FAQs

Accommodation

Is Pulau Joyo Kid-Friendly?

Pulau Joyo is a paradise for kids and we can provide nannies (at an additional cost) to look after them while you are enjoying a massage or other facilities. Extra beds and cots are available for children. Please contact our Reservation Team for more information on pricing for children and accompanying maids.

Which house would be best as we will have an infant with us?

All houses are good for infants however we would suggest Java houses as they have less steps than other 4 driftwood palaces. We have 4 baby cot on island and baby chairs.

How many people can you comfortably fit on the island?

This depends on the composition of your group and how well they know each other! We have 6 big palaces, 1 Driftwood palace and 2 Balé houses, hence we can accommodate up to 18 adults in complete privacy with each of the couples in one palace. If you are willing to share the palaces, it’s not uncommon to see groups of up to 35 or even 45 adults with extra single beds set up in the existing palaces. A typical family group might be 7 families, 14 adults with kids and helpers.

What are the check-in and check-out times?

Check In: After 2 pm (local time)
​Check Out: 12 pm (local time)

Early check-in and late check-out is subject to availability. Please contact our reservations team for more details. In the rare event that there is an overlap, we’ll allow two groups on the island for an hour or two, usually over lunch with different meal venues for each group.

Do the villas have air-conditioning?

The driftwood palaces have ceiling fans as well as smaller fans mounted inside of the mosquito netting of all of the four-poster beds. Additionally all the palaces are on stilts, well above the ground, and close to or on the beach and so take full advantage of the prevailing breezes. Our guests find this more than satisfactory and often use the blankets provided. We recommend that guests bring a long-sleeved shirt as the evenings can be refreshingly cool.

Are there en-suite bathrooms?

All 6 big palaces have their own en-suite bathroom. The Driftwood Palace and Balé Houses have attached bathrooms.

The houses in the photos do not appear to have any doors?

All villas actually do have proper doors.

Can I rent your villas individually?

Yes, you can. Guests can rent the island per individual villa or as a whole. Minimum stay for individual villa is 2 adults for 2 nights. As whole island the basic price per night applies to a minimum of 12 adults, even if you have less than 12. There are incremental charges for more than 12 people. Please view our rates to book the whole island.

Is there hot water on the island?

Yes. All showers have hot water.

Do you have speakers in the villa?

Yes, we do have a wireless bluetooth speaker in each villa. The code is 0000.

Do you provide any drink in the villa?

Yes we do have small electric kettle and coffee tea in the villa as well as bottled water.

How far apart are the palaces?

Far enough apart to be very private!

Activities

What activities do you have on the island?

Joyo is ideal for relaxing: reading in a hammock, sun-bathing by the fresh-water pool, having a massage, kayaking around the island, walking on the beach or swimming in the sea. We do have a boules set, table tennis, as well as 4 kayaks on island. The numerous secluded beaches, jungle paths and unusual rock formations are often woven by parents into elaborate treasure hunts for kids which have been known to include the swimming pontoon and tree house. The more adventurous have been known to kayak, sail or even swim to neighbouring islands. We encourage guests to use the speedboats or launches to explore other island or even have a picnic on Pulau Binyoso a tiny deserted jewel that we own just for such trips. After dinner, relax with a coffee and a glass of wine around a beach bonfire or turn up the music to kick-start your fancy dress party!

Do you have a wakeboard?

No and nor do we have a banana boat or jet skis. Our guests overwhelmingly prefer the Joyo tranquillity as it is.

Is it feasible to bring my windsurfer to Joyo?

Yes. We are more than happy to transport windsurfers however your limitation may by the public ferries (from Singapore to Bintan). We suggest you check with the ferry operators as to the feasibility of transporting bulky equipment.

I am a certified diver. Is diving possible?

The region is not known for its diving, and if your last diving trip was in Grand Cayman, Truk Lagoon or Palau, you will probably be disappointed. Joyo is not geared up for diving and the water can, at times, be a little murky. Having said that, there is a reasonable dive, at the top of the high tide, off the rocks at the northern-end of the island. The diving off Pulau Mapur is supposed to be quite good and you could certainly use Joyo as a base to reach Mapur and other island in the region. We can, and have, organised tanks before but you will have to supply your own weights and divemaster/buddy. If you are really keen and experienced we can set this up.

What type of fishing is available and should we bring our own rods?

We discourage fishing from the island as we try and keep the fish for the snorkellers. You are however more than welcome to take one of the speedboats or the launch on a fishing expedition. The boat crew may be able to show you some good fishing spots off Joyo or neighbouring islands or rocky outcrops. The Indonesian fisherman often fish just off Joyo. We have a few rods, but Indonesian-style fishing usually involves dangling a line and hook off the back or side of a boat! If you’re a serious angler we suggest you bring your own rod and tackle.

