Howdy-doody!
I have been busy with work lately, so ya...
Nothing much, just a short one to share the joyfulness about my virgin island trip to Batam, Indonesia. Before that, I have never come across with Batam island until I moved to Singapore.
Batam is one of the area in Riau island of Indonesia. And the best part is, it is only a short ferry ride away from Singapore. Me and my friend planned to travel to Batam on last Friday and Saturday.
I read a few blogs before I start to prepare the itinerary .*But ended up my friend did most of the important part. He helps to search for car rental with driver and plan on the time to wake up and depart. I was so thankful that he actually makes my trip hassle-free* Although there were a few hiccups happened upon the trip but overall it was pretty fine and we enjoyed the trip atmost.
I would like to advise if you guys are planning for the trip, please book your ferry tickets and hotel as earliest as possible. I learnt my lesson as I got my ferry tickets on the last few days before we depart and my friend was actually keep reminding me to buy as early as possible as the tickets are hot selling. I was too busy with my work until I have no time to plan about the trip. I bought our ferry tickets at easybook.com when my friend checked with his friend that walk-in tickets are all sold out. I was so happy that I able to get 10;30am ferry tickets from Tanah Merah Terminal, Singapore to Batam Centre Terminal, Indonesia. But things doesn't come as what I wished. The staff from easybook.com rang me up to inform me that they have over-sold the 10:30am ferry tickets. So they would like to change our ferry ticket to 1pm. Yea, I was so pissed-off but I really have no time to argue with the staff but to agree for the time adjustment. *Too busy with my job already larh!!*
We actually woke up quite early and had our breakfast at one of the Kopitiam nearby Geylang and head to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal after breakfast.
It was slam-packed with people! Luckily we arrive quite early. We manage to redeem our ferry tickets with our printed order summary in just a few minutes. The checkpoint process at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal was efficient. But the ferry delayed, not sure if the ocean traffic is jam on that day or what. Lol
I slept all the way to Batam Centre Terminal because the queuing process was so tiring. I don't even bother the ferry actually playing Moana movie in the ferry * although it was one of my favorite animation movie*. Cleared Batam Centre Checkpoint, and manage to meet up our hired driver after played hide-and-seek with him for a few minutes at the terminal compound.
We quickly checked-in our hotel room at Crown Vista Batam Hotel and left all the baggage in the room. We requested our driver, Rudi to spare us a few minutes to check-in the hotel. It was a great place to stay in and the staffs are very friendly and we were hosted from the lobby to the room. The doorman walked us up to our room and double checked everything with us once agian before handed the room access card to us. I booked a standard room via Agoda.com and I was so fortunate to get free upgrade to a deluxe room with city view upon arrival. The room is very spacious and clean.
Time is so precious for us as we were going back the next day due to my friend need to work on Sunday. So sien right? I know right. So we try our best to fully utilize every second in this trip.
Day view from the room
Night view from the room
We had communication barriers with Rudi as he was not really good in English and we try to communicate with him in Bahasa Malaysia. We tried so hard to tell him that we want to go to the beach for water-sports. He bought us to the beach but no water-sport taken part there. Those are more likely for the couples go there and pak-tor or picnic or play hide-and-seek. *Obviously not for us* After a few minutes of explanation, he finally brought us to the correct place.
We were here - Batam Cable-Ski Park, Waterfront City Resort. Cable-ski is simply water-skiing where the skier is not pulled by a boat but by an overhead cable. I was not very convinced by the place at first as I always imagine that water ski should be taken place at the beach but not at the lake. But, after walking around at the compound and the atmosphere actually brings out the vacation mood. And I have underestimated the difficulty of it. It seems easy. But It was not at all!!!
Frankly, I did not even try to stand up on the ski board at all. Because by controlling the direction of the ski board is already so challenging. My friend have the guts to try to stand on the board. He tried his best and fell a few attempts. Anyway, it was a good try.
yea, that's me kneeing on the surf board.
me and my pre-school mate also my travel mate for this trip.
They close at 5pm and we spent about an hour here. We were starving after skiing. I can't starve, starving makes me a devil and unfortunately my travel mate behave the same too. He went to get the local kuih at the stalls that parked at the empty compound at Ski-cable park entrance.
the local kuih. I'm not sure is it really taste so good, or because I was starving that time, So everything is chewable is tasty to me. Lol.
We I picked Harbour Bay Seafood Restaurant for our dinner. Before the trip, we actually mutual-agreed on filling the whole table with food at Batam as it has been awhile since my last oceanlicious food on my Sekinchan Trip post . So, we were very excited about our seafood feast!
Harbour Bay Seafood Restaurant.
The reason I choose to dine at Harbour Bay is because the price. I might not say it's cheap, but reasonable instead. The seafood are fresh! And it has a great view where you can enjoy the sunset view while having your dinner. We knew that we gonna spend quite some time at here, so we invited Rudi to join us for dinner. But he was too humble not to dine on the same table. We requested him to bill his dinner on ours. I am glad that he found other drivers to dine together.
Okay larh, we did not manage to fully occupied the table with dishes larh. Because the table is for 6 seaters. Impossible to order six human portions right? Siao ah~
Everything is delicious except the crabs that I ordered. it taste not as tasty as what I expected.
We ordered 2 big bottles of the local beers (Bintang) and 2 small bottles (Bali Hai) as complimentary. I tried Bintang beer on my Bali trip before. Bahi Hai was my virgin try. I love the aroma and the sweet rice-malt taste in the beer. I called it "香香酒".
