Batam, Indonesia
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| Batam, Indonesia |
For a short getaway, le girlfriend and me decided to pop by Batam, Indonesia due to the close proximity it was from Singapore. After all, we found cheap tickets on Carousell (around S$30 return), so why not?
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It was a 1-hour ferry ride from Harbourfront Ferry Terminal to Batam Centre Ferry Terminal. The boat ride was pretty alright, given the amount of terrible ferry rides I've/we've taken over the past few times, and an hour wasn't too long per se.
We arrived pretty late at night because we took the last ferry there due to work commitments, so we arranged a transfer with the hotel, just in case it wasn't too safe to wonder ourselves to our destination. Their service was really good, to the extent of calling me a few days beforehand to confirm my arrival times and all, and of course, being there when we arrive. I stayed with the BCC Hotel and Residences and the rooms were pretty fantastic, huge and all. Forgot how much I paid for it but it wasn't particularly steep.
Nagoya Mall
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Took a cab from our hotel to the famed Nagoya Mall for 50,000IDR (S$5) as it was too far a walk and public transport looked non-existent.
Nagoya Mall is a popular tourist mall that has plenty of stuffs to offer. Food, though, was our reason for going. There was a variation of food choices there, so take your time to pick one to have your meals. There is also a food street, where the food stalls congregate, at the back of the mall. Of course, who can forget A&W? Much loved, but extinct, in Singapore.
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There's also a supermarket for anyone looking to buy cheap groceries back to Singapore. The stuffs here are so much cheaper than it is in Singapore, especially locally produced products like Indomie.
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Barelang Bridge
We managed to rent ourselves a car on the second day and so we made our way to the Barelang Bridge, a series of bridges that connects the outlying islands to the Batam main island itself.
The view from the bridge was pretty spectacular, running across the ocean. It was a pretty warm day, so the strong winds on the bridge was welcoming. Sure, it's nothing compared to the Golden Gate but it has its own charm nonetheless. For photographers, this may just be one of the most photogenic spot in Batam.
Rezeki Seafood Restaurant
Our craving for seafood took us to this restaurant on the east side of the island. I guess it was easier for us to reach there since we had a car with us.
Seafood here is fresh and they'll only kill it for you once you've picked your choice. Prices here aren't particularly steep either. We had 3-4 dishes and crayfishes for around S$30 in total, prices you don't find in Singapore. The food was pretty good too, so the price was totally justified.
Pantai Setokok (Setokok Beach)
We reckon a trip to Batam wouldn't be complete without going to the beach so we took the car on our last day and made a run to one of the beaches in Pantai Setokok, just across the Barelang Bridge. The nicer beaches on the main Batam island seemed to have all been taken up by resorts, and the only nicer beaches left open to the public are all situated across the Barelang bridge on the outlying islands as they are less developed. It was totally worth it.
When we reach the beach, it was almost totally empty. Like your own private beach. And not to say the water isn't nice, it is. It was picturesque and since it's almost totally empty, it seemed like the perfect place to hold a photoshoot without having distractions of other human beings.
There are actually quite a number of beaches on the outlying islands but we only had time for one :( who's to say we won't be back for more though?
And so, we ended our Batam trip. Looking forward to the next one!
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