Batam Info / Interest / Help Thread

[iicycold]

Originally Posted by nono1973

I must say the Japanese were indeed innovative.

Indo aso veri innovative...lol

Originally Posted by ssleight

SIM cards really abit troublesome in Indo.

i no see y it's troublesm lei?

if u go btm regular,like more than once a mth, it's beter 2 buy a indo sim card, brother....lol

Originally Posted by nono1973

Sure i will. Batam air-con-ed food places has lesser and lesser smoking area. Over time, perhaps in the next 10 years down the road, they will likely become history. Need to support them more if i am a smoker,hehehe...

One of these day ,will need to go and fill up those empty chairs and tables,hehehe...

U can trust me, tis btm madonald is reli good place 2 hang ard....lol,esp in early evenin time.

Originally Posted by nono1973

Thank you. Now i can cross reference if my friends were to ask me about penis massage.

see, i so guai...lol, got reward me wit cheep horizon tix 2 sell me boh?

I wait 4 u cum btm then mayb collect the tix frm u....lol

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Hopefully permata indah, dynasty 99, queen 8933 and berlian can open up again and revive their business as these old joints bring very good old memories of the past...

permata boss wash hand liao...onli wan do clean business,dynasty99 reopen soon,queen 8933 gone case, new berlian ard same area i tink in a much smaller scale...lol...mayb nxt time i can aso try take photo 2 shw poof....lol

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by ndnd

The last time i visit Dynasty99, the LT booking fee Rp350k-400k,
if i remember correctly

Laksanna Inn quite a hot spot last time

Aiyoh....last time S$200 can stay 3D2N ya...

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Q-LIST IS CLOSED. DO NOT UPZ ME

[Hurricane88]

Originally Posted by ndnd

The last time i visit Dynasty99, the LT booking fee Rp350k-400k,
if i remember correctly

Laksanna Inn quite a hot spot last time

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

Aiyoh....last time S$200 can stay 3D2N ya...

Why reminiscing the past when you jolly knew will never return...best to say when mata wear shorts time then everything so cheap...

Those days exchange rate?
Those days salary per month?
Those days ferry so class meh?
..
..
Never live in the past...look towards the future...

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

Why reminiscing the past when you jolly knew will never return...best to say when mata wear shorts time then everything so cheap...

Mata seluar pendek ku belum lahir leh.

At time think of the good ol days, kampong days, feel really shiok. Like listening to Gold 90. Oldies but goodies. Sure, u cant turn back the clock. But i am sure lucky to gone thru those golden era...... TBK? Phuakang era, of course. Btm....Batu Ampar...Angel ktv...

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Q-LIST IS CLOSED. DO NOT UPZ ME

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by pipipupupi

any recommendations for good massage and special for day trip only??

Day trip is pretty simple. If you alight at Batam Center Ferry terminal, visit Venus Spa and if you alight at Harbour Bay Ferry Terminal, go to Octopuss Spa.

Unless you are game for a massage marathon (if you really into massage), go to Utama Hotel, walk around the hotel's block one round,hehehe...

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by Leoric

Must be extra careful when buying, there're 2 types of Btmfast open ferry tix in the market. One can only goes from Tanah Merah to HBB & other btm ferry terminal, the another type can goes from any ferry terminal in sg to any ferry terminal in btm.

Yes, i noticed.

From Harbour Front to Harbour Bay ferry tickets were a few dollar more expensive than from Tanah Merah to Harbour Bay,hehehe...

On Batamfast open ticket from Harbour Front to Harbour Bay for me:

Pros :

1. Expiry date is much further (comparing to orange ticket from horizon ferry that last only about 2 months). I get to keep the open ticket for a longer period of time.

2. An alternative in case Horizon failed me (i kiasu ma,hehehe...) or when Horizon ferry sailing slot is FULL during peak days/hours.

Cons :

1. Usually about a dollar of 2 more expensive than Horizon Ferry tickets.

2. Only 4 available ferrying slots from Harbour Bay to Singapore and vice versa.

I am constantly camping for cheaper ferry tickets. I dont buy/sell them to make money but more on barter trading them for a longer period of expiry.

Example : I buy S$15 orange ticket, trade it with friends for a pair of 2 way Batamfast/Horizon ferry ticket that expires somewhere middle/end of next year. That way, I saved about S$33 each ticket and almost everytime i go Batam.

Over time, i accumulated a handful of these tickets but i cant sell it becos i know i need it for future use when i traveled to Batam.

Just sharing.

Originally Posted by Kaboon

I think u misunderstand his words. I believe he knw how to post photos in a forum, just couldn't do so due to some issue.

Oops! I believe i have mistaken,hehehe...