Do you supply bait?

Yes, we’ll supply squid and shrimp at no extra cost.

Booking

Can we book the entire island?

  • The island can be hired as a whole for (min. 12 adults) OR individual palace (min. 2 adults) for a minimum of 2 nights.
  • A single group organizer will need to book, pay a deposit and act as the single point of contact for the entire group prior to arrival on the island.
  • Sleeping arrangements with more than 30 adults are described as ‘cosy’ and groups bigger than this are rare.

Can you hold the island for me until my friends get back to me?

No. The only way to secure the island is with a deposit. We run on a first come first served system. If we’re convinced that your cheque is literally in the mail or that you are heading down to the bank to make a transfer of funds within the next 48 hours, we will hold the island for you until we receive your deposit.

But you held Joyo for someone else we know without a deposit?

Even our regular guests are required to put down deposits. At our discretion, we will sometimes record ‘expressions of interest’ particularly for bookings 6 to 12 months out. In effect you will then have a ‘non-binding, first right of refusal’ over the island and we may be able to email you when we receive another request for your particular weekend or dates. Please note that this system is neither perfect nor guaranteed and you are still encouraged to send your deposit as soon as you can.

I am trying to organize a weekend on Joyo but have never done this before. Can I ask my proposed group to send you their individual deposit cheques?

No. We require a single deposit cheque or transfer of funds (which may obviously come from someone other than the Group Organizer).

Is your website up-to-date?

The website is updated regularly.

Do you accept credit cards on island?

Yes. We limit to 3 credit cards to be used in one trip.

How will I know when my reservation is confirmed?

Your reservation is only certain when we have received your deposit (and if it is a cheque, after it has cleared). We will notify you at this time.

Do you have any brochures?

Please view our brochure at goo.gl/c5c9x0.

Can we meet with you to discuss booking the island?

All bookings are made online via email. We will respond to all of your inquiries within 48 hours. We also have an operations office in Tanjung Pinang (Bintan), but it is not open to the public.

Can we increase or decrease the number of people for our reservation after the deposit has been paid?

Yes. Indicative numbers at the time you book are useful. Final numbers are needed a week before your trip.

We were hoping to arrive early but the Bookings Calendar shows that there will be another group on the island?

We don’t tend to know what times other groups will arrive or depart until a week or two before their trips. With the current public ferry schedules, it is not possible to overlap for more than 2 hours (maximum). If there is the possibility of an overlap we encourage the departing party to catch an earlier ferry and the arriving party to catch a later one.

How much do you charge for two people for a weekend?

If there are only two of you, it will cost S$465x2x2N = S$930++ subject to 10% VAT government tax and 5% Service Charge.

How much do you charge for maids?

Maid will be charged as Child rate ie SGD $150++ = SGD $172.50 per night.

Are there any extra charges?

You will need to pay for:
• Ferry tickets from Singapore to BBT Ferry Terminal and back
• Visa on arrival for NON ASEAN citizen at S$50 or IDR 500.000
• Drinks. We have an extensive collection of soft drink, beer, spirits and wines, all at reasonable prices.
• Massages IDR 350k ++ per hour
• Fireworks (if any)
• Extra transfer SGD $200 (per additional one-way land/launch trip) if your group does not arrive and depart together.
• There are also additional accommodation charges (over and above the basic island rate) if the size of your group is more than 12 people.

What is included in the price?

You are free to make full use of the island and its resources. This is all included in price. We can organise a bonfire on the beach! A non-exhaustive list of what’s included in the Basic Island Rate is as follows:
• Accommodation for 1 to 12 people
• All land and launch transport from BBT Ferry Terminal to Joyo (one return trip is included)
• Welcome drinks
• Three meals per day (everyone loves our food!)
• Coffee, tea and drinking water
• Use of all of the driftwood palaces (bathroom towels and linen is supplied)
• Use of the fabulous fresh-water pool
• Beach towels
• Available activities

Can we pay by credit card?

Yes, Visa and Master card are eligible for our credit card machine.

General Inquiries

I need to receive an important telephone call on the island from my company. What number should they ring?

We are proud of the fact that we do not have a fixed-line telephone and a fax. We do not have a radio and certainly no daily newspapers. Mobile phones do however work provided you and your carrier have roaming agreements for Indonesia. You will have better reception if you are in open area. ​

What voltage is the power supply? What are the connection points or plugs like?

