Week end in Bintan...Off the beaten track??

[briton]

Hello,

New expat in Singapore with family (5 and 7 years old kids + wife ....years old), I try to organise a week end in Bintan Island with family, but if possible off the north coast resorts beaten track.

What are your advices to spend one week end in Bintan which will allow us to feel the "real" indonesian taste (kretek smells, kampung atmosphere, coloured markets, exciting jungle, and uncrowded beaches...)?
In other words, is it possible to find a kind of sumatra atmosphere in Bintan?
Is it possible to organise one week end by staying for example overnight in tanjung pinang in middle range hotel, and then travel around the island (by taxi or bus), towards the east coast beaches?

Well...More generally, I would have the same kind of questions for malaysia: something exciting at one or two hours drive (or one/two hours ferry) from Singapore, easy to do in a week end, and that allow to divert from very well organised singapore atmosphere?

Thanks for your advices,

[jpatokal]

Bintan's a small and pretty boring island, there just isn't that much there. Tanjung Pinang is pretty dodgy, but if you're OK with Sumatra, then it's not too bad. But Trikora makes a nice enough "I don't think I'm in Singapore anymore, Toto" experience:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Bintan
http://wikitravel.org/en/Trikora

Southern Johor is also pretty boring, Endau Rompin Nat'l Park probably being the top pick. The more interesting islands (Tioman north) are a fairly long drive away and the season is coming to an end anyway.