Tanjung Pinang Travel Guide 2026: Old Town, Penyengat Island & Bintan's Quiet Coast

Most travellers who know Bintan picture the island's polished resort strip in the north. Tanjung Pinang, the capital of the Riau Islands province, sits at the island's southern tip and could not be more different. This is a working harbour city of colourful shophouses, wooden stilt villages and one of Indonesia's most important historic islands.

This Tanjung Pinang travel guide covers the best things to do in the city in 2026: the old town, the island of Penyengat with its yellow mosque, the quiet beaches of Trikora, and the practical details — ferries, food and the best season.

Tanjung Pinang's old town — colourful shophouses along the harbour.

Why Visit Tanjung Pinang?

Tanjung Pinang sits on the southern coast of Bintan Island, facing the South China Sea and the shipping lanes that have made this corner of Indonesia a trading crossroads for centuries. It was once the seat of the Sultanate of Riau-Lingga, and that history is still visible everywhere: in the old town's shophouses, in the stilt villages that line the shore, and most of all on Penyengat Island.

What makes the city worth a visit is its atmosphere: a place that has never tried to be a tourist destination. The harbour is busy with ferries and fishing boats, the markets sell the morning's catch, and the food is some of the best in the Riau Islands. It is an easy, rewarding stop for anyone crossing between Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Getting to Tanjung Pinang

The easiest way to reach Tanjung Pinang is by ferry. From Singapore's Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, fast ferries cross in around one and a half to two hours. Ferries also run from Johor Bahru and Batam, making the city a natural stop on a trip around the region.

By air, Raja Haji Fisabilillah Airport (TNJ) sits just outside the city, with flights from Jakarta and other Indonesian cities. A taxi into the centre takes around 20 to 30 minutes. There are no direct international flights, so most international travellers arrive by sea.

Once you arrive, the old town is compact and easy to explore on foot, with taxis for longer trips. To reach Trikora Beach, hire a car with a driver for the day.

Best Things to Do in Tanjung Pinang

Wander the Old Town and the Waterfront

Start in the old town, where rows of colourful shophouses line the streets near the harbour. Many date back a century or more, built by the merchants who made Tanjung Pinang a trading port. Some are freshly painted, others weathered and peeling, and together they give the old town a character no new development can match.

Walk down to the waterfront in the late afternoon, when the fishing boats come in. The stilt villages along the shore — wooden houses built over the water — are one of the city's most distinctive sights, and the best photographs are found in the side streets and along the water's edge.

Cross to Penyengat Island

Just offshore lies the reason many travellers come: Penyengat Island, the former seat of the Sultanate of Riau-Lingga. Small boats run from the harbour in around 15 minutes — the city skyline recedes behind you and the island's yellow mosque rises ahead.

On the island, the streets are quiet and the pace is slow. There are almost no cars, so explore on foot or by bicycle from the jetty. Allow at least half a day: the island is small, but its history is dense.

Visit the Sultan Riau Grand Mosque

The centrepiece of Penyengat is the Sultan Riau Grand Mosque, its bright yellow walls and white domes visible from the mainland. Built in the nineteenth century, it is one of the most important historic buildings in the Riau Islands, and local tradition holds that its mortar was mixed with egg white. It is still in use, so dress respectfully and visit outside prayer times.

Near the mosque stand the ruins of the sultan's palace, the royal tombs and the old fort walls. Together they tell the story of a sultanate that shaped Malay culture across the region, and the island is still revered as a cradle of Malay heritage.

Explore Senggarang and the Chinese Heritage

Back on the mainland, Senggarang is home to Tanjung Pinang's Chinese community and some of its oldest temples. Its shophouses and temples reflect centuries of trade with China, and its streets are among the most atmospheric in the city.

Visit in the late afternoon, when the temples are lit and the food stalls open. The area's restaurants and stalls serve some of the city's best Chinese-Malay food.

Shop and Eat at the Traditional Market

The traditional market is the city's beating heart. It wakes early, when the fishing boats come in and the day's catch — snapper, mackerel, prawns, crabs and reef fish — is laid out for buyers from across the region. It is loud, crowded and full of life.

Even if you are not buying, the market is worth a visit: stallholders are generally friendly, and a smile and a few words of Indonesian go a long way. Afterwards, try the food stalls nearby — grilled fish, spicy curries and strong coffee are the proper Tanjung Pinang breakfast.

Penyengat Island: A Day in the Old Sultanate

Penyengat deserves its own section, because a visit here is unlike anything else in the Riau Islands. The island is small enough to cross on foot in under an hour, yet it holds the palace ruins, the grand mosque, royal tombs and old fortifications of a sultanate that once ruled these waters.

Penyengat Island — the yellow mosque of the old Sultanate of Riau.

A Slow Morning on the Island

Arrive early, when the light is soft and the island is at its quietest. Walk from the jetty toward the mosque, past wooden houses and small gardens, stopping at the palace ruins and the royal tombs along the way. Local guides near the jetty can explain the island's history and point out details you would otherwise miss — the old cannon, the fort walls, the graves of the sultans.

Penyengat sees few visitors, so the island stays peaceful even on weekends. Bring water and sun protection, and check the boat times back before you settle in — the last boats leave in the late afternoon.

