Two years ago, I visited Telunas Private Island for the first time for a quick short getaway from Singapore. On that visit, we stayed in one of the Overwater Villas. I soon noticed that a few of the guests were staying at a villa up on the hill. Curious, I asked the staff for a tour.
I was very impressed by what I saw, and yes, silently jealous at the Ridge Villa guests for the exclusivity of the villa. I knew then that next time, I had to experience the Ridge Villa for myself. And well, dreams do come true because this time, we get to experience the Ridge Villa!
In this blog post, I will be writing about my stay at the Ridge Villa. Here are a few topics I will be covering:
- The Ridge Villa stay
- Tips for staying at the Ridge Villa
- Which Ridge Villa should I book?
- In Conclusion
About Telunas Private Island
Located on Sugi Island near Bintan, Telunas Private Island is an award-winning eco-resort known for its Overwater Villas and tranquil setting.
I’ve written in great detail about my first visit to the island on my first Telunas Private Island post. If you have never been to Telunas before, please do check it out.
🏝️ About Telunas Private Island: For a full guide on how to get there, what to pack, and activities to do, check out my Telunas Private Island post.
The Ridge Villa at Telunas Private Island
Telunas Resort started as Telunas Beach Resort in 2004, a small family-run resort located on Sugi island near Bintan. Ten years later, they expanded by opening Telunas Private Island in 2014.
On Telunas Private Island, there were originally only the Overwater Villas. But in November 2019, Telunas launched an exclusive, adults only villa at the hilltop called the Ridge Villa. If you remember, not long after that, the COVID pandemic took place and Telunas island were not able to receive many visitors. So in a way, the Ridge Villas are still a hidden gem – relatively new, untouched, and serene.
Unlike the Overwater Villas, which are right on the beach and closer to the common areas and amenities of the island, the Ridge Villas are located inland, and requires a short but somewhat steep hike. It takes about 4-8 minutes to climb up the hill, depending on your fitness level.
Despite the trek, the views and serenity at the top make it completely worthwhile.
Each Ridge Villa features a view of the ocean, facing different directions to ensure privacy. The main feature of the Ridge Villas is how secluded and quiet it is. During our entire stay, I did not see or hear anyone else.
The main feature of the Ridge Villa is undoubtedly the private outdoor plunge pool, which greets you at the first push of the wooden entrance door to the villa.
Due to the outdoor nature of it, the pool gets occasional fallen leaves and other natural debris, but the pool jet works well to keep it clean. The jet gets turned on periodically via a timer, which gets a bit noisy, but once its off you’ll hear nothing but the sounds of nature.
Because of this, and also the fact that the path up the hill and around the villa is not child-proofed, the Ridge Villas are only for adults. It is not open for kids to stay in.
To the left of the pool, there is a rest area with a sofa and a small dining table for two.
Lunch and dinner are normally served at the common dining area, but Ridge Villa guests can request to have breakfast at the villa from 7 to 9 AM. This minimizes the need to trek down the hill to the common area when you’re not yet ready to wake up.
And I heard you can also opt to have your dinner at the villa too. Please inquire straight to the staff during your stay.
For Ridge Villa guests only, there is tea time from 3 to 5 PM, which you can have at the comfort of your villa. Tea time is not served by default, but the staff will ask you if you’d like one.
On to the bedroom – The villa comes with a large and very comfortable king-sized bed, with an airy mosquito net that gets draped around the bed at turndown service.
Surprisingly, I didn’t need the net at all. Mosquitoes really weren’t a problem here. Trust me, I would know. Mosquitoes usually love me and I did get bit tons when I went for a walk to the other side of the island, but for some reason, there was none at the villa!
The bed is facing a large glass window, which gives you an amazing view of greenery and the ocean. You can open the sliding door too if you really want to immerse yourself in nature. Just, make sure the air conditioning is off. I learned at the island tour that the island generates its own power via solar, and since then I became very aware of my own power usage.
There is also a large ceiling fan which will help you stay cool, and an air-conditioning system should the ceiling fan not be sufficient for you. For us, we found that the ceiling fan was more than enough, but I know many people who would rejoice at the availability of an aircon.
Also, there is a mini fridge with complimentary drinks! This is something we did not get down at the Overwater Villa.
