Finally finished packing our bags for our Batam Trip at 3+ AM and we have to wake up early at 8+. Unbelievable! Yusin & Yee Sze were not late! We shared a cab to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. We arrived at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal at 10:15AM (ST). Cost = S$13 for 4. JR went to collect the ferry tickets from Batam Fast. Cost = S$43 for 1.
Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal
Time: 10:15AM (ST)
After collecting our tickets, we loitered around the departure hall taking photos.
Went through the customs. Aiyo, the ticketing counter had my name wrongly typed on the ticket! Ran back to Batam Fast and asked them for a new ticket with my name spelled correctly. Why do people always forget the “T” in my name? Thought “SWEET” is easier to pronounce or recognised as compared to “SWEE”.
Yusin & Yee Sze went through the customs earlier.
Had our small breakfast of sandwich and chrysanthemum drink from the small Snack Shop available. Cost = S$4.30 for 2.
Our ferry was late. It was past 11:00AM (ST) when they announced for us to board the ferry. Kiasu Singaporeans were already gathering at boarding gate 02 since 10:45AM (ST). Being Singaporeans, we did the same… Wahahahahaha….
Walking to the ferry
Look at the number of people in the queue
Got onto our ferry!
Estimated journey to Batam from Singapore is about 35 minutes. I didn’t really take note of the time as I was busy taking photos of the sea and the sky..
Goodbye Singapore! We’ll be BACK soon.
Hello Batam! Finally reached Batam at 11:05AM (BT). Found the representative from our Turi Beach Resort who brought us to a coach. They provide free bus transfer to Turi Beach Resort.
On the way
Resor Pantai TURI
Turi Beach Resort is about 5 minutes drive away from Batam Nongsa Ferry Terminal. JR settled the check in for our rooms while the rest of us walked around to admire the great scenery.
Turi Beach Resort
Time: 11:20AM (BT)
Welcome Tea – cold ginger tea
Views from the main lobby
Hurry.. I’m eager to see our rooms…
We were the first few to try their brand new seaview rooms at the Tiria Wing. Yu Sin & Yee Sze took the 1st room – room 310 and we took the 2nd room, which is slightly further towards the end – room 311. We gave tips to the bellboy. Cost = S$1.00 for 2.
Ours:
View from their room (taken by Yee Sze)
Theirs:
View from our room (taken by JR)
We gave ourselves some time to settle down in our rooms and decided to meet at YS²’s room at 12 noon (BT). It started raining but it didn’t spoil our mood. We still went ahead to arrange our car rental service with David, someone that we found via flowerpod.com.
While waiting for David to arrive at our resort, we went around exploring.
The Banana Boat!
Turi’s new swimming pool
Turi’s old swimming pool
Water Sports Station
Riani Wing
JR resting while waiting
What are you doing?
David and his Honda Civic picked us up at 01:00PM (BT) sharp. We headed to Delima Seafood Restaurant at Waterfront for lunch. I was so so hungry… actually all of us were hungry! We hurried in and ordered our food.
David’s car plate number (oops, can see my shadow on the car)
Delima Seafood Restaurant
Time: 01:45PM (BT)
View from Delima Seafood Restaurant
ME & Yee Sze
Yusin & JR (making ugly faces again)
There wasn’t many people around. I guess it’s because it was way past lunch time.
Waiting…
As usual, the drinks came first
All photos on the food dishes were taken by Yee Sze
All the food seems delicious. Are they really good or were we just too hungry? The prawns and the fried chicken were really pathetic looking. They came in just four little pieces each.
I noticed this from JR’s chair when we were about to leave.
Lucky the chair didn’t give way while we were eating!
We paid for our meal. David had a plate of fried rice and green tea. Cost = IDR339K (S$50.60) for 4. We then proceed to GoKart which is just round the corner. David told us that this is the only Gokart centre in Batam! It is actually very near to Batam Holiday Inn – walkable distance but I don’t think we will walk there if we were staying in Holiday Inn.
GoKart @ Waterfront
Time: 02:50PM (BT)
Similar to Delima Seafood Restaurant, there wasn’t many people around. A 10 minute ride on the GoKart is S$18. Cost = S$36 for 2. There was just one other group of people waiting in front of us. The GoKarts were all in stationary position, waiting for the refill of petrol. The petrol seems to be stored somewhere far away. Everyone was waiting for the petrol to arrive.
Enquiring and purchasing our GoKart tickets
The GoKarts and the track
The petrol arrived at last and the staff went refilling the petrol into the GoKarts hurrily. Meanwhile, we were told to select a safety helmet from the rack and put it on. For hygiene purpose, Yusin asked for shower caps from the staff for us to put on before using the helmet.
The staff appointed the GoKarts to us.
Me – 4, Yee Sze – 05, Yusin – 10, JR – blank (no number, no idea why)
Photos taken by David while we drove the GoKarts.
