Beach resort, Angsana Bintan recently debut the Rangers’ Club, a new programme that aims to immerse children in an educational adventure which will enhance their overall development and communication skills, while learning important themes that align with the Group’s sustainability ethos to boost their love for the environment.
The Rangers’ Club is designed to encourage cognitive development and cultivate the spirit of outdoor exploration and adventure for kids between 4 to 11 years old, with a sustainability learning angle. Through multi-sensory activities using the five senses – sight, touch, taste, smell, sound – children get to actively engage their senses as they explore their surroundings and dive into activities that will allow them to learn about nature, while appreciating and caring for the environment.
During the last December school holiday, Asher and I were over at Angsana Bintan for a weekend getaway whereby he got to experience the new Rangers’ Club.
Upon arrival at the resort, children will be presented with a Rangers’ Club Passport during check-in. They are encouraged to collect stamps for their passport and join in the activities at various checkpoints within the resort’s compound and allocated outdoor spaces.
Every expedition will then be facilitated by the Ranger’s Club staff, who will challenge the little explorers to be proactive and inquisitive of their surroundings. Once all five stamps are collected, they can redeem a prize rewarded by the resort.
The club features a slew of free and paid activities, with many themed around sustainability and the natural environment. Asher started his adventure with a tour of the resort in the Young Photographer program. A staff at the club brought him to see the resort’s organic farm, sharing with him nuggets of knowledge about the various home-grown fruits and vegetables.
Other programs include the Ranger Trail and Nature Walk, whereby kids are brought on a journey to walk down nature’s path, climb on fallen logs, and explore the surroundings. Kids are also invited to examine animal tracks and homes, take pictures of them while learning to respect their habitats, listen to the chimes of birds and wildlife, and even discover the names of trees, plants, and animals the forest trails have to offer.
The young ones can proceed to create handiwork by collecting leafs from the forest, have a shot at creating their own kites and painting them Batik-style, create their own Engkrang – traditional coconut shell stilt, and even play Papancaken – traditional Sudanese bowling.
Some of the activities Asher tried out include having his face painted; painting his own tee-shirt and learning about spices and fruits:
Rangers’ Club mascot is Felly the Turtle, an actual green sea turtle born on 28 April 2004 at Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru in the Maldives. Felly was one of 30 eggs that survived out of a clutch of 150 eggs in a vicious thunderstorm. This little survivor has since become Banyan Tree’s globe-trotting mascot and a familiar face for the Banyan Tree sustainability and community initiatives.
For kids who are curious about sea turtles, you can get to see them at the nearby Marine Conservation Centre at the neighbouring Cassia Resort. Here, baby turtles are bred to a certain size before they are returned back to sea for rehabilitation.
Rangers’ Club replaces the Group’s existing Kids’ Club and will be rolled out and established across all Banyan Tree and Angsana resorts by January 2019.
Asher had a lot of fun with the Rangers’ Club and even shared with me that this is one of the best vacations he had this year. Other than the Rangers’ Club activities kids can also also hit the beach at the resort or visit the facilities at the neighbouring Laguna Golf Course, Cassia Resort or Banyan Tree Resort which are all part of the same development by the Banyan Tree Group.
Cassia has a foam party every Saturday by the pool and both adults and kids will definitely love it:
For food, if would like something more refined and in a quieter setting, head over to The Cove restaurant at Banyan Tree Resort, a short walk from the beach front or you can call for a buggy from the hotel reception to bring you there. The food is pretty good and they have a good selection in the kids menu too.
These were the items Asher and I gobbled up at The Cove during our 3D2N stay at the resort:
If you are thinking of booking a stay at Angsana Bintan, do check out their new Live for Family package which is now available for bookings. The package allows for kids to stay, eat and play for free. It includes the following:
- Accommodation
- Daily Breakfast
- Kids below 12 dine for free
- Complimentary extra bed / roll-away, where available
- Complimentary baby-sitting services (up to a stipulated time), where available
- Return airport transfers (car or SUV/MPV)
The room is pretty spacious and would fit a small family. This was the room which Asher and I stayed in:
Breakfast at the resort offers a wide selection of international cuisine and some local Indonesian delights:
There are lots of activities for the adults as well. While the little ones are at the Rangers Club, mummies and daddies can head over to Angsana spa for instance for some pampering and relaxation. It is conveniently located just beside the Rangers Club:
With Bintan being just a short one hour ferry ride away from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in Singapore, Angsana Bintan provides for a great family getaway over the weekend if you are short of work leaves.
For bookings of the Live for Family package, please email [email protected], or visit the official website for more information.
5
hatsoff guys.. you’re doing a great job. we’re with you…
It is a good place to travel with family.