Telunas Private Island • The Perfect City Escape From Singapore

A place that’s all about preserving the environment and escaping the city life it has our name all over it. We’re not big city people so when faced with a week in Singapore we decided to make a “weekend escape” to Telunas Private Island and Beach Resort. To drive that point home, even more, was the feared words “no WiFi.”

We’re big culprits of being connected every single day and with running a travel blog disconnecting from the internet feels next to impossible. It leads to a lot of stress and frustration in our lives despite what it may appear on social media. So, with a project in Ireland on the horizon, we decided to throw our phones in the suitcase and pick up two new books for a much-needed digital detox.

The Telunas resorts are an absolute treat and wonderful eco-lodges to escape modern-day life just a stone’s throw away from Singapore.

Getting to Telunas Private Island

Getting to Telunas Private Island or Telunas Beach Resort will be the hardest part of your trip. From Singapore, you need to take the ferry from Singapore Harbor to Batam. The journey takes approximately 1-1.5 hours. Once you are at the Batam ferry station a Telunas staff member will collect you and transfer you to their local boat.

From Batam, you will take a local speedboat for 1.5-2 hours depending on conditions. The Telunas team is happy to set this all up for you before your arrival so the transfers are as seamless as possible.

Telunas Private Island Property

There are two properties that comprise Telunas, Telunas Private Island and Telunas Beach Resort. We spent one day at the beach resort and three days on their private island. Both are lovely, but they have very different vibes and cater to different guests.

The Beach Resort is better for larger groups, is more affordable, has more activities to stay busy, and models the look and feel of a traditional fishing village in the area. Since we spent more time at Telunas Private Island the focus of this post will be about the private island.

Telunas Private Island is the more exclusive and private option offering luxurious bungalows spread out from neighbors. It’s very easy to never talk to another person here if you want.

At Telunas Private Island there is no WiFi anywhere on the property and no 3G signal (but you can get a 3G signal on Telunas Beach Resort). So come with a good book in hand and get ready to relax!

The Rooms at Telunas Private Island

Every room at the private island is an overwater bungalow overlooking the beautiful ocean. Rooms are spacious and feature fabulous decorations. Seriously, if I were to design my own bedroom it would be modeled after Telunas.

Rooms can sleep up to four people making Telunas ideal for a four-person family. The bungalows are loft style with two twin beds on the top floor and a comfortable king-size bed on the bottom.

We didn’t spend much time in the room, but when we were there we spent most of our time out on the balcony relaxing in the sun or doing yoga in privacy. There are also coffee and tea-making facilities and an extremely comfy bed to relax in while being whisked away to the sounds of the ocean.

The Food at Telunas Private Island

Everyone staying at Telunas Private Island must purchase a mandatory full board meal plan. Meal plans include breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinking water. Every day there will be a buffet breakfast, a set three-course lunch, and a three-course dinner.

The waitstaff will ask you if you are okay with the food choice options for the upcoming meal. They cater to all diets and we found that they were very flexible with our dietary needs and made sure we were happy with all meals. Foor was generally a mix of western specialties and Indonesian local cooking.

The Staff at Telunas Private Island

One of my favorite things about the Telunas properties is that they employ mainly from the local villages. More than 160 Indonesians work at the Teluans property and they have created their own wonderful community there.

Telunas is very far away from Singapore or any main city, so most of the villages in this archipelago still rely on fishing as their main income source. Telunas provides people with great employment opportunities and learning development not far from home.

The staff, especially the waitstaff, were downright excellent and spoke English well. Always helpful, smiling, and very accommodating to guests’ needs.

The Activities at Telunas Private Island

The main thing to do at Telunas Private Island is chill. After all, there is no WiFi so there is no need to ever stare at your computer or phone while here. I couldn’t believe the fact that I was able to start and finish a book here without ever worrying about who was emailing me or posting to Instagram. I would highly suggest bringing a Kindle with some books already downloaded.

Of course, there are other things to do at Telunas. We hung out at almost all day every day at the pool, listening to soothing music and drinking iced coffees. Or you can always jump into the sea from the dock (we did this many times). There’s also an activity center with stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, beach volleyball, badminton, cornhole, table tennis and so much more.

Every day Telunas organizes an activity suitable for all. Sometimes that may be a village tour, a waterfall trek, or a local craft-making session. I also noticed there is a kids center for families which gives parents some much-needed relaxation and time off and lets all the kids meet some new friends! All activities are included in the price at Telunas.

The Wellness at Telunas Private Island

Telunas may possibly be the most relaxing place on earth, so you can bet there is an overwater spa to enjoy. We couldn’t help but book ourselves a couples massage at the overwater suite while the sunset. I highly recommend doing the same. Make sure to book your treatment in advance as there is only a couple of masseuse on staff.

Overall Impressions of Telunas Private Island

I loved everything about our stay at Telunas. Honestly, we were due to spend a week in Singapore, but I opted to escape to the beach for some peace and quiet for four days instead. The staff, the property, and the rooms exceeded my expectations and I hope we can return someday. I mean where else can you get overwater bungalows similar to The Maldives without Maldives pricing?

If you have an open and flexible schedule consider traveling to Telunas during the week. The place fills up on weekends with Singaporeans and ex-pats after a city escape!

Looking back now our time at Telunas was a highlight of our entire 2018. Before arriving, I didn’t realize there wouldn’t be any WiFi, but it actually allowed us to put down the laptops and read a book while listening to the sound of the ocean next to my favorite person.

Plan For Your Trip

Protect Your Trip: We don’t travel without travel insurance, nor should you. You never know what can happen while traveling, so it’s best to be prepared. HeyMondo provides excellent short-term and long-term travel insurance plans.
Find Cheap Flights: Sign up for Going (formerly Scotts Cheap Flights) to get notified when prices get low.
Book a Rental Car: We use Discover Car to book all our rental cars! You can also read our top tips for renting a car abroad here.
Travel Adapter: Make sure you find a good adapter to keep your personal electronics charged. Otherwise, you may be paying for a cheap one once you land. Purchase one here.
Travel Backpack: We like the Nomatic Travel Backpack for our travels. Check the price here.
Our Favorite Travel Shoes: Our answer to this question is always Allbirds! Check them out on their site!
Get a Travel Credit Card: We travel worldwide for free because we have leveraged our spending into points. See how you can do the same with our favorite travel credit cards.

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