I start to miss the taste again. Damn it!
Alcohol drinks are selling at very low price in Indonesia. We had not enough but to continue drinking in the hotel room after the dinner.
I picked the Sparkling Rosee Wine and my friend picked Black Label. He is a good drinker, so I better don't mess with him. Haha. Oh ya, Lays are extreme cheap there!!!! Should have bought more! I only bought one packet as initially the reason I bought was for the sack of taking this photo.
We went to bed quite early as I sprained my neck terribly.
The next day, we manage to catch the provided breakfast. Goodie, don't have to crack my head to think what to have for breakfast. I struggled out of bed for it and got back to continue my beauty sleep as usual after the breakfast. The sprained neck irritated me for the whole night.
Day 2 was free-and-easy. I like this pace thought. We chilled half of our day at the hotel and went to BCS Mall with the shuttle service provided by our hotel after checked out. I don't do shopping, so we were haunting for body massage center. We went to one of the massage center in BCS Mall. My neck was relieved a little after the massage but then sprained again on the next day. Dafuq. Until now still haven't fully recover.
We got a cab to have this piece of heaven at Martabak 818. My friend has sweet tooth and he is a chocolate freak i can tell. He actually finished 6 slices.
We actually woke up quite early and had our breakfast at one of the Kopitiam nearby Geylang and head to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal after breakfast.
It was slam-packed with people! Luckily we arrive quite early. We manage to redeem our ferry tickets with our printed order summary in just a few minutes. The checkpoint process at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal was efficient. But the ferry delayed, not sure if the ocean traffic is jam on that day or what. Lol
I slept all the way to Batam Centre Terminal because the queuing process was so tiring. I don't even bother the ferry actually playing Moana movie in the ferry * although it was one of my favorite animation movie*. Cleared Batam Centre Checkpoint, and manage to meet up our hired driver after played hide-and-seek with him for a few minutes at the terminal compound.
We quickly checked-in our hotel room at Crown Vista Batam Hotel and left all the baggage in the room. We requested our driver, Rudi to spare us a few minutes to check-in the hotel. It was a great place to stay in and the staffs are very friendly and we were hosted from the lobby to the room. The doorman walked us up to our room and double checked everything with us once agian before handed the room access card to us. I booked a standard room via Agoda.com and I was so fortunate to get free upgrade to a deluxe room with city view upon arrival. The room is very spacious and clean.
We had communication barriers with Rudi as he was not really good in English and we try to communicate with him in Bahasa Malaysia. We tried so hard to tell him that we want to go to the beach for water-sports. He bought us to the beach but no water-sport taken part there. Those are more likely for the couples go there and pak-tor or picnic or play hide-and-seek. *Obviously not for us* After a few minutes of explanation, he finally brought us to the correct place.
We were here - Batam Cable-Ski Park, Waterfront City Resort. Cable-ski is simply water-skiing where the skier is not pulled by a boat but by an overhead cable. I was not very convinced by the place at first as I always imagine that water ski should be taken place at the beach but not at the lake. But, after walking around at the compound and the atmosphere actually brings out the vacation mood. And I have underestimated the difficulty of it. It seems easy. But It was not at all!!!
Frankly, I did not even try to stand up on the ski board at all. Because by controlling the direction of the ski board is already so challenging. My friend have the guts to try to stand on the board. He tried his best and fell a few attempts. Anyway, it was a good try.
yea, that's me kneeing on the surf board.
me and my pre-school mate also my travel mate for this trip.
They close at 5pm and we spent about an hour here. We were starving after skiing. I can't starve, starving makes me a devil and unfortunately my travel mate behave the same too. He went to get the local kuih at the stalls that parked at the empty compound at Ski-cable park entrance.
the local kuih. I'm not sure is it really taste so good, or because I was starving that time, So everything is chewable is tasty to me. Lol.
Okay larh, we did not manage to fully occupied the table with dishes larh. Because the table is for 6 seaters. Impossible to order six human portions right? Siao ah~
Everything is delicious except the crabs that I ordered. it taste not as tasty as what I expected.
We ordered 2 big bottles of the local beers (Bintang) and 2 small bottles (Bali Hai) as complimentary. I tried Bintang beer on my Bali trip before. Bahi Hai was my virgin try. I love the aroma and the sweet rice-malt taste in the beer. I called it "香香酒".
I start to miss the taste again. Damn it!
Alcohol drinks are selling at very low price in Indonesia. We had not enough but to continue drinking in the hotel room after the dinner.
I picked the Sparkling Rosee Wine and my friend picked Black Label. He is a good drinker, so I better don't mess with him. Haha. Oh ya, Lays are extreme cheap there!!!! Should have bought more! I only bought one packet as initially the reason I bought was for the sack of taking this photo.
We went to bed quite early as I sprained my neck terribly.
Day 2 was free-and-easy. I like this pace thought. We chilled half of our day at the hotel and went to BCS Mall with the shuttle service provided by our hotel after checked out. I don't do shopping, so we were haunting for body massage center. We went to one of the massage center in BCS Mall. My neck was relieved a little after the massage but then sprained again on the next day. Dafuq. Until now still haven't fully recover.
Please go for a try. =)
After the pancake, we rushed to the ferry terminal and got back to Singapore. We took the wrong ferry and wasted so much time waiting at the terminal. Urgh ... Forget it. I'm lazy to recall the incident.
Overall it's a great experience.
I will still visit Batam island again some day.
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