Bintan Island, Indonesia — “TO FIND SOME relief or to explore the world further. The view of the seas is almost always soothing to the soul.”

Along with a photo of his passport and boarding pass, that was the quote a soul posted on his Instagram account while waiting to board at the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore on Wednesday, March 2.

Hours later, the much-needed reunion with the sea became real. Two Filipino souls set foot on this island.

The public Bintan Resort Ferries took over to bring us to Bintan Lagoon Resort (BLR) after the resort’s private ferry was suspended due to bad weather. Kim and I were headed to the resort for a three-day getaway, a well-deserved rest after months of all-work-almost-no-play in Manila and a few days in Singapore.

For people who have lived in Metro Manila most of the past years, a glimpse of the sea is enough to refresh the soul, if not heal whatever bad experiences life brings. The thought of the beach might not be enough, but once you’re in its embrace, life changes. Perspective improves. A wounded mind or heart recovers.

The VIP treatment we received upon arrival at Bintan Lagoon Resort, the largest luxury resort in this part of Indonesia, instantly assured us the next three days would be extra special. I silently offered a prayer to receive such hospitality in any country we visit from that day on.

If you’re wondering what to do in Bintan, read the post we’ve just published. For now, let’s zoom in on the beaches waiting to be enjoyed in this part of Indonesia.

Bintan Lagoon Resort Beach

You don’t have to leave the resort’s vicinity to see the beach. If you’re staying on the right side, a look from the balcony gives you a beautiful view of the sea.

But it’s a sin to enjoy only the view when you can walk out of your hotel room and take a long walk along the 1.5-kilometer coastline. Yes, it is.

Go out. Leave your footwear and worries behind. Feel the powdery sand touching your bare feet, and leave a mark that will soon be washed away by waves that kiss the shore. It’s best to listen to your inner self while being serenaded by the waves or the humming Pacific winds that kiss your cheeks and ears. It’s okay not to be okay, but it’s best to be okay. Commune with nature once more.

Greet the morning sun on your way back. Let its rays make you feel loved, and that everything will fall into place sooner than you expect.

Wanna take a dip? Why not give in to the invitation? Go on.

But if you decide to go to the beach in the afternoon, make sure to send the sun home.

Trikora Beach

You’d agree with me that, like humans, beaches have distinct characteristics that make them unique. If not, why do we want to go to different places from time to time? Why do we travel far and wide just to be in one part of the earth near the waters?

Not far from Bintan Lagoon Resort, on the east side of Bintan Island, lies another beach waiting to be discovered. Locals call this majestic stretch ‘Trikora.’ See the featured image above.

Trikora is a few minutes’ drive from the resort. If you’re up for some adventure, just tell the hotel people you want to tour around Bintan Island and stop by the beach.

It was on our second day when friends from Bintan Resorts, the marketing arm of the whole tourism hub here, gave us a tour of Bintan “to have a taste of the authentic flavor of the island.” (More on that in a separate post.) That’s when we came to know Trikora.

Depending on your preference, Trikora is either a handsome hunk waiting to give you the best romantic moment of your life or a pretty lady ready to nurse you in her arms. He has dimples, but his machismo doesn’t die down even a bit. She’s strong, but her beauty is enough to give you a break from life’s chaos even for a moment.

What the naked eye sees is a long stretch of white sand beach made unique by picturesque huge boulders scattered beautifully across it. More than a backdrop for great beach photos to post on social media, Trikora is a playground for locals and tourists who love to feed the kids in them.

A short stop by his side gave us not only a quick break for some buko juice and coconut meat as snacks, but also the refreshing moments we needed to become the people we want to be.

Moments with beaches like BLR and Trikora are precious, so here’s a promise to ourselves that we will keep finding and embracing more beaches in this lifetime. Whether to find relief or to explore the world further, the view of the seas isn’t only soothing to the soul. It heals broken spirits.

Additional photos by Kim, Daniel’s Flickr, and carihotelaja.com.