The power is 240 volts from UK/Singapore 3-prong power sockets.

One of our groups will not know if she is able to come for the weekend until the Friday of our trip. Can she confirm on the Friday, or do you need more warning?

Most of our food is bought fresh in Bintan and taken out to Joyo on the morning of your trip. To plan menus and organize the land and launch transport we ideally need to know the size of your group and your ferry time(s) a week before your trip. Small changes to the number of guests closer to your date of departure are fine. In this case, if she is planning on being on the same ferry as the rest of you, you can let us know on the Friday. If she needs an extra transfer (because she is on a different ferry to everyone else), you will have to let us know on the Thursday at the latest as it takes time to reorganize our land and launch schedules. If she is vacillating between a late Friday and early Saturday ferry, you can sort this out on Friday on the island.

Should we buy duty-free goods?

We don’t sell anything on the island. We don’t stock tobacco products, so you may want to buy your own. We have plenty of alcohol on the island. We charge S$15 corkage per bottle if you bring your own wine and S$25 for spirits.

One of our group is prone to sea-sickness. Should he be worried about the launch journey?

No. The launch travels through sheltered water for much of the trip and the water is rarely rough. At all times land is visible. Our intrepid boat crew sometimes fail to appreciate that large swell (which is rare) can frighten guests and so they may forget to hand out the life jackets. Please ask for them if you feel you need them.

When is the final bill presented?

The final bill will be presented to the Group Organizer an hour or so before your departure.

Is it possible to charge the drinks to each room or family?

Yes. We are able to split the bill individually for you.

Can we hand over the remaining accommodation balance in Singapore to someone before we go? Then all we’ll have to settle on the Sunday is the bar bill?

It is mandatory to pay the balance of your accommodation charges one week before you leave Singapore. You may transfer a ‘kitty’ to cover drinks and massage. This will show up as a credit on the island.

What time do we have to leave?

3 hours before your ferry departure time. It can be earlier if you have huge group or with lots of kids. During weekends boarding pass collection and luggage check-in queue can be long unless you are buying emerald class ferry.

Can we decide to stay longer on the island when we are there?

Provided there is no one staying after you that week, then yes you can – with about 24 hours notice – decide to stay longer on the island.

Do you have a shop on the island?

No. So if you want marshmallows or chocolate to go with your coffee around the fire you’re going to have to bring such items yourself.

Do we need to bring our own towels, soap and shampoo or do you operate as a hotel?

We provide towels and there should be liquid soap/shower gel in the bathrooms, but we recommend you bring your own toiletries.

Are the staff on the island there to wait on us hand and foot? Will a butler be provided for each cabin?

Even for large groups there will usually be more staff on the island than guests. They are there entirely for the benefit of your group and will follow you in the speedboat if you go kayaking, take you on picnics to other islands, clean the driftwood palaces each day, prepare and serve you meals and work behind the scenes to keep the electricity working and the island stocked with fresh water. They are however trained to be discrete and will not disturb you unless you have asked for specific help. Remember – you have hired the whole island and what you say goes!

When I visited the island last year your staff put on a wonderful firework show at the lagoon. Is this a possibility?

We are usually able to procure fireworks. Packages range from SGD $195 onwards. Discuss these at least 3 days in advance.

Could you tell me if you have blenders to make frozen drinks?

We do have a blender. Please ask the staff if it is not out on the bar.

Are beach towels provided?

Yes. All laundry is done on Bintan so we ask that you use no more than one beach towel per day.

Is it possible to have a campfire?

Usually. At certain times of the year a combination of high tides and sand patterns mean that there is nowhere suitable for a fire. This happens rarely.

Are there speakers anywhere on the island?

Yes, we have 4 speakers at our bar and 2 portable speakers that can be connected with bluetooth.

Can we be invoiced for the balance after the trip?

No. Unfortunately, we aren’t set up to invoice guests after a stay. The full balance has to be settled 5 days before arrival and incurred costs such as departure tax, drinks and massage are payable via credit card on the island when you check out.

What time are meals as I need to plan our conference program?

We suggest that you knock up a program schedule for your stay to suit your needs, including preferred meal and coffee-break times and include any special requests. Our staff will fit in with your program.

What do you do if there is a serious injury?

There is an excellent well-staffed hospital in Kijang (the southern port on Bintan). Our speedboat can reach Kijang in about 20 minutes if necessary. Our staff members on Pangkil and Bintan have mobile phones (and two-way radios) and will arrange for the hospital staff to be ready to receive the injured guest. We have been extremely fortunate to date that the only serious injury requiring a visit to the hospital was a boy who cut his foot requiring stiches.

