary/reason for visit). The visa officer was quite thrilled that he had the honor of putting the 1st ever stamp on Nadiya’s passport.
Our 90 minute ride to Telunas Island from Batam – probably not the most infant friendly
Around the world with a baby 
Fantabulous, what we all dream to live, you are living the dream. Your blogs are simple and lively , without any pretense. Keep posting and motivating us. We still very young and hope to experience many more Nadia in our life. (😊) Our best wishes to Your family and especially to Nadia.
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It surely is great and looks amazing and am sure most of us are unaware of such gem of places. Thank you for sharing. Our Blessings to little Nadiya. Best wishes.
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