Nikoi Private Island

Style

Castaway playground

Setting

Coral-ringed reserve

A barefoot-luxury family retreat in Indonesia, Nikoi Private Island kindles the magic of childhoods spent running wild in nature. Driftwood-hewn villas open directly to the private island’s jungle and white-sand beaches, where you can snorkel coral reefs and try adventure sports. There’s a kids’ club fit for explorers in training, too: hit the all-natural spa while they climb trees and toast marshmallows, then regroup for a wholesome Indonesian supper as the sun sets over the South China Sea.

Facilities

Rooms

18 villas.

Checkout

11am, and check-in is at 1pm. Both are flexible, on request and subject to availability. A two-night minimum stay applies.

More Details

Rates don't include the compulsory S$121 daily board charge (S$61 for children and free for under-fours), which covers all meals, tea, filter coffee and some activities. You can prepay these charges ahead or pay locally in Indonesian Rupiah.

Also

Unfortunately, Nikoi Private Island is not suitable for guests with limited mobility.

Free Internet Access

Pool

On-Site Restaurant

Spa

At the Hotel

Tennis court, volleyball court, croquet lawn, boutique and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: ceiling fans, coffee- and tea-making kit, ice box, free bottled water, beach bag, yoga mat, foam roller, TRX kit, bathrobes and bespoke natural bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

All villas are open to nature and embrace the resort's seamless approach to indoor-outdoor living. The Beach Villas are set near the main dining area, bar, spa and boathouse, so will suit younger or older family members. Tucked away from the island’s central hub, the Pool Villas give you seafront seclusion and plenty of space to spread out.

Poolside

Follow the scenic jungle path around to the northeastern side of the island, where two outdoor saltwater pools (the smaller one especially for kids) face the sea. There are sunloungers on the deck, fringed by lush foliage and a few handy steps from the bar. The pools are open from 8am to 5pm.

Spa

The spa operates in step with the island’s wild ethos. It’s set across three safari tents facing the water, with massages, facials and body scrubs using all-natural products. Manicures and pedicures are available, too, and little Smiths can get in on the relaxation with specially tailored kids’ massages. You’ll find a yoga mat in your villa — if you fancy a guided session, this can be arranged in your chosen spot around the island for an extra cost.

Packing Tips

Bring your sea legs — you’ll reach the island by speedboat, and there’s a whole roster of watersports on the cards once you’re here.

Also

Artists-in-residence from across southeast Asia stay in Nikoi’s studio, creating work inspired by local ecology and culture. Look out for pieces by former residents around the island and, if you stay during an artist’s residency, workshops and talks, too.

Children

All ages are welcome and scheduled activities for junior Smiths are included with your stay.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

The main restaurant has two dining areas, with one usually set aside for families with younger children. We’d say snag a spot with a sea view at Biru, but you’d be hard pressed to find a table without one.

Dress Code

Floaty and fresh from the beach.

Hotel Restaurant

Both of Nikoi’s restaurants are guided by sustainability, offering set menus and sourcing ingredients from local fishers and markets, with spices, tropical fruits, free-range eggs and more coming from the hotel’s permaculture farm on Bintan. The main beachfront dining area serves Indonesian specialties, often spotlighting dishes from a different region each night. Meals here are usually served family-style, so you’ll tuck into plates of barbecued seafood, tempeh and sambal around the impressive driftwood dining table. Biru is a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant on the other side of the island, where flatbreads, tabbouleh and pizzas are served poolside.

Although menus are fixed, dietary requirements can be easily accommodated with prior notice, and staff will let you know each day’s dishes in advance in case there are any changes you’d like to request.

Hotel Bar

The main bar is the island’s focal point, a toes-in-the-sand spot to waft into for a morning coffee, then wind your way back in time to watch the sunset over a craft cocktail from the open-air lounge. There’s also a bar at the poolside Biru restaurant, to cater to all your post-swim tipples.

Last Orders

Breakfast is served in the main dining area from 7.30am to 10am, lunch from noon until 2pm, and dinner, 6pm to 9pm. The bar is open from breakfast until the last sips are sunk.

Planes

If you plan to reach the hotel via ferry, you’ll want to fly into Singapore’s Changi Airport, around a 20-minute drive from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. Alternatively, you can touch down at Raja Haji Fisabilillah International Airport in Indonesia’s Tanjung Pinang; from there, the hotel can arrange return private car and boat transfers to Nikoi at additional cost.

Automobiles

Nikoi is a car-free island.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

There’s dreamy swimming to be had off the island’s beaches. For something more adrenalin-spiking, head to the boathouse, where kit hire for watersports including paddle-boarding, snorkelling, kayaking and laser sailing is covered by the daily board charge. For an extra fee, you can try wind- and wing-surfing, or explore the surrounding coral reefs on a scuba-diving expedition. Back on dry land, take a walk around the island’s forests, either solo or guided by a staff member to flag the local flora and fauna. Charged adventures for landlubbers include jungle ziplining and rock-climbing on the island’s natural boulder formations.

On the conservation front, you can join a beach cleanup or take a behind-the-scenes sustainability tour of the island. From June to October, you might have the chance to help the resident marine biologist safeguard turtle nesting and hatching sites, and watch the hatchlings make their way to the sea. If you have your sights set on snorkelling and sunbathing, aim for the dry season (from March to October). November to February is a good bet for most watersports.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .