Wendy Wong Channel NewsAsia 20 Oct 15;
SINGAPORE: What is billed as the world's largest eco-park resort being built in Indonesian waters will be only accessible via ferry service from Singapore, developers of Funtasy Island said on Tuesday (Oct 20).
The 328-hectare development featuring dolphin lagoon villas, a theme park and beach club, is located 16km away from Singapore. There will be a 25-minute ferry service shuttling to HarbourFront, Funtasy Island Development (FID) said in a news conference.
Previously known as Pulau Manis, the cluster of six small islands north of Batam was acquired by Batam-based developer PT Batam Island Marina 20 years ago. Since 2010, FID has spent S$300 million on the development of the island.
The project is expected to have a soft launch by the end of the first quarter of 2016 and will now include a resort hotel developed in partnership with Louvre Hotels Group, FID announced on Tuesday.
DOLPHINS AT THE DOORSTEP
FID said 70 per cent of the island's natural environment will be preserved. The remaining 30 per cent will be allocated to the construction of 400 villas and two hotels. Director of FID Michael Yong said: "Before we even started construction, we planted 4,000 mangrove trees around the island. We also worked with the local authorities to plant almost 200 coral cubes." FID has plans for a conservation fund to plant one coral on the island for every visitor, he said.
As for its advertising which highlighted dolphins at the doorstep, Mr Yong said the waters have proven to be a suitable habitat for the mammals, and that he expects a few schools of wild dolphins to be in the area.
"We also worked with the fishermen to build structures using compacted palm tree leaves and put it around the island for growth of algae to attract small fishes, which will in turn attract dolphins around the area," he added.
Asked whether the annual haze problem could cloud the island, Mr Yong said that would be inevitable as "haze that reaches Singapore will also reach Funtasy Island". However, he said developers would plan for "more underwater activities which will not be affected by haze".
"We will have more water sport activities. We also want to propose the first cave diving training centre," he said.
Funtasy Island villas are priced at about S$750,000, but about 85 per cent of the properties have been sold or leased to date, FID said. The island is currently uninhabited, but is expected to house an estimated 1,500 staff and 3,000 visitors once it is fully functional at the next of 2016.
- CNA/ww
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