Bintan tourism
The Sungai Sebung Mangrove Tour: Day, Sunset and Firefly Trips
One river in Teluk Sebong, 20 minutes from Lagoi, and three departure times that make for three completely different trips. What matters is not where you go — it is what time you get on the boat.
A mangrove tour in Bintan is by boat, not on foot
The most common misconception: a mangrove tour in Bintan is not a walk along a wooden boardwalk looking at trees. It is a ride in a motorised wooden boat — a pompong — up Sungai Sebung and into its tributaries, beneath a mangrove canopy that in places closes overhead like a tunnel. The boats are small and chartered per boat, the guide also runs the engine, and the engine is switched off whenever there is something to see.
The river is in Teluk Sebong district, about a 20-minute drive from the Lagoi resort area — the shortest distance of all the tourism guides on this site, which is why this trip is the easiest to fit into a half-day schedule. All the boats leave from the same jetty at the river mouth, so there are no locations to compare.
What you do need to choose is the time, and the next three time slots make three different trips: daytime to see wildlife in the canopy, late afternoon for the light and the sunset over the river mouth, and after dark for the kelip-kelip — fireflies that gather in certain trees along the riverbank. Many guests take two of them in one day, which makes sense as both leave from the same place.
The river and the departure point
One jetty for all three trips below. This is what to give your driver — not the name of the trip.
- River
- Sungai Sebung
- Departure point
- Dermaga Wisata Mangrove Sungai Sebung
- District
- Teluk Sebong
- From Lagoi
- 20 minutes
Teluk Sebong, Kabupaten Bintan, Kepulauan Riau
Open the jetty in Google MapsThree trips on Sungai Sebung
Ordered by departure time, from morning to night. Not a ranking: the right trip for a family with young children is not the same one that people coming for the fireflies are looking for.
Day trip
Into the mangrove tunnels to see wildlife in the canopy
- Departure times: 09:00–16:00
- Time on the boat: 60–90 minutes
- Suits: Families with young children and half-day groups
The standard trip and the easiest to arrange: the boat enters from the river mouth into the main river, then into the tributaries where the canopy closes overhead. The engine is switched off whenever there is something to see, and this is when the long-tailed macaques, monitor lizards and birds are most active. If the tide is low, the mud along the banks is exposed and the mudskippers and mangrove crabs are easy to spot — usually the part children love most. There is no shade on the boat, so a morning trip is more comfortable than one at midday.
What you usually see
- Mangrove canopy tunnels
- Long-tailed macaques and monitor lizards
- Mudskippers and crabs at low tide
- The boat stops for photos
Sunset trip
The same route, in the best light of the day
- Departure times: 17:00–17:30
- Time on the boat: 90 minutes
- Suits: Couples and anyone coming for photos
Practically the same route as the day trip, but leaving late enough in the afternoon to be at the river mouth as the sun goes down. Two things are different: the light, which makes this the best trip for anyone bringing a camera, and the air, which is far more comfortable than at midday. The birds become active again at this time too. Mosquitoes start to appear as dusk falls, so this is the trip where insect repellent and long sleeves matter most.
What you usually see
- Sunset over the river mouth
- Birds active towards dusk
- Much cooler air
- Can be combined with the night trip
Night trip (fireflies)
After dark, without lights, to see the fireflies
- Departure times: 19:00–19:30
- Time on the boat: 60–90 minutes
- Suits: Adults and older children; avoid nights with a bright moon
The trip this river is known for. The boat sets off once it is completely dark and travels without lights to certain trees along the riverbank where fireflies gather — from a distance they look like twinkling trees. The guide also shines a torch on the low branches to point out mangrove snakes coiled up asleep there. Firefly numbers vary from night to night and drop when the moon is bright or after heavy rain, so this is the trip that can be promised least. It is not a trip for children who are afraid of the dark, and not one to push ahead with in the rain.
What you usually see
- Fireflies in the riverside trees
- A pitch-dark river with no boat lights
- Mangrove snakes in the guide's torchlight
- Finishes at around 9pm
Departure times and boat durations were compiled in September 2026 from the trip sheets of the boat operators on Sungai Sebung and the jetty's Google Maps listing, and double-checked against the Bintan Resorts excursion list. Times vary with the season and the weather, and the night trip may be cancelled in rain or strong wind — please confirm for your dates. Boat prices are not listed on this page: boats are chartered per boat, not per person, rates depend on group size, and night trips are priced differently from day trips. Nor does this page promise that any wildlife will be seen — the list above is what usually lives on this river, not what a single trip will include.
What lives along the riverbanks
This list is what is commonly seen on Sungai Sebung, not a guarantee. These are all wild animals — the guides know where to look, but no trip can promise that anything will appear.
Long-tailed macaques
Most often seen on the day trip, moving through the mangrove canopy above the boat. Do not feed them, and do not bring open bags near them.
Monitor lizards
Basking on mangrove roots or swimming across the river. They can grow to over a metre long and pose no danger at all when seen from the boat.
Mangrove snakes
Coiled motionless on low branches, and most often pointed out on the night trip by the guide's torch. Viewed from the boat, never touched.
Kingfishers and eagles
Blue kingfishers swoop over the surface of the river; sea eagles can be seen above the river mouth. Most active in the morning and towards dusk.
Mudskippers and mangrove crabs
On the mud exposed at low tide. This is the part children find most interesting, and it is only there when the tide is going out.
Fireflies
Gathering in certain trees along the riverbank, on the night trip only. Their numbers vary from night to night and drop when the moon is bright or after heavy rain.
What to prepare before you go
Bring insect repellent, not just sunscreen
This is the one item you will really regret forgetting, especially on the sunset and night trips. A long-sleeved top works better than reapplying, and long trousers make an hour on the boat much more comfortable.
Ask about the tide, not just the time
At low tide the boat cannot get into the narrow tributaries and the route is shortened; at high tide the mud where the mudskippers and crabs live is underwater. The boat owners know the day's tides — tell them what you want to see when you book.
The night trip means total darkness
The boat runs without lights so the fireflies can be seen, and the guide only switches on a torch to point things out. A single lit phone screen will spoil the experience for the whole boat. Bring a light jacket — it feels cold on the water after dark — and make sure there are life jackets for everyone.
Do not squeeze it in with another trip on the same day
The night trip only finishes at around 9pm and no public transport passes the jetty. If you are taking both the day and the night trip, arrange for the car to wait or to pick you up twice — rather than looking for transport after dark on a village road.
We will take you to the jetty and wait for the boat to return
Tell us which trip you have chosen, how many people are going and the date. We will prepare the car and a driver who knows the way to the Sungai Sebung jetty, and help put you in touch with the boat owners on site — including for the night trip, which returns after dark.