Batam, Indonesia Itinerary


A Day Trip to Batam, Indonesia

A boat ferry took us to the Land of Indonesia where the famous prehistoric Java man's remains were found inside one of their caves. On this trip I'm hoping to find my Java Man - just kidding I'm too young for that. Here I go again, another short trip to Indonesia with my friends at work. Good news if you're in Singapore because it's just less than an hour away by ferry. Let’s go! 


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Travel Tips
  • For flights, Skyscanner is excellent for comparing the best airline deals.
  • For accommodations, our family trusts Booking.com for reasonable prices.


How to get there: Singapore to Batam, Indonesia

HarbourFront Centre Ferry Terminal 
Address: 1 Maritime Square, Singapore 099253

From Harbourfront MRT Station
Exit the train station and follow the signs to HarbourFront Centre Ferry Terminal 

Ferry Ticket 
HarbourFront Centre Ferry Terminal to Batam Centre: 16 SGD 
Singapore seaport tax 20 SGD 
Batam seaport tax 7 SGD 
Ferry ticket total fare: 43 SGD 

Travel time: 45 minutes - 1.5 hours 

Prices may have changed.


Tips
- Power outlets: are commonly type C/F, Round Two-Pin Plug, with standard voltage 230 V and frequency 50 Hz.

Survival Terms
- Toilet is the term for the bathroom/washroom
- Terima Kasih means "thank you"



What to do in Batam

We headed to Batam, Indonesia via Ferry at HarbourFront. It was the Chinese New Year week so our tickets were booked ahead of time. Batam is located west of Bintan Island and south part of Singapore. This is just a day we have limited time to roam around but we managed to visit what we came for.


1. Relax

The place smelled like home and it was just like going back to the Philippines. What makes the place different is its building structures, they have temple-like design roofs.

Try to relax and appreciate the simplicity of life here. They don't have busy people in suits walking around, people catching the bus or train, drivers driving fast to work and all. 



2. Barelang Bridge

As we drove along we stopped by this bridge, and we just stood there while staring at the horizon. The Barelang Bridge also known as Jembatan Barelang, it is considered to be one of the Iconic structures in Batam.



3. Dragon Fruit Farm

We didn't actually know where to go so we asked the driver what's like the nearest place we can chill out. We headed to a dragon fruit farm to Naga Zore Juice House, just a few minutes away from the famous Barelang bridge. 



I've never been to a dragonfruit farm before, so I was excited to see it. These plants live with the heat of the sun, and Batam's tropical weather will definitely reap its benefits from the fruits.



We just enjoyed having our freshly squeezed dragon fruit juice drink under the sizzling heat of the sun-refreshing? Not really, I'm not a fan of its taste, it's like drinking sweet saliva. I hope I didn't offend any dragon fruit fanatic out there. Peace man! However recently I tried the white-colored dragon fruit and it actually tastes better.



4. Souvenir Shopping: Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall

Before the day ended, we couldn't go home empty-handed, so we headed to the nearest mall and bought some keychains. It's located in the center of Nagoya town and near Nagoya Plaza Hotel.



We were like instant millionaires there, if you have with you more than 200 SGD, you'll have 2 million rupiahs, for 1 SGD = 6,950 Rupiahs, please refer to current exchange rates for an accurate ratio. The zeroes were too much that it made our heads hurt. 




The items sold in the Mall are really not that expensive, it's really not a fancy mall they have souvenir items, a grocery store and a few boutiques selling shoes and bags. I wasn't planning to buy much stuff so I've just changed 10 SGD, which is equivalent to 69,500 rupiahs. I've only purchased keychains 1 key chain was about 10,000 rupiahs. My friends were roaming around the mall looking for t-shirts well as for me I was busy looking for something my mum could put on her display cabinet. 



I stayed in the souvenir booth longer while my friends hunted for more stuff. I watched this guy put our names on the back of the keychains, it's actually for free as long as you buy one keychain/fridge magnet. It was almost time to go and as a token of appreciation for chatting around, they gave me this T-shirt fridge magnet for free. Something to remember about them and my trip to Batam Indonesia. 


5. Massage

If you still have time enjoy a relaxing massage. Massage rates: 130,000 rupiah - 150,000 rupiah


Deep fried Marble Goby Fish (also known as Ghost Fish)


What to Eat in Batam

Food Adventure

Traveling is like having a food trip, searching and trying out something new, a new cuisine means a whole new experience. I feel that way about my travel cravings, but at the end of each travel, I always end up coming back home as nothing can compare to my mom's cooking. The smell of homemade food is always one of a kind.

We tried a variety of dishes and if only I could divert food in my liver, heart, and lungs, why not so I can try all kinds of Indonesian food in Batam.



Deep Fried Garlic Chicken


Fried Pompano 


Mixed Vegetables 


Coconut Juice


Butter Garlic Prawns



While at Barelang Bridge, two vendors approached us selling street foods. The crab was gigantic and looked so delicious. I never thought they would sell this kind of food here at the bridge, usually, these cost a lot in restaurants.

I'm still craving more of Indonesia but next time I want to go swimming on the beach or do some water sports.

Have fun and be safe ^_^


Do you want more adventure?
If you still have one more day to spare why not go to Bintan, Indonesia for a relaxing island getaway.

Where am I going next?
My next adventure is Scuba diving on the Island of the Gods also known as Bali, Indonesia.

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