Batam Info / Interest / Help Thread

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by retirebatam

For the past 10 over years, I was too comfortable with formosa hotel back then that makes me would not even want to try exploring BCS area, as formosa hotel provide a one stop service for almost everything from food, KTV, booking cewek after midnight at alisan, in house massage as well as the good service provided to its customers.

Good write up there.

Btw any idea is Little Chinatown makan place(behind Formosa Hotel) still around?

[ilovetogobatam]

Originally Posted by retirebatam

I just came back from Batam for a 3 days 2 night trip last night

I started to chiong batam almost about 10 over years ago, however most of the time I would stay in hotel near Nagoya hill mall area or DC mall area. This is the very first time I visited Batam City Square Mall area and stay at Batam City Hotel.

up you my 8 points, nice sharing.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by retirebatam

I started to chiong batam almost about 10 over years ago,....

Kind of reminds me i have been visiting Batam over the last nearly 10 years & been debating over the saving of 10k to 20k rupiah since then with bro Blackpage on Taxi fare at Harbour Bay to hotel,hehehe...how time flies.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

However, during February 2020 when Formosa hotel announced closure, i know I would have to find a substitute regular hotel to act as a base for my future trips.

I wasn't looking at hotel carpets, near shopping malls hotel nor good breakfast serving hotels.

1. So far i can't find a hotel that has 24 hours Room service restaurant.

2. So far i cannot find hotel in house massage with special service that closes at 1am (last order 12am tho).

3. So far cannot find KTV in a hotel that has PRC girls, Thai Girls & Vietnam girls altogether. And yet doubles itself like a booking joint.

If anyone knows where Batam got the above mentioned 3 in a hotel, please share (or can PM me too) thank you,hehehe....more importantly, the above 3 points hopefully can be just 1 min or less away from my hotel room i am in.

Anyway, if you have pass the hotel by during your recent trip, you might have seen Formosa is being torn down...

About time to have a closure with Formosa,bro.

It's been a very long time since i visit Nagoya Hill mall area (& i just did so few days ago tho).

My suggestion/s, be open to 2 star hotels, especially those new ones. Be open to 3 star hotels without carpeting, without close proximity to shopping malls, without good breakfast.

I slash them out of my list as they are all good to have but not exactly necessities in my trip/s & i "create" the things i truly need while in Batam (without knowing their language, without using whatsapp, wechat or the likes of it & using minimum resources, eg money...hehehe...).

There is always solution/s for every stumbling block.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Alternatively, Gideon Hotel is another suitable choice for a 3 star hotel in case BCH is fully booked.

Even tho i would recommend my closer friend/s BCH & Gideon but i am surprise you didn't pick Hotel 89....hmm....

Is it because i didn't mention it here?

Joking...

This is a hotel that used to be recommend by Formosa managers & staffs when they were full.

[retirebatam]

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

Good write up there.

Btw any idea is Little Chinatown makan place(behind Formosa Hotel) still around?

I presume maybe you are referring to Baba street food court area selling chinese food? Anyway this trip i did not walk past nagoya citywalk area or citra plaza. Maybe will re-visit during the next trip.

Walked past Formosa hotel area and noticed that the porridge street, the satay warung, zhi char shops and convenience store all were still around.

Also to my surprise, the formosa carpark area was barricaded with hoarding and stated something macham like Under Renovation at the hoarding.

There are 2 possibilities:

First the formosa carpark may be resurfaced to make it into many new parking lots for commercial hourly parking.

Second possibility could be the Owner of the Building that houses formosa hotel managed to rent out the hotel to a new hotel operator, and the new operator is doing some minor renovation to the facade and carpark area.
If the latter is true, then many ex-formosa customers will anticipate for the opening of Formosa 2..

Now that covid is over and economy of Batam is recovering, there is a great potential growth for hotel business.

Formosa Hotel was once the most popular hotel in Batam and that maybe the reason why the apartment behind the hotel was named after as Formosa Residence to gain popularity.

The Taiwanese boss of ex-formosa Jerry Wang has a good management system of the hotel operation. This was reflected by the following:

1) Well trained, good manners & good service delivered by his hotel staff

2) Hotel guest's need were well taken care of, even minor request can be acceded like safe box, luggage storage, etc.