Can we bring our own wine?

We have a reasonably-priced wine collection but we will waive corkage charge one bottle per adult. Please note that Indonesia customs are only allowing only one bottle (up to 1 liter per adult) to be brought individually. No outside beer or soft drinks are allowed to the island.

We have a few drinkers who are worried that there may not be enough spirits/beer for the long holiday weekend? Should they be concerned?

There is no need to worry about the beer running out! We stock plenty on island as it is available locally. For wine, champagne, and/or spirits please ask for our list with stock level. Pre-orders can be arranged with few weeks notice.

We drink a lot of Vodka Tonics and Bloody Marys. Do we need to bring any mixers?

We stock soda water, tonic water, ginger ale, orange juice and tomato juice.

Should we bring our own beer or soft-drinks?

No. We stock most of the major soft-drinks including diet colas.

Is there a real coffee maker on the island or do you use instant coffee? We have a few coffee snobs coming (me being one of them) and I can bring my own press if needed?

Yes, we do have coffee machine on island. We also serve strong plunger-style Indonesian coffee. Everyone seems to like it. We do serve tea, too.

Should we bring bottled water?

We offer complimentary bottled water produced in Indonesia.

Is fresh milk available?

No. We use UHT milk.

What type of food do you serve?

We normally serve Western and Indonesian-style dishes. These include grilled or barbequed fish, squid, prawns, beef and chicken as well as curries of all description. There are side dishes which include fresh garden salads, pasta salads, boiled/steamed leafy greens and grilled aubergine/egg plant (an island favourite). Prawn and tofu kebabs appear from time-to-time as do satay sticks. Our home-made salad dressing is much appreciated as is our freshly-baked bread. We serve fresh fruit, mango sticky rice and sometimes sago as well as home-made cakes for dessert (the almond cake has now been perfected). Everyone is uniformly complimentary about the food.

Can we cook ourselves?

You are quite welcome to cook for yourselves if that is what you want to do, but our cooks are pretty good, so you might as well sit back and enjoy the sunsets ! We welcome visits to the kitchen by people with food allergies or guests who would like to teach our cook a new recipe. Try us with requests but it would help if you speak Indonesian otherwise you’ll have to work through one of our translators.

Can you serve Halal food?

Yes. Our cooks are all Muslims.

Are meals included in the price?

Three meals are included in the daily rate (breakfast, lunch and dinner) with the addition of afternoon tea. If you wish to order food apart from those meals there is a nominal charge. Please contact us for more information.

Do you provide snacks?

Please ask our staff or contact us directly before your trip about snacks. There may be a nominal additional charge.

Do you cater for vegetarians?

Absolutely. Give us some advance notice and we promise to delight.

May we use the fridge?

Yes of course. If you’re planning on bringing a French Camembert to go with your Waterford Crackers, then you are most welcome to store it in our industrial-strength fridge.

Can you accommodate a nut allergy?

We have had adults and children with nut allergies on the island before and they survived. This being Indonesia (a country famed for the use of peanut sauces), the best way to ensure that there are no nut derivatives in the food, is to work with our cook. You’re welcome to go right into the kitchen (in fact we suggest this before the preparation of each meal begins) and see what they’re preparing. You’ll have to take our English-speaking Customer Service Manager with you as our cook does not speak any English. Our staff are very good and will try their best but with the language difficulties we suggest you remind them before every meal and double check on everything.

Kids

Do you cater for children?

Absolutely! We are set up for children (of all ages!) and have them on the island all the time. We have cots and high-chairs as well as spare beds for the bigger ones and children’s life jackets.

Do you have a special children’s menu?

Our cooks are used to producing less spicy (or even non-spicy) food for children. Some families seat the kids separately. Others organise an earlier sitting for the kids.

How many cots do you have?

Four. They come complete with mosquito nets.

Do you have babysitters or should we bring our maid?

We have a number of female staff who will volunteer to baby-sit. We charge S$10 per child per hour which goes directly to the babysitter. You are also welcome to bring your maid. We charge $150++ per night for maids.

Do you charge for children?

Infants (less than 3 years old) are free of charge. Children (3 to 12 years old) attract the children’s rate and anyone older than 12 is charged as an adult.

Location & Transportation

Where is Pulau Joyo?

Joyo is in Indonesia about 60 miles from Singapore.

What time zone is Pulau Joyo in?

Local time is GMT+7 (an hour behind Singapore).

How long does it take to get to Pulau Joy?

The journey time (from Singapore) is about 3 hours via BBT ferry terminal.

