In most shops on the island, they accept Singapore dollars as well as Indonesian rupees. To pay for things at a good currency, always have some Indonesian money with you – they won’t have a change in small shops. Bintan is a duty-free zone, so besides souvenirs, you can buy stuff for home, household, work, and leisure. In the shopping malls, you will find clothes and shoes from famous brands at good prices. Things with the national color you should better buy in Tanjung Pinang or Tanjung Uban. However, you can buy things from the local craftsmen at great prices in small settlements in the jungles. On the opposite, in places, where there are many tourists, you should buy only magnets and postcards. The other things in such places are usually overpriced. Definitely bring back home a cat-shaped statue. They are usually made from wood and are later hand-painted. For the local people a cat is not just a nice and gracious animal, but a true symbol of family and warmth, which is vital for the Indonesians. Besides wooden cats, you will also find stone, ivory, and clay statues of different colors and shapes. In small remote villages you can buy rattan and grapevine furniture. The seamstresses can buy local fabrics. The most beautiful paintings are painted on the finest silk. If you don’t like to sew yourself, but you like the local outfits, you can buy a silk dress, a pashmina, or a scarf. If you plan to visit a lot of local temples, buy a sarong. You will save
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