Getting ready – JR is 2nd person in this photo
Photo taken by JR
Off we go!
Yee Sze (right) & Me
JR
Yusin (rightmost) & Me (1st in photo)
JR & Yusin overtook Yee Sze & me twice! That was our first try on GoKart. We will do better the next time. We left the GoKart Centre at about 03:20PM (BT). Our next stop is Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya Buddhist Temple. It is one of the biggest Budhhist temple in South-East Asia and is a major attraction in Batam not to be missed. This temple is located at Batam Center, near to the ferry terminal.
Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya Buddhist Temple
Time: 03:45PM (BT)
Posing for Photo
We spent about 15 minutes at the temple and proceed to Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall.
Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall
Time: 04:15PM (BT)
At the entrance of Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall
Even though we were still quite full, we couldn’t stand the temptation of having the A&W Root Beer Float and Waffle ice-cream from A&W. Cost = IDR19.4K (S$2.90) for 2.
Walked around the mall after our snack. Yee Sze & I bought a top each from one of the shops. Cost = IDR45K (S$6.72).
Decided to go for Spa on the first day. According to our research, Laguna Spa and Massage provides good and cheap services. David introduced Tiara Mustika Beauty Salon & Day Spa to us. It is more expensive but popular with Singaporeans. However, it was fully booked, so we had no other choice but to go to Laguna.
Launa Spa and Massage
Time: 05:15PM (BT)
We arrived at Laguna shortly and selected our spa package. We were led to the second floor. They had only 1 couple room in the entire centre! We preferred to have couple spa and decided to leave the place. Anyway, the place seems very sleazy. We called David back and asked him to bring us to another place.
David introduced Bali Tropikal Spa at Jalan Jodoh Centre Point to us, which is not far away from Laguna Spa and it only took us a while to reach there.
Bali Tropikal Spa
Time: 05:40PM (BT)
Interior of Bali T Spa
Bali Spa is so much better than Laguna Spa. But of course the price of a similar package is much more expensive. We were required to take off our shoes before entering.
Yusin & Yee Sze chose the spa package – a 3 hour spa which include oil massage, body scrub, body mask and milk bath. Cost = IDR992K (S$148.06) for 2. JR & me took the similar package as it was the first time we tried on spa. We had to wait quite awhile as the staff prepared the couple rooms. We were given hot ginger tea while waiting.
Yusin & Yee Sze were called into their room at around 06:00PM (BT). JR & me waited patiently for our turn. Not long after, we were brought into our couple room and were told to strip off all our clothes and use the disposable undies and towels provided.
The Couple Room
Ginger Tea by the Bath
Yusin & Yee Sze completed their 3 hour spa at 09:00PM (BT). Yee Sze told me that she peeked and saw JR & me still having our bodies wrapped (body mask) when she walked pass our room. Our spa session ended almost 30 minutes later, at 09:30PM (BT). We were given 10 minutes to use the milk bath and wash up. Yusin & Yee Sze were given 30 minutes for that! Guess JR & me were stuck at the body mask for very long.
Entrance of Bali T Spa
It was time for dinner by the time we left Bali Tropikal Spa. As planned, we will proceed to Golden Prawn 555 for dinner. While doing our research, we found that there are 2 Golden Prawn in Batam, GP 555 and GP 933. Read that GP 933 is not that good.
Golden Prawn 555
Time: 09:45PM (BT)
Arrived at Golden Prawn 555 and we realised that actually the GPs are beside each other.
Yusin choosing crabs
Weighing Scale
We ordered our food and proceed to find our seats.
Tehbotol Sosro (not really nice)
The food was not as good as Delima’s. The black pepper crab did taste special but there wasn’t much meat in it. Finished our meal at 10:45PM (BT) and David drove us back to Turi Beach Resort. Cost = IDR381.7K (S$56.97) for 4. It was a long long trip back.
Turi Beach Resort
Time: 11:45PM (BT)
It took us an hour to travel back to the resort. We paid David for his service and proceed back to our rooms. Cost = IDR450K (S$61.56) for 4. No more activity for the day as we were all too tired.
| Description | Cost for 1 (S$) | Cost for 2 (S$) |
| Taxi to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal | 3.25 | 6.50 |
| Ferry to Batam | 43.00 | 86.00 |
| Breakfast | 2.15 | 4.30 |
| Tips to Bellboy | 0.50 | 1.00 |
| Lunch at Delima | 12.65 | 25.30 |
| GoKart | 18.00 | 36.00 |
| A&W Root Beer Float & Waffle | 1.45 | 2.90 |
| T-Shirt (from NHM) | 6.72 | 0.00 |
| Bali Tropikal Spa | 74.03 | 148.06 |
| Dinner at Golden Prawn 555 | 14.24 | 28.49 |
| Transportation within Batam | 15.39 | 30.78 |
| TOTAL | 191.38 | 369.33 |