Who will meet us in Bintan?

One of our English-speaking “Meet & Greet” staff members or our reliable driver will meet you at the entrance of the ferry terminal. That is the designated pickup point as we are not allowed to go further in. Please look for Joyo Island sign.

Is it safe to swim?

Absolutely. Naturally common-sense suggests that parents supervise their kids, that no one should swim after having consumed alcohol and that swimming at night is not advisable. If in any doubt, have your friends (or our staff) follow you in the kayaks or a speedboat. Stone Fish are found all the way from Australia up to the South-China Sea. We suggest you do not step on the coral or rocks and stick to walking on the sand to get to open sea. At certain times of the year there are jelly fish. The seasons are short and we have jelly fish ‘wipes’ in our first-aid kit. We have never had a serious injury from the jelly fish. We recommend that you always use reef-shoes to walk on the reef.

Are there pirates in the area?

Rest assured, we are on top of security arrangements. The whole of the area to the south and west of Bintan is quiet and there have been no disturbances or any hint of unpleasantness. We are known to the Indonesian Navy (which has a base at Kijang) as well as the Chief of Police. Our General Manager is Indonesian and was born in Bintan and hence has his ear to the ground (or should that be water) with regards to maritime security in the area. If there was the remotest possibility of harm to any of our guests at any time we would immediately advise you not to travel.
There certainly is ‘marine thievery’ in the Riaus (for example the Philips Channel to the west of Batam), but this is a long way from Pangkil. Violent attacks on ship are rare and many of those reported in the media happen many hundreds of kilometres from Pangkil. Increased cooperation between the governments and navies of Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia as well as some recent victories by the Indonesian forces in capturing ‘pirates’ will lead to improvements in the safety of the entire region.
We have prudently developed contingency plans in the highly unlikely event that there are attacks at the ferry terminals, on land en-route to a ferry terminal, on our launch at sea, or if there is civil unrest in Bintan while guests are on the island. We do not expect to ever have to activate these plans as the area really is very safe.

Do you provide any drink or snack on the bus?

Yes, we do provide complimentary cold drinks and bread on the bus.

Can we travel at night?

Yes except during north monsoon season. Our launch crew are competent night sailors and regularly navigate the short trip to Joyo in the dark. Arrivals on Joyo close to midnight and departures before dawn are not uncommon.

Can I arrive from Batam?

Yes. There are regular ferries and bumboats between Batam and Bintan. It is best if you catch one to Tanjung Pinang and we can pick you up there. Batam also boasts Hang Nadim International Airport (BTH) which is an alternative to flying in to Singapore’s Changi airport.

Is your launch safe?

Yes. Our launches are sturdy Indonesian vessels. We have a crew of 2 or more usually 3 to run each launch. We have life-jackets (adults and kids sizes) and a two-way radio. The crew have mobile phones (which have signal all the way to the island) as a back-up measure.

Are additional transfers possible to Joyo?

A single land and launch trip from Tanjungpinang ferry terminal on Bintan to Joyo and back is included in the Basic Island Rate. We are more than happy to pick up your group in two parts, AM and PM for example, but each additional one-way trip costs S$200 (for the group, regardless of the size).

Does Joyo help us in booking ferries both outbound and inbound trip?

Yes, we are happy to assist in booking ferries for our guests. We will send our form to the group organizer to fill and the form is great help for booking ferries.

What happens if we miss our ferry back to Singapore?

Our staff will give you plenty of warning as to what time you should leave Pangkil. They are not however trained to nag and it is ultimately your responsibility to make sure you have packed, settled your bill and made it out to the launch on time. We have not had this happens before. The choice is to wait at BBT terminal for the next available ferry.

Weather & Seasons

What is the weather normally like?

​The weather is the same as in Singapore but remember you will be ‘on the beach’ ie outside. The ‘winter’ months can be pleasantly cool after dark.

What is the best time of the year to visit Pulau Joyo?

Anytime is great! Being 30 miles north of the equator means that the weather doesn’t change that much throughout the year. The winter monsoon, very mild at our latitude, blows from the north. It starts mid December and lasts until early February. The summer monsoon, very gentle and from the south, starts in April/May.

Do we have to worry about malaria?

There is no malaria on the island. We are fortunately also free of sand flies. There are a few non-malarial mosquitoes, but we provide mosquito coils and insect spray in the driftwood palaces as well as mosquito nets. We also regularly ‘fog’ to keep the mosquito population under control. We do however suggest that you bring your own preferred brand of insect repellent.

Is Pulau Joyo affected by the haze?

Pulau Joyo is not affected by the haze.