3) Successfully created a very cosy and comfortable hotel environment

4) Continuously upgrade hotel room amenities to the latest technology like provide high speed wifi and many usb port, LED lighting, refurbish the rooms

5) Good quality breakfast, taiwanese boss will personally test the quality of the food before the breakfast ends at 10.30am. He will lecture the restaurant manager if it is not up to his standard.

All departments like Reception, Housekeeping, Room service(f&b), Logistics, Sales, Hotel Transport, etc were very well coordinated.

In fact, his success was also assisted by one of his capable manager. He was a local batam chinese named Steven who helped him oversee the day to day hotel operations (info according to king massage lady)

Therefore if this manager willing to work for the new hotel operator, Formosa 2 may function very closely like Formosa 1.

[retirebatam]

Originally Posted by nono1973

Kind of reminds me i have been visiting Batam over the last nearly 10 years & been debating over the saving of 10k to 20k rupiah since then with bro Blackpage on Taxi fare at Harbour Bay to hotel,hehehe...how time flies.

The last time I came to Batam before covid was in January 2020. At that time, harbourbay ferry terminal taxi service actually came out with a promotion for tourist or local that the taxi fare to anywhere within Nagoya is charged a flat rate of 30,000 rupiah. Probably this is to compete with other transport operator.

However this trip I noticed there was no such promotion anymore.

In order to avoid kena charged extra, try to walk out to bank BCA or morning bakery area to catch an angkot van at 3000 rupiah to nagoya hill. While walking past harbourbay mall, notice that the bridge that link the ferry terminal to the mall has been removed. Harbourbay Mall was reduced to skeleton meaning that the walls and beams of the building removed except the structure and the foundation remains. Probably the architect going to re-design the New Harbourbay Mall.

After a 10mins walk and upon reaching morning bakery, waited the angkot van for 15 mins but to no avail, then decided to walk all the way to nagoya hill mall. Along the way, noticed that KAHA hotel booking office near the mosque is no longer there anymore, probably nowadays most hotel guest prefer to use agoda or traveloka app to book instead of taking the trouble to go KAHA.

Technology advancement and digitalisation has changed our way of life more or less liao ..

GRABCAR vs TAXI in Batam

After checking into Batam City Hotel, on the next day, I decided to go to Hotel golden gate to try the 90 min sexy massage with handjob at 285k. The taxi driver nearby BCH quoted like 60k to DC mall, but I think it is overpriced.
Therefore take out my phone and click the grab app. I have only taken grab once in my lifetime in Johor Bahru although grab has been around for many years already.

To my shocking surprise, the Grab transport fee from Batam City Hotel to Diamond city mall is only 10,000 rupiah under GrabCar Hemat. Immediately book the grabcar and waited within 2 minutes, the grabcar arrived. Was greeted by the supir very courteous man. After about less than 10 mins, I reach my destination at DC mall, pay 10,000 rupiah and left a happy man..This was my first batam grabcar ride.

The second grabcar ride was from Batam City Hotel back to harbour bay ferry terminal, the fee was 18,000 rupiah. Again within 3 minutes, grabcar arrive and send me to ferry terminal within 15 minutes. The ride was comfortable and cheap. If normal taxi little little will also charge at least 80k.

I have also check other popular journey from Batam Centre Ferry Terminal to Nagoya Hill Mall which is only 34k nia for grabcar compare to the fix price taxi at Batam ferrty Terminal at about 80k or more.

Therefore IMHO below are the advantages of taking Grabcar over Taxi :

1) Grabcar fare is very much cheaper than taxi fare.

2) The waiting time for grabcar is shorter than on call taxi, maybe because there are too many batam grab driver therefore when there is a job, the driver will fast hand fast leg take up the assignment..

3) Peace of mind as we know how much we are paying by taking Grabcar. Most Grabcar drivers has good altitude and service as the job is their rice bowl.

On the other hand, some crook taxi drivers can scam passengers and may charge higher fee (所谓先小人后君子)

4) Grabcar fare are fixed regardless of traffic jam. Taxi meter keep jumping when there is traffic congestion.

5) Further saving for booking grabcar as there are promotions and discount. Taxi meter fare over the years only increase price never heard become cheaper.

In my opinion, I felt that Grabcar services is suitable to be use in less developed countries like indonesia and malaysia but not singapore.

The reasons are listed below:

1) Developed countries normally have a high cost of living and stronger currency end up the fare is super expensive.