Originally Posted by cougar666

Thanks both. Managed to upload it after the picture is reduced from 3.5 MB to 1.5 MB

I apologize for the mis-reading...sorry...

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by cougar666

I also tried the carrot cake at both sides at 16k each.

I find that many black carrot cakes in Batam were mostly sweeter compare to the common ones in Singapore (black to black), hence most of them were not to my liking. So in Batam, i mainly take the white ones only and the most suitable ones so far for myself were from Formosa Hotel Vienna Restaurant, during breakfast time.

Tea Story also has carrot cake but no...the taste not suitable for me. There is one few seconds walk from the Bai Long Bak Chok stall at the Penuin wet market which is not too bad tho.

If you are around Ji Long noodle shop, nearby a few hundred meters away there is also another Mickey Mouse Bak Kut Teh, i think they are as good as the one near Lucky Plaza if not better.

My number 1 place for noodles comes from the noodle shop near Meximo Pub and Botak Chun noodles,hehehe....so far i have brought many Singaporean there (no less than 200 people) no one says their noodles were not good. Almost all of them would choose to returned-to-eat whenever they visit Batam on their own,hehehe...

Come to think of it, most of which i brought there were mainly hawkers (in Singapore for few decades) and coffee shop stall owners, a big handful of them which were quite popular for the food they sells in Singapore and i am a bit surprise they give Batam food such high ratings,hehehe...

Originally Posted by cougar666

These Converse shoes cost 85k while 1 of the store at Penuin market quoted 140k.

Really didnt expect you to patronize those shops in the Penuin wet market,hehehe...those were Singapore auntie and uncle's favourite spot,hehehe...perhaps i have been moving around quite a bit, but not all the things there were cheaper compared to shopping malls. I tell that to aunties and uncles but they STILL like to shop there. I think its the ambiance of the good old Chinatown or People's Park of the past that makes them feel more comfortable there.

Originally Posted by cougar666

I also saw several guys (think above 50 years old) at A2 food court lah kopi in the morning. Life is so carefree for them

I wish one day i could be like them,hehehe...

Originally Posted by cougar666

Lastly I didn't realized it's so crowded on weekend in the mall full of local and Singaporean though the driver said some are from Malaysia as well.

Yes, its weekends. I believe even if its in JB or Singapore, it would have been quite similar too.

Which is why i try to skip weekend trips to Batam.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by yaz86

Went to Batam recently after 6 years. Took the 9.40am ferry to Harbourbay Batam. Once reach, went to lv 2 Horizon counter and collect my pocket wifi. I had a problem connecting so took a taxi for 30k to City Central Hotel. Paid 40k total inc tips.

Thank you for sharing.

30k rupiah from Harbour Bay to anywhere Nagoya isnt really a bad thing,hehehe...comparing it with 50k to 60k over a year back. And to take Grab/GoCar, one has to walk so far out of the departure/arrival area. The price has actually comes down from average of 50k rupiah per trip to the same destination to 30k rupiah.

Even if take Go Car, price is around 14k rupiah and ultimately sometime including tipping would cost about 20k rupiah to 25k rupiah.

Ok, just to share another idea with you.

Many hotels in Batam provide 2 way shuttle service from their Hotel/s to popular Shopping Mall/s (and its free of charge)...enough said.

Originally Posted by yaz86

Reach hotel paid deposit 100k and got a room. The room was spacious and clean but no deposit box. I chose this hotel as it is hidden, dont like crowded place.

This hotel is actually quite good and they seems to got better over time. If anyone REALLY explore the area of this hotel, there is actually quite a handful nice MPs within its radius.

Originally Posted by yaz86

I was hungry and ordered nasi padang with GoFood. Price is 40k total which is cheap as they give generous servings, enough for 2 people.

I think 5 to 6 years ago, there is no GoFood,hehehe...so it is now actually a good thing. Practically one can eat anything within Batam as long as he/she has the GoFood apps.

The setback is, i dont speak their language hence i relied on the girls to do that for me. Also do note that some higher starred hotels do not allowed gofood to be send to their hotel rooms hence you might need to come down to the lobby to collect your food.

Originally Posted by yaz86

She wanted to watch horrow movie, so i decide to go BCS mall to watch. Bought 2 tickets for 70k. Drinks and food was expensive. 1 large popcorn, 1 medium fries and 2 Milo Dinosaur costs 230k. 3x the price of movie tickets. Milo Dinosaur in Batam is different, they have pearls in it. They dont put Milo Powder at the top but whip cream. The seats and sounds are great quality also. She was hugging and pulling me the whole time during jumpscares so i enjoyed it.

