Batam Island, just 40 years ago a fishing village with little contact with the outside world. Located only 20km from Singapore and 25km from Johor in Malaysia. The declaration of the Batam free trade zone in 1989 has turned the island upside down, after just a few years of rapid construction it now has a modern airport, tourist and business centers and a still growing infrastructure that has changed the island completely. Today it is a melting pot of diverse ethnic cultures and customs from all of Indonesia's 33 provinces. It is now part of the Riau Islands province and home to some half a million people.
After Bali, it is the most visited port in Indonesia, attracting some 100,000 visitors every month. Infact, Batam is actually one of fastest growing tourist destinations in Indonesia in terms of visitor arrivals. There are several tourist resorts here with luxurious hotels and golf courses. Lets get around and have unforgettable memories of Batam and the surrounding 300 or so smaller islands around it. Explore this maritime paradise just an hour's boat ride from Singapore or Johor Bahru in Malaysia.
Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) is modeled on the version of Malay which originates from Riau on the Sumatra mainland and the Riau Islands. In fact, Riau Malay is regarded as quite similar to the Malay language and visitors from Malaysia will find the Indonesian spoken here very similar to Bahasa Malaysia, which is the version of Malay spoken back home.
Batam also have a large population of ethnic chinese Indonesians, who also can speak Hokkien (Fujian), Teochew and Mandarin. Besides, there are also large population of migrants from various parts of Indonesia who speak many different kinds of Indonesian dialects.
All Batam ports, namely Harbour Bay (Jodoh), Batam Centre, Nongsapura, Sekupang and Waterfront City (Teluk Senimba) are visa-free and visa-on-arrival ports of entry.
By plane
Batam's airport is the Hang Nadim International Airport (BTH). Nearly all flights are domestic where you can get direct connections to Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan, Pekanbaru, Jambi, Palembang, Pontianak, Yogyakarta and Bandung. Indonesian carriers Garuda Indonesia, Merpati, Lion Air, Riau Airlines, Kartika Airlines, Batavia Airlines and a host of others provide the links. One can travel to Yogyakarta from Batam.
There are also direct flights to Johor Bahru and Subang airport Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and direct flight to Seletar Airport Singapore.
By boat
The main seaports on Batam are Batam Centre, Sekupang, Waterfront City, Nongsapura and Telaga Punggur. The main city of Nagoya is now served by Harbour Bay (Jodoh), replacing the old Batu Ampar ferry terminal.
Batam Center Ferry Terminal has the most frequent ferry connections to/from Singapore and Johor Bahru. Sekupang, with ferries from Singapore is best used for those catching domestic connections to the Sumatra mainland and the Karimun Islands. Waterfront City and Nongsapura mostly serve adjacent resorts while Telaga Punggur is the main ferry terminal for boats to and from Bintan. Harbour Bay is monopolized by Berlian/Wavemaster.
To/From Singapore:
Ferries departing from the Harbourfront Ferry Terminal go to Batam Centre, Sekupang and Waterfront City (Teluk Senimba) while ferries from the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal serve Nongsapura.
To/From Bintan:
The main port for ferries between the capital city of Riau Islands Tanjung Pinang at the island Bintan and Batam is Telaga Punggur at the southeastern end of Batam:
To/From Sumatra mainland and other Riau Islands:
Batam's main domestic port is Sekupang, where you can ferries to/from the Sumatra mainland and other Riau Islands west of Batam. You can also use Sekupang for ferries to/from Bintan but the bulk of ferries to that island leave from Telaga Punggur. Getting there/away: Numerous taxis make the run between Sekupang and Nagoya. There is also a public minibus service between Sekupang and Batam Center as well as Nagoya.
Batam Centre
Batam Centre is the seat of Government and houses the Batam Municipality, Batam Industrial Development Authority, The Immigration Department, Postal Office and Telekoms and one of the largest shopping malls.
The Masjid Raya, is the largest mosque in Batam. Down the road is also one of the largest Buddhist shrines in South east Asia, the Data Maitreya Great Vihara.
Shopping Centres are few hundred meters way from the Batam Centre International Ferry Terminal. This makes it convenient for you to shop either after your arrival or before departing from Batam.
The ferry terminal has also a wide range of shops, eateries and fast food outlets.
The ferry terminal has also a wide range of shops, eateries and fast food outlets.
Take a breathtaking drive along this highway linked by six bridges. The bridges connect Batam to the islands of Nipah, Tonton, Setoko. Rempang. Galang, and Galang Baru.
Visit the now empty Vietnamese refugee camps in Galang and a traditional Malay fishing village in Setoko. Along the way, you can lunch at seafood restaurants. Huge location billboards will guide you.
At the tail end of Galang Bahru is a little island with a white sandy beach where you can relax with a refreshing swim or a picnic. The waters around the Barelang islands are also excellent fishing grounds. Local fisherman will have sturdy wooden boats for charter. Load your camera to capture some stunning, breathtaking views.
At the tail end of Galang Bahru is a little island with a white sandy beach where you can relax with a refreshing swim or a picnic. The waters around the Barelang islands are also excellent fishing grounds. Local fisherman will have sturdy wooden boats for charter. Load your camera to capture some stunning, breathtaking views.
For a feel of Malay culture, take a boat next to Sekupang's International ferry terminal to this island. Travel around the Island on ojeks ( motorcycle ) and rickshaws. There is a little inn if you wish to put up for the night.
Nagoya (also known as Lubuk Baja) is the original center of Batam, and not a very attractive town with a mix of old and new characterless buildings. But if you are looking for local entertainment this must be the place, with plenty of shops, food stalls, nightlife, discos, music lounges, karaoke, restaurants and many small hotels.
Nagoya is Batam's entertainment center. While resorts offer there own brand of quiet evening music, Nagoya is definitely the place to go for nightlife. Bars are plentiful and disco lively. Tired folk can enjoy a relaxing and stimulating massage in one of the many salons In Nagoya. Karaoke Lounges are big news, where guests can live out their singing talents in congenial surroundings.
Visit the wet markets for fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables. The area comes to life after dusk with its exciting nightlife. Shopping is also a must. In Jodoh ask your guide to take you to Tanjung Uma, the oldest village in Batam, reported to be about a century old. It is a fishing village with houses built on stilts.
You may easily find hotels of all standards here, from five star hotels with all facilities to budget losmen. The most expensive rooms can be found in Nagoya or at the tourist resorts at Nongsa on the northeast part of the island. The tourism here has seen a steep decline lately, so you may get a good bargain. More reasonable priced rooms can be found in Nagoya or elsewhere, but the budget rooms are said to be of less quality and overpriced compared to most other areas in Indonesia.
Riau is well known for its fresh and delicious seafood. Prawns, live fish, lobsters, clams and shellfish are cooked in a variety of styles, a local specialty is the "gong-gong" conch shell dipped in a spicy sauce. To find a seafood restaurant is no problem, especially in Nagoya, Batu Besar, Batu Merah and Telaga Punggur. At Nongsa you can eat in a "kelong", a restaurant built over the sea on stilts. Singaporeans even come here for a late night meal at a Batam restaurant and return the same evening to Singapore. You can of course also find other traditional Indonesian food here, like Padang food. In Nagoya you can try the night markets or the Pujasera Nagoya food center.
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