My favorite part of the villa though, is without a doubt, the large ensuite garden bathroom – with not just one, but TWO rain showers! Yes, there is an indoor shower, and an outdoor one.
During my stay, I only used the outdoor shower though because… why shower indoors when you can do that at home? 😆
In the bathroom, there is a large counter with a double sink and large mirror, so you never have to fight your companions for sink usage.
There are no phones or data connection up at the Ridge Villas, but there is a small office manned by a staff member who will always be ready to help you.
Tips for staying at the Ridge Villa
I’ve listed a complete packing list over on my Telunas Private Island post, but here are a few extra stuff that would benefit you on the Ridge Villa.
Bring a beach bag – When going down to lunch / dinner or if you want to get a massage at the spa, it would be wise to have a small bag to bring your belongings so you don’t have to trek back up.
Wear comfortable shoes – I don’t think anyone will be coming to the island with heels, but just in case, I strongly advise you to not do that. You do have to walk up the hill, and it won’t be easy if you’re not wearing flat shoes.
Pool filter manual switch – The pool filter is on a timer, but there is a manual switch to turn the jet filter on and off. It’s located by the side of the pool itself, on the side facing the cliff.
Meal preferences – If you’d like to have your breakfast and tea time at the villa, make sure to let the staff know in advance! They’ll remind you so you don’t have to worry.
Which Ridge Villa should I book?
The Ridge Villas are numbered from 16 to 20, as continuation of the numbers from the Overwater Villa. I personally think all of them are great, but of course, each villa has its own strength.
Here are some of my personal observation:
- Ridge Villa 16 is closest to the bottom of the hill, so it is great if you don’t really fancy the climb up while still benefiting from the secluded location of the villa.
- If you fancy watching the sunset while lounging by the plunge pool, Ridge Villa 17 is the most ideal, as it faces northwest and offers an almost unblocked view of the ocean. I think Ridge Villa 17 is the one they used on their promotional materials too.
- We stayed at Ridge Villa 18, which is facing north and features a leafy green view. It does not get much direct sun, which helps the villa stay cool even when the air conditioning is not on.
- Ridge Villa 19 and 20 are the furthest away and the most secluded. The two villas face west, which would also offer a good view of sunset.
There is no way to book a specific Ridge Villa via the booking system, but you may be able to request a villa through the “Special Request” field while booking. Of course, it would be subject to availability, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask.
➡️ Get a complimentary 60-minute massage: you can use my promo code GirlEatWorld while booking. This allows you to claim 1 complimentary 60-minute Overwater Spa massage at Telunas Private Islands, valid until 19 December 2025.
In Conclusion
I thought the Overwater Villa at Telunas Private Island was already amazing, but after staying at the Ridge Villas, I truly think this was the perfect short getaway from Singapore that we desperately needed. It’s the kind of place that makes you forget that you’re still only 50 km away from Singapore.
It’s very private and secluded. You don’t even have to go down the hill much if you don’t want to. I will never forget the tranquility and the sound of nature while relaxing on Ridge Villa.
The Ridge Villa is adults only, which makes it not ideal for parents with young children. But I have two young children myself (5 years old and 9 months old at the time of visit), and we “solved” the issue by convincing our parents to come with us and stay with the children at the Overwater Villa at night. Spoiler alert: they did not need much convincing.
I figured this was the perfect solution for an attached parent like myself (In fact, it was the longest I’ve been apart from my youngest). We were able to have time to ourselves, but still just minutes walk away if they needed our help. We did have to compromise by climbing up and down the hill multiple times a day instead of just staying and relaxing at the Ridge Villa, but hey – bonus cardio!
If you’re looking for the perfect mix of nature, luxury, and tranquility just hours from Singapore, the Ridge Villa at Telunas Private Island is a rare gem worth the trip.
Don’t forget – I’ve secured a deal for my blog readers:
➡️ Get a complimentary 60-minute massage: you can use my promo code GirlEatWorld while booking. This allows you to claim 1 complimentary 60-minute Overwater Spa massage at Telunas Private Islands, valid until 19 December 2025.
And I have to tell you, the massage is definitely my favorite out of all the wonderful things you can do on the island. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
Note: I was a guest of Telunas Private Island for the purposes of writing this review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are honest and remain my own.