The Unique mosque in Penyengat Island Tanjungpinang

I bet many people still not familiar with Tanjungpinang, Bintan Island. The most people in Indonesia just know about Batam Island but rare to know about 

I bet many people still not familiar with Tanjungpinang, Bintan Island. The most people in Indonesia just know about Batam Island but rare to know about Tanjungpinang. It without any reason, long time ago when to get to Singapore to expensive by flight. Most of people outside Riau Islan



ds will visit Batam first then go to Singapore by ferry. Batam is nearby Singapore, but Riau islands is not about Batam but many wonderful islands you can visit. One of the nice island I will shared to you are Bintan Island.

#Little bit information about
Bintan Island, in this island has two administrative governments, that are Tanjungpinang

city and Bintan Regency, Ah including the Province Riau Islands now in Bintan too, so has tree governments there :)

This time I want tell about the Penyengat Island, this island still administrative of Tanjungpinang city. Why you should visit Penyengat Island? Penyengat is a small island situated in 1.5 kilometers from Tanjung Pinang (Bintan island). 

This island just a 3,5 kilometre length with the  population is about 2,000 people. Among them, 1/3 are descendants of the former royal family of Riau. 

#History of Penyengat Penyengat in the 18th century was the twin-seat of the Sultan of the Johor-Riau Kingdom. Today, the Sultan’s palace is being restored. It is an interesting blend of Javanese and Dutch architecture, still imbued with an air of dignity, even though it has been abandoned for more than 80 years. Here are tombs and crypts, and a restored fort.

The pride of the island is the Sultan’s Mosque (shown on the left), the Mesjid Raya Sultan Riau Penyengat. Peeping through the palm trees like a fairy tale castle, it is still in use today. Rumour has it that a large part of the mosque was made of eggs, gifts from the Sultan’s loyal subjects on the occasion of his wedding.  The egg-white proved to be a strong bonding agent. The mosque has excellent acoustics and even a whisper can carry right across the auditorium.  Here is also the beautifully preserved handwritten and illustrated Quran of over 150 years old.

#Why The Mosque unique? Sultan Riau Grand Mosque is a famous historical tourist site on Penyengat Island, Tanjung Pinang, Kepulauan Riau province.  This mosque was built when the island was the residence of Engku Puteri Raja Hamidah, wife of the Riau ruler, Sultan Mahmudsyah (1761—1812).  Initially, this mosque was a simple wooden building with brick floors and about 6 meter tall towers.

 If you're more interested in the architecture, here are some details. The walls of this mosque are 50 cm thick and the mosque is the only one remaining from the Riau-Lingga kingdom that is intact.  The total size of this mosque compound is about 54.4 x 32.2 meters.  The size of its main building is 29.3 x 19.5 meters, and is supported by four pillars.  Its floor is made of clay bricks.  In its yard, there are two Sotoh houses for travelers and meetings.  There are also two halls where local people place food during parties or fast breaking sessions in the evenings during the holy month of Ramadan.

This mosque has thirteen domes and four sharp towers as high as 18.9 meters that were previously used by muadzin to call for prayers. This mosque looks as strong as royal palaces in India. Its domes are varied and grouped into three and four domes. Total number of domes and towers is 17. It reflects the total number of rekaat in Moslem pray that must be performed by every Moslem every day. Sultan Riau Mosque has very unique architecture. It is not known from where this mosques architecture originates.

#How to get There?

The first you should come to Bintan Island first. Don't worry if you are from outside of Bintan Island and still in Indonesia. You can come here without come to Batam first. Because Tanjungpinang already has airport or if you from Batam first, you should  come through Port Sri Bintan Pura, in Tanjung Pinang. That is not just come to Batam but also can be from  Malaysia and Singapore. There are many small vessels that can take you to there.

Then the journey is still not stop. You should go to small fort to get boat to Penyengat Island. That port is not far from Sri Bintan Pura port. You can walk or hire ojek to take you to the port. The journey Tanjungpinang port to Penyengat Island is not long time, just need about 20 minutes only. The price per person also not expensive just cost 10.000 IDR (1 USD).

The local people said it Pompong. That is small motorboat. Then when you arrive at Penyengat port, you can travel around Penyenat Island with paddle motor and rent motor and the most for free you can walk around this island because this island is not so big. Don’t worry this island don’t have car, because it can’t useful there. No road for car. 

#What you can do there? Nearby is the tomb of Raja Ali Haji (shown on the right), author of the dictionary, grammar and history of the Riau Malay language, which became the base for Bahasa Indonesia, the present national language of the country.

Further down is the tomb of Engku Puteri Permaisuri, queen of Sultan Mahmud. She was a Bugis Princess who received the island of Penyengat as her dowry. She took power and reigned here until her death in 1844.

Also you can look around the mosque made by white eggs. The history in there said like that, the yellow color and now in front of mosque has place to take a rest and that is nice. This trip just for a day only.

In this place you can't find hotel, so just book hotel in Tanjungpinang. There has many variant hotel for you from cheaper till expensive you can take it, depend on your budged. #How to eat when visit Penyengat?
There is no have any restaurant and just has small warung near port. If you like you can bring your own food. That is more simple and nice.

Enjoy your holiday in Penyengat Island. #Wonderful Experience
The local people around Penyangat Island very friendly and don't hesitate to visit this island. This trip will be an unforgettable memory.  Local people have many stories about the island. You can continue your journey although if you are not muslim you can't get in the mosque but you can see from outside.


Don’t hesitate to spend a whole day on this island to visit all the different curiosity. Make a trip around the island using the coastal trail. I always love to visit here although I am Christian :)