Nikoi Island, Indonesia
Encyclopedia
Nikoi is a 16.9 hectares (41.8 acre) resort island located 8 kilometres (5 mi) off the east coast of Bintan
, Indonesia
, approximately 85 kilometres (52.8 mi) southeast of Singapore
. The island was purchased by Andrew and Julia Dixon, an Australian couple visiting Bintan, in 2005 and developed, with the aid of a group of financiers, into a boutique resort named Nikoi Island. The resort opened in 2007, and as of 2010 consists of fifteen beach houses.
The island has a maximum height of thirty metres, and consists of white sand beaches studded with white granite boulders, with coral reef off-shore. Two thirds of the island is Banyan
forest, home to various bird species, while turtles are said to nest on the island's beaches.
The resort is marketed as an eco-resort
, with the use of driftwood
as a construction material and alang alang roofing, a double-layered roof design so that rooms do not require air conditioning
, and solar panels for heating water. Diesel generators are required for water pumping and refrigeration. As part of the operators' commitment to sustainable tourism
, a non-governmental organization
(NGO) supporting the community was established in 2009. The resort was a runner-up in Wild Asia's
2009 Responsible Tourism Awards (Mid-size to Small Accommodation Operators category)
The resort is accessed by launch
from Kawal, a small town on Bintan, one hour's drive from the Bintan Resorts
ferry terminal.
Bintan
Bintan Island or Negeri Segantang Lada is an island in the Riau archipelago of Indonesia. It is part of the Riau Islands province, the capital of which, Tanjung Pinang, lies in the island's south and is the island's main community....
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, approximately 85 kilometres (52.8 mi) southeast of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. The island was purchased by Andrew and Julia Dixon, an Australian couple visiting Bintan, in 2005 and developed, with the aid of a group of financiers, into a boutique resort named Nikoi Island. The resort opened in 2007, and as of 2010 consists of fifteen beach houses.
The island has a maximum height of thirty metres, and consists of white sand beaches studded with white granite boulders, with coral reef off-shore. Two thirds of the island is Banyan
Banyan
A banyan is a fig that starts its life as an epiphyte when its seeds germinate in the cracks and crevices on a host tree...
forest, home to various bird species, while turtles are said to nest on the island's beaches.
The resort is marketed as an eco-resort
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
, with the use of driftwood
Driftwood
Driftwood is wood that has been washed onto a shore or beach of a sea or river by the action of winds, tides, waves or man. It is a form of marine debris or tidewrack....
as a construction material and alang alang roofing, a double-layered roof design so that rooms do not require air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
, and solar panels for heating water. Diesel generators are required for water pumping and refrigeration. As part of the operators' commitment to sustainable tourism
Sustainable tourism
Sustainable tourism is tourism attempting to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate future employment for local people. The aim of sustainable tourism is to ensure that development brings a positive experience for local people, tourism companies and the...
, a non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
(NGO) supporting the community was established in 2009. The resort was a runner-up in Wild Asia's
Wild Asia
Wild Asia works to promote and support the conservation of natural areas and local communities dependent upon natural resources. It is an organization that works closely with business organizations to provide an avenue for solutions to improve their operations, at the same time engage individuals...
2009 Responsible Tourism Awards (Mid-size to Small Accommodation Operators category)
The resort is accessed by launch
Launch (boat)
A launch in contemporary usage refers to a large motorboat. The name originally referred to the largest boat carried by a warship. The etymology of the word is given as Portuguese lancha "barge", from Malay lancha, lancharan, "boat," from lanchar "velocity without effort," "action of gliding...
from Kawal, a small town on Bintan, one hour's drive from the Bintan Resorts
Bintan Resorts
Bintan Resorts is the name for a resort enclave occupying the northern area of the Indonesian island of Bintan. It consists of nine resorts, plus a small serviced apartment development....
ferry terminal.