Island Life and the View Back to the City

Penyengat is more than its monuments. The fishing villages are worth a slow wander: wooden houses on stilts, boats pulled up on the sand and nets drying in the sun. Life here moves at the pace of the tides, and visitors who walk through a village and chat with the locals will get a warmer welcome than any resort could offer.

From the island's higher ground, the view back to Tanjung Pinang is one of the best in the Riau Islands. Stay for the late afternoon light, when the mosque's yellow walls glow and the water turns gold.

Trikora Beach: Bintan's Quiet Coast

East of the city lies Trikora Beach — a long stretch of sand that feels a world away from the resorts of the north. The beach is known for its calm turquoise water, granite boulders and coconut palms, and for the simple fact that it is almost never crowded. It is the kind of beach that rewards doing very little: swimming, walking the shoreline and eating grilled fish at a beachside stall.

Trikora Beach — quiet sand and turquoise water on Bintan's east coast.

A Day at Trikora

Trikora is a series of small bays along the coast, each with its own character. Some stretches are wide and open, others are sheltered coves between the rocks. The water is calm and shallow, and the sand is pale and clean. Small seafood restaurants and guesthouses line the road behind the beach, serving the day's catch grilled over charcoal.

The beach is at its best in the morning, when the light is soft and the water is clearest, and again in the late afternoon. Bring sun protection, water and cash — the beach stalls are largely cash-only. Allow a full day for Trikora, or stay overnight in a beachside guesthouse to have the sand to yourself at sunrise.

Where to Stay and Eat in Tanjung Pinang

Tanjung Pinang has places to stay from simple guesthouses to comfortable business hotels in the city centre. Staying near the harbour puts you close to the old town, the market and the boats to Penyengat; staying in the newer part of town is better for shopping and the evening food scene.

The food is one of Tanjung Pinang's best reasons to visit. This is a seafood city, and the grilled fish — snapper, mackerel and the gonggong sea snails the Riau Islands are famous for — is excellent everywhere. Gonggong, a local sea snail boiled and eaten with chilli sauce, is the dish to try first. The night food stalls near the harbour are the best place to eat like a local.

Best Time to Visit Tanjung Pinang

The dry season, roughly May to September, is the best time to visit: the sea is calm for the Penyengat crossing and the ferry from Singapore, and Trikora Beach is at its best. The wet season (October to April) brings heavy rain and rougher seas, which can delay ferries. Temperatures stay warm all year, so pack light clothes, rain gear and sunscreen whatever the month.

Visit in the late afternoon rather than midday: the heat softens, the harbour comes alive, and the sunset over the strait is Tanjung Pinang at its most beautiful.

Practical Tips for Visiting Tanjung Pinang

• Check the ferry times: ferries from Singapore and Batam run several times a day, but schedules vary by season.
• Bring cash: ATMs exist in the city, but the market, beach stalls and Penyengat's boats are largely cash-only.
• Visit Penyengat early: go in the morning for the best light and the coolest walk around the island.
• Getting around: ride-hailing cars work in the city; hire a car with a driver for Trikora Beach.
• Try the seafood: grilled fish and gonggong sea snails are the local stars — eat at the harbour stalls for the freshest catch.
• Language: Indonesian and Malay are widely spoken; English is less common than in Bali or Jakarta, so basic Indonesian phrases help.
• How long to stay: two days for the city, the old town and Penyengat; three to four days with a full day at Trikora Beach.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get to Tanjung Pinang from Singapore?

Fast ferries run from Singapore's Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Tanjung Pinang in around one and a half to two hours, with several departures a day. Ferries also connect the city with Johor Bahru in Malaysia and with Batam.

What is Penyengat Island?

Penyengat is a small island just offshore and the former seat of the Sultanate of Riau-Lingga. It is home to the yellow Sultan Riau Grand Mosque, the ruins of the sultan's palace, royal tombs and old fort walls. Small boats cross from the harbour in around 15 minutes.

How do I get to Trikora Beach from Tanjung Pinang?

Trikora Beach lies on Bintan's east coast, around an hour's drive from the city. Hire a car with a driver for the day. The beach is a series of small bays with calm water, pale sand and seafood stalls.

What food is Tanjung Pinang famous for?

Seafood, above all: grilled fish and gonggong, a local sea snail boiled and eaten with chilli sauce, are the local signatures. Malay and Chinese restaurants serve them alongside noodle soups, spicy curries and satay, and the harbour night stalls are the best place to eat like a local.

How many days do I need in Tanjung Pinang?

Two days covers the old town, the harbour, the market and a half-day trip to Penyengat Island. Three to four days lets you add a full day at Trikora Beach, with time for its quiet bays and seafood stalls.

Tanjung Pinang is not a polished tourist destination, and that is precisely its appeal: a working harbour city where colourful shophouses line the old town, a yellow mosque rises from a historic island offshore, and some of the Riau Islands' quietest beaches lie a short drive away. Come with an open mind and a good appetite. Have you been to Tanjung Pinang or Penyengat Island, or is it on your list? Share your old-town photos and your best seafood finds in the comments below.