Take for example, if I take grabcar from geylang to chinatown during peak period will cost about S$22.

But if I take grabcar in JB or Batam, the fare is only a small fraction of the grab car fare in singapore

2) Singapore has a good public transport system like MRT stations and many buses are able to access most part of singapore. Therefore there was no need to engage for grabcar services unless it is in a hurry.

On the other hand, JB and Batam do not have a very well connected public transport system and those ulu place where cannot take bus of taxi will need grabcar service.

I remembered once in JB at Taman Pelangi after massage waited for taxi for half an hour to go back to JB kastam but there was no taxi roaming around the vicinity.

Then I just use grabcar and within few mins arrived and reach kastam at only 5 ringgit (unbelievable cheap)


to be continued ..

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by retirebatam

2) The waiting time for grabcar is shorter than on call taxi, maybe because there are too many batam grab driver therefore when there is a job, the driver will fast hand fast leg take up the assignment..

Just some extra info, a small handful Taxis at Harbour Bay ferry terminal has taken up my ideas base on the "10k , 20k & 50k" theory,hehehe...

Told them, the floor got 10k rupiah, 20k rupiah & 50 rupiah, which of the 3 notes will you pick up?

Almost all of the them choose to pick all 3 notes.

Meaning to say, the taxis at Harbour Bay Ferry terminal (some of the them, not all) were taxi drivers & were also Grabcar app user, as well as Gojek & Maxim app user.

Told some taxi drivers there that most if not all tourist prefer familiar faces when it comes to holiday travelling. They can always provide good service now & then later give their number & name to the tourist/s they fetch & ask them to call them when taxi is needed at cheaper than "regular-cut-throat price".

In this case, both tourist & taxi drivers all winners.

I notice such changes in Batam when i takes taxis at Harbour Bay recently.

Also, i make it a point to NEVER to take taxis at the queuing sign outside KFC, hehehe.... anywhere but there.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

While walking past harbourbay mall, notice that the bridge that link the ferry terminal to the mall has been removed. Harbourbay Mall was reduced to skeleton meaning that the walls and beams of the building removed except the structure and the foundation remains. Probably the architect going to re-design the New Harbourbay Mall.

I think in Singapore, once building were about to be torn down for some major work. No shops or business/es will be allowed to be operating inside its premises, hehehe... but i see Gogo Supermarket still in operation.

And i'm loving it...hehehe...as i bought most of my regular hotel-stay necessities there.

Originally Posted by nono1973

If there is anything i learned in Batam, that is do not believe what my eyes can see in Batam,hehehe...

Below is a building called Harbour Bay Mall. The whole building is left only with skeleton structure.

If i tell there are shops STILL in business in this buidling, will you believe me?

( Click to show/hide )

Photos were taken last month on the same day.

Another thing you may wish to take note in future if you pass by there, is that there is a Money Changer near to the Wey Wey Bridal shop there closer to the car gantry area almost opposite Gogo supermarket.

They offered as good rate as the money changer opposite ex Formosa Hotel.

100% better rate than any Harbour Bay ferry terminal money changer.

By the way, i came back to Singapore one day after you....hehehe....

[Hard82]

Hey Guys!

Sharing my experience with Delta Spa which i visited a few weeks ago. There are a few package and i took the one that helps to eliminate so called FATS in me. Cost me around 875k. It comes with, full body scrub and HJ. I did not touch her or anything.

What they do is they try to sell you food items and if you said you are not hungry, they will either keep quiet or they might say they are. So be prepared as the food items can be costly. I got charged another 870k just for the food. Lesson learnt!

I then frequent the area where they call the massage district. There's only one that is 24 hours. First time being there, paid for about 250k for VVIP. You can choose which girl you like from a photo album. Massage is good and HJ is extra. I paid like 300k for it. Exchanged numbers with her and then the second visit in her massage shop, get to do full service with no charge.

Thats all.

[Hard82]

Hi!

I was wondering if i can do bar hop in Batam? Which area will that be?

[darts69]

Originally Posted by Hard82

Hi!

I was wondering if i can do bar hop in Batam? Which area will that be?

Best area kampung bule

[retirebatam]

Originally Posted by nono1973

I wasn't looking at hotel carpets, near shopping malls hotel nor good breakfast serving hotels.