Hehehe...since you tried the theater at BCS Mall, next time try the theater at Grand Batam Mall next time,hehehe.... ok, here's why :

https://sammyboyforum.shop/showthread.php?p=...4#post18619974

Seriously, this is a die die must try theater at least once in a life-time,hehehe... and especially so during weekdays.

Originally Posted by yaz86

The next morning i had 1 last shot with her before she goes back. Gave her some tips, procede to breakfast downstairs. Compare to Lovina Inn Hotel next door, the breakfast was good. Got fruits, bread, porridge, rice and coffee. Went for a 2 hours clean massage for 200k near Nagoya Hill. After that eat at A&W, in Batam there is no Q at all. Took a Grab for 13k to Harbourbay and took ferry back home.

It was a memorable trip after 6 long years. Batam has improve a lot, now with Grab and Gojek around. No need to hassle with taxis for fares and can order food anywhere anytime. Be careful when booking Grab around places with taxi drivers, drivers tend to avoid to pick you up. A big shoutout to Bro Nono's useful information, refreshed my memory instantly.

Good to hear you have gotta yourself a fairly good trip. From your FR, i learned that City Central Hotel now provides good-enough breakfast and able to use Grab/GoCar. I was there a handful of times few years back when they 1st started business. During then, their breakfast were just bread and butter at best,hehehe...barely noticing anyone bother to come for their breakfast during breakfast time. And during CNY time, all their rooms doubled in price, hence putting me off. I lost touch with this one a little until you shared.

I, thank you.

[yaz86]

I used to cheong a lot before my recent trip. Taxi was 50k from Harbourbay and the mall there was really like ghost town because just opened. I walked until main road nego with taxi until 20k. Used to stay at Lovina Inn Nagoya, next door, behind the hotel and across the street got Booking Joints. 3 Joints within walking distance last time.

Missed the time have to ask the taxi drivers about fares. My favourite Joint last time was Permata Indah, night time eat at Windsor then go Karaoke got discount at Permata. Without your map, i would not have found Kupu2 so my cheong experience might be different. Thank you Bro Nono once again for the knowledge.

[cleyeo]

Originally Posted by nono1973

4. What happen is, i have been looking at fix deposit in Batam (Indonesia) bank's interest rate lately. And they were between 4.5% to 6% a year (some years, the interest rate would goes beyond 6%). So i am also considering putting the same amount of money that i would do so for buying an apartment into a fix deposit for rupiah, and using the interest to rent a house or an apartment.
.

Are we allowed to put $$$ into fixed deposit with Bank in Indonesia if we are not Indonesian ?.
I did try before in Jakarta about 2 years ago. I was not allowed. Even Indonesian, they must have NPWP (Income Tax Number) if they need to put their $$$ into fixed deposit account.

I experience is myself that why I remember such rule/procedures.

[Happyman007]

Originally Posted by cleyeo

Are we allowed to put $$$ into fixed deposit with Bank in Indonesia if we are not Indonesian ?.
I did try before in Jakarta about 2 years ago. I was not allowed. Even Indonesian, they must have NPWP (Income Tax Number) if they need to put their $$$ into fixed deposit account.

I experience is myself that why I remember such rule/procedures.

If you have Bank Mandiri account and their internet banking, u can actually apply for the fixed deposit or deposito online......no need NPWP etc as the interest tax will be auto deducted by the bank.......

[ndnd]

Originally Posted by cleyeo

Are we allowed to put $$$ into fixed deposit with Bank in Indonesia if we are not Indonesian ?.
I was not allowed. Even Indonesian, they must have NPWP (Income Tax Number) if they need to put their $$$ into fixed deposit account.

Not able to have a bank account if holding a social visit pass.
Need to have Indonesia long term pass then can get a bank account. Most bank required NPWP, except BRI bank.

[mdsbmh]

Hi fellow senior, will be going for 3d2n with a friend while stayin at Da Vienna. Need some recommendation. As i've nvr travel for since i'm born. A virgin traveller. 😔

1. Looking for overnight cewek that looks like model if possible( friend recommend using michat or going to bunga)

2. Movie place that has 'bed'

3. Best eatin place to bring ur 'Gf'

4. MP that has nice lookin cewek

5. Looking for some karaoke and maybe a swimming pool?

Sorry for the trouble and thanks.
Ps* i do read the post from others but wish to have more updated info. Thank u once again. Too much thought if i gotten the bad cewek. 😔

[DDAMn]

Originally Posted by ndnd

Not able to have a bank account if holding a social visit pass.
Need to have Indonesia long term pass then can get a bank account. Most bank required NPWP, except BRI bank.

If i have a UOB singapore acc is it possible if i open a UOB indonesia bank acc?

[fde83]

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

Mata seluar pendek ku belum lahir leh.

My eyes pant short not yet born. Om ngomong apa sih lo. Lol