Fast is fun and speed is freedom. The thoughts of McLaren-Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton? Perhaps. It’s also the sentiment of one very experienced — and very savvy — jet ski instructor.

“Speed all you want, no ticket,” Pearly Koh, the lithe guide of Jetski Safari said with a chortle as she prepared my group of eight for our three-hour jaunt off Bintan’s northern coast. According to Koh, many Singaporeans come to the island to jet ski because they do not need a Powered Pleasure Craft Driving Licence to zip around in the water here.

Launched two months ago, Jetski Safari combines water sport with sightseeing. The trip is different each time, said Koh, varying from beach hopping to visiting kelongs, traditional Indonesian homes built on stilts over the sea. It allows visitors to discover Bintan from the water, a boon for those familiar with the Indonesian island that is a mere 55-minute ferry ride from Singapore.

What participants experience of the safari depends on their ability to stay on the jetskis and the condition of the crafts they are riding. Run over one bunch of seaweed too many and the engine may choke, as did our jetskis, but the problem is quickly fixed by a mechanic who follows every group.

Once the basics are mastered, jet skiing is a whooping roller-coaster ride on water. Be prepared to bop on the seats like amateur horseriders every time the jet ski crosses a wave. The bigger the wave, the higher the jet ski flies, the harder the crash onto the water, the more drenched the riders become.

It’s wet, it’s thrilling and, for those who express excitement with their mouths open, very, very salty. We landed on the beach at Nirwana Gardens Resort but were soon back on our racers to ride more waves.

For more of the bump and grind, jet skiers can follow up the safari with a 30-minute All- terrain Vehicle (ATV) ride through the jungle. The track takes riders down a steep drop and across a stretch of trench-riddled ground for a truly jolting trip.

Settle into a spa

To scrub away the salt and dirt after a day on jetskis, head to one of the many spas in Bintan.

There are options for every budget. Outside of the resorts, the Aura Beauty Salon and Spa at Pasar Oleh Oleh — a shopping village selling souvenirs, local food and cheap beers ($5 for three cans) — offers two-hour massage and body scrub packages for $44.

Across the street is Kampoeng Lagoi — a chic shopping area built last year. Nestled within its spanking new, villa-like buildings is the Aroma Day Spa, a traditional Javanese spa that houses a health-drink bar and offers 75-minute body massages for $55.

For a truly indulgent experience, check out the resorts. Angsana Resort and Spa Bintan takes the pampering experience to a higher level. Literally. Angsana’s individual spa pavilions are located at the top of a building. Some have glass for walls on three sides, so guests are treated to a sensational view of the South China Sea. Treatments are expertly carried out, with little touches that make a huge difference. This includes a light refresher mist and the quiet sounding of a gong at the end of the session to stave off sleepiness. There is also a 30-minute calming time when guests can sip their post-treatment teas and take in the sea view at leisure. The two-hour body scrub and massage package is US$90 ($125).

Dinner at 8

Go to Bintan for the adventure, stay for the romance. Visitors don’t have to be a guest of Banyan Tree to reserve one of its six unique dining destinations. Dinner at 8 is so named not because it’s held at 8 o’clock, but on the Laguna Bintan Golf Club’s signature eighth hole. By day, the hole is famous for the inlet that separates the tee from the green and the many balls that golfers lose playing there. At night, the mound is transformed into a candlelit dining area. Situated far from human traffic, it’s an intimate space to savour romantic moments over superb food and wine.

The menu is set — a decadent combination of scallops, lobster and tenderloin cooked by a chef a stone’s throw away and served by one’s personal waiter. A treat, certainly, after the roar of the Grand Prix weekend in Singapore. - TODAY/ra