Jakarta. Bintan in Riau Islands, which is only a short boat ride from Singapore, will soon have a water villa resort.
The resort will be located above the water surface, with bungalows several meters from the shore, giving a feeling that its floors are floating.
According to the chief executive of the project’s main investor Grand Wie Sukses, Lily Oey, Bintan is comparable to the Maldives. It has beautiful views and a good maritime potential. Lily said she is prepared to invest Rp 2.5 trillion ($188 million) to build the water villa resort on the northeastern Trikora strip, a less-developed part of the region’s coastline.
In July, the company will start the construction of Avara Resort — located on the shore — and Mangata Resort — built on water.
The concept of these resorts is based on international standards, the water villa will be similar to those in the Maldives or Port Dickson in Malaysia.
The project will be environment-friendly. “We have an environmentally friendly investment program. We have joined hands with China Power to construct it,” Lily said.
The project is expected to provide employment to nearly 3,000 people and involve small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and local communities.
Riau Islands Governor Nurdin Basirun praises the idea.
“We hope it will open more employment opportunities, so that the locals will not only be treated as spectators,” he said.
Tourism Minister Arief Yahya expressed his excitement about the project by saying that “Bintan has an extraordinary potential. The maritime [resources] are fabulous, perfect for tourism,” he said.
Source: http://jakartaglobe.id/business/bintan-will-water-villa-resort/