I believe this was our first trip outside Singapore after getting married.
It was Christmas 2014, and we had gone to Bintan for a short holiday, staying at Nirwana Resort. Looking back at the photographs, I can see why I remember the place so fondly.
The beautiful beaches, the peaceful surroundings and the activities we tried together made it a lovely getaway.
Mornings by the beach
One thing I particularly liked about Nirwana was the beach.
The photographs from an early morning show long stretches of sand, coconut palms and hardly anyone around. The sky was cloudy, but the beach was beautiful in its own way.
There was something nice about having such a peaceful setting, especially when the days were ours to spend however we liked.
The resort itself was lovely too, with swimming pools, gardens and little paths running through the grounds.
Exploring on four wheels
One of my favourite memories from this holiday was renting a buggy to drive around the resort.
At that time, I only had my old Indian driving licence, so being able to get behind the wheel was quite exciting for me.
We took the buggy around the resort roads, exploring different corners of the property. I remember enjoying the simple freedom of driving around and seeing what was there.
It might seem like a small thing now, but I genuinely enjoyed it.
The photographs also show the wooden jetty leading out to Calypso Bar, a floating bar within the Nirwana Gardens complex.
It’s another part of the resort I might not have remembered so clearly without the photographs.
Trying a few activities
We also found time for some activities.
I remember going jet skiing with my wife, which was one of the fun experiences we shared during the trip.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any photographs of us on the jet ski in this album.
We also tried archery.
Looking at the photograph of the targets now reminds me that this wasn’t just a holiday spent sitting by the beach. We were quite happy to get out and try different things.
A little time to ourselves
As the day came to an end, the beach looked different.
One of the last photographs shows a grey evening sky, with the water stretching out towards the horizon and a few people in the distance.
It wasn’t a particularly sunny holiday, judging by the photographs, but that didn’t take away from the experience.
Looking back, I don’t remember every small detail of those days. What I do remember is how much I enjoyed being there with my wife.
The beaches were lovely, the activities were fun, and that buggy ride still makes me smile.
For what I believe was our first overseas holiday after getting married, it was a very nice way to begin.