1. So far i can't find a hotel that has 24 hours Room service restaurant.

2. So far i cannot find hotel in house massage with special service that closes at 1am (last order 12am tho).

I miss formosa hotel carpet which gives a cosy home feel, though it is not a must have but it is enjoyable to have...hehe

Hotel that provide 24 hour room service can still be found but for 24 hours dining in the restaurant like formosa maybe hard to find.

Hotel in house massage with special service with last order at 11pm still exist in Batam City Hotel.

As for hotel golden gate in-house massage, last order should be at 10pm.

Originally Posted by nono1973

My suggestion/s, be open to 2 star hotels, especially those new ones. Be open to 3 star hotels without carpeting, without close proximity to shopping malls, without good breakfast.

Even tho i would recommend my closer friend/s BCH & Gideon but i am surprise you didn't pick Hotel 89....hmm....

Is it because i didn't mention it here?

Joking...

This is a hotel that used to be recommend by Formosa managers & staffs when they were full.

Thanks for your suggestions.

I always go for 3 star hotels, anyway those newer 2 star hotel still can be acceptable like Hana, Paragon, City Central, De Best because most if not all Batam hotels were unlike spore hotels, there was very little or no maintenance let alone waiting for a refurbishment.

After 10 years, hotel building became run down with defects end up affecting the mood to enjoy the stay.

I did not pick hotel 89 because of its location which is more towards the main road.

To me, convenience is one important factor to consider in the choice of selecting a hotel. Near to mall is important to me because I can save traveling time and in the event nature suddenly call, I can rush back to do my big business sorry not comfortable to use the public toilet unless it is clean.

Another factor is near to source of food like kopitiam or food court so that I can buy back to hotel at the earliest time before the food turn cold..

Without good breakfast is not so important, but if the breakfast is satisfactory or moderate, will have a sense that money paid for the hotel stay is really worth every penny.

[retirebatam]

Originally Posted by nono1973

Another thing you may wish to take note in future if you pass by there, is that there is a Money Changer near to the Wey Wey Bridal shop there closer to the car gantry area almost opposite Gogo supermarket.

They offered as good rate as the money changer opposite ex Formosa Hotel.

100% better rate than any Harbour Bay ferry terminal money changer.

By the way, i came back to Singapore one day after you....hehehe....

Thanks for the lobang.

On my arrival day at Batam, the XE rate was 10650 rupiah.
Formosa opposite money changer rate was not that good at 10500 on that day maybe because formosa no more so their customer reduced therefore no more promotion liao
Harbourbay ferry terminal offer 10450
BCS mall offer 10450
Nagoya hill 10500

Finally i managed to change my sing dollar S$300 at the money changer at the Orange building behind city central hotel at the best rate of 10620 rupiah.

This orange building is opposite Nagoya Plasa Hotel and houses 5 money changers. The unique thing is that the 5 money changer signboard are all different colours: starting from most right side :
Yellow, Blue, Orange White and Red. Their rate is good due to competition.

(i change at the 3rd money changer which was the orange signboard)

What a coincidence we were at batam at the same period but at different triangle location

[Hard82]

Thanks man!

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by Don28

1)At batam center ferry terminal , can i buy return ticket from Harbour bay ferry terminal to Harbour Front ? How much it cost for 1 way ? (intend to buy 1 way to batam and 1 way back to SG from batam maybe cheaper?)

Buying 1 way to Batam & later buy another 1 way back to Singapore will be a bit more expensive.

Originally Posted by Don28

2) For LT joint what time they start operating or best time to pickup cewek(11 to 12pm)?

11am onward will be fine.

3rd question i don't know the answer.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by Chammy

I’m just going to assume that the money I got scam used for sexual service in sg 🤣🤣.

So long the mistakes made is not repeated again, it is worth making one.

Originally Posted by miumiu6464

Should have told them no deal when they ask for transfer before the deed.

Sg government & public ad has constantly remind people about online scams yet every year more & more people were scammed.

People has the tendency to be overly confident.

That kind of mentality that, "I'll never be the one a million who would get scammed".

Originally Posted by wanfulou

.... just be more vigilant next time, not just in batam, and not just when engaging FL service, any other service also don't transfer money in advance, everything also opt for COD.

Reminders of such has been posted in SBF countless times too, yet we continue to see more got scammed each year.

I put myself in their shoe & would count myself lucky that i did not kena 仙人跳，where the girl from twitter, wechat or other mobile chat apps comes into my room & put some ecstasy pills under my room pillow, 5 - 10 mins later someone knock on my room door & they were the police. Ta da...

My entire trip would have been wasted if such happens.

Not that such cases has never happen before in Batam.

I usually don't recommend those who are new to Batam to seek girls via wechat apps or its such. Its like asking an office boy to go to a mountain to try to hunt a tiger.

Originally Posted by biostar

....one of the golden rules to follow while chionging is to never give a deposit/money to anyone or any online source (esp with no credible reviews or track record) before the deed. Similar to those courier sms scam whereby scammer asks you to pay a fee to release your parcel but you are not expecting any courier shipment at all. Oh well, treat this as a lesson learnt.

Well-said.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by retirebatam

I miss formosa hotel carpet which gives a cosy home feel, though it is not a must have but it is enjoyable to have...hehe

True, true...the carpert thingy did gives a homey feel, & also the higher-class feel too,hehehe... but not a must-have.

May need to compromise a bit.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Hotel that provide 24 hour room service can still be found...

Where? Which hotel?

Hotels which has 24 hour room service (for food to be send up to my room) usually has a restaurant that serves food in the premises itself.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

....but for 24 hours dining in the restaurant like formosa maybe hard to find.

Agreed.

Remember Tea Story in Formosa used to be 24 hours too but they later changed to operating until 3am. And it was usually crowded when nightfall as late as midnight.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Hotel in house massage with special service with last order at 11pm still exist in Batam City Hotel.

As for hotel golden gate in-house massage, last order should be at 10pm.

Now, this is good information for me to keep in record.

Gideon also has MP that closes around 11pm too. Likewise for Hotel 89.

All of the above mentioned hotels (on in-room massage) by both you & me has one thing in common, not cheap. Minimum at least 200k upward. Only Gideon was below 200k rupiah tho but i don't know if it changes after Indonesia Batam reopens.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

I always go for 3 star hotels, anyway those newer 2 star hotel still can be acceptable like Hana, Paragon, City Central, De Best because most if not all Batam hotels were unlike spore hotels, there was very little or no maintenance let alone waiting for a refurbishment.

After 10 years, hotel building became run down with defects end up affecting the mood to enjoy the stay.

If you are looking to explore new 2 star hotels, i have some on my list.

Namii hotel. No in house KTV, restaurant nor MP. But food court is just downstairs, & can order massage service from their MP at Harbour Bay. Remember Namii MP? You would have pass by there if you walked to Morning Bakery. Note this hotel got no elevator, so if you want to try, ask for 2nd floor room,hehehe... (see, there's no all-good & no-bad hotel in Batam at all)

Next is Batam1 hotel ,almost directly behind Formosa Hotel. Little was known about this hotel as it is new. And it has a MP/Spa in it too (called Leban Spa or something). This is my next target to explore tho.

Nearby proximity i guess no need to say much on Batam1 hotel,hehehe...it is near Nagoya Spa, near Linda's. 1 min walk to ex Formosa Hotel etc etc. It's like a Formosa number 2 in terms of location.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

I did not pick hotel 89 because of its location which is more towards the main road.

Why i share this hotel with you is because they have free shuttle service to almost all major malls in Batam,hehehe...thats already FREE RIDES!

They have in house massage, in-house Spa (hot pool, sauna etc) & about less than 10 mins walk to BCS which the distance from Formosa to Nagoya Hill Mall. Breakfast also above average.

Only few set back is, their shuttle service do not reach DC mall. And they drop you off, & don't pick you back up, hehehe...

Note, free shuttle service is a good option to travel in Batam too.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Another factor is near to source of food like kopitiam or food court so that I can buy back to hotel at the earliest time before the food turn cold..

As mentioned before, food not really a major factor for me hence most time, i forgo that part.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Without good breakfast is not so important, but if the breakfast is satisfactory or moderate, will have a sense that money paid for the hotel stay is really worth every penny.

Because i takes only porridge for breakfast, well... not going to repeat about my unimportant food factor,hehehe... why porridge only is because i have been taking tons of fried, grill BBQ food during lunch, dinner & sometime even supper, hence porridge breakfast is relatively important to me in Batam.