Batam Info Thread

[nono1973]

My 20th Batam Trip Summary

8th Sept to 10th Sept 2015

Its a GOOD and BLESSED Batam trip this time round in general and i do mean what i say here. Read on,you will find out,but as usual,this is going to be long.

The beginning of my Batam 20th trip begins with me stepping out of my home,reached the MRT station to see that the NEL line broke down. I have 45 mins to reach Harbour Front to meet up with the guys and the station says the next train to arrive is going to take 33mins. I hurriedly get out of the station i am in to try to booked a taxi...called several taxi companies but well,still couldnt get any until one taxi company sms-ed me and says i got myself a taxi.

At this point,i saw one of my neighbor,an auntie and we were talking about the break down,then we met 2 more other aunties whom that 1st auntie knew (i do not know them as they stayed on other blocks)and i got to know as well that THEY ARE also heading to Harbour Front to take a cruise tour,hehehe...obviously they knew about the train break down much earlier and were also trying to call the taxi companies for the last 30mins but failed badly,so i offered them a ride to harbour front with my taxi since we are all heading for the same destination. When we reached Harbour front,well..."auntie"being "auntie",like to push to pay 1st,if you guys knows the characteristic of "auntie". I try to pay them back but they rejected me. So end up my ride to Harbour front was a free one,hehehe...1st blessing in the beginning.

I was about 10 mins late meeting up with the boys,but i have already anticipate a 15 mins grace time period in the arrangement for the "i wait you,you wait me" kind of situation. We grab our Ferry tickets from Horizon which was pre-booked online. I suggested since we had 4 pax in this trip,why not pay S$12.50 more for VIP room? But...but...horizon ferry says they only have 2 seats left for VIP room...lol. Ok,that saves us S$12.50 each then..we just take the normal seating.

Its all the usual like always,intro each other,have some trip briefing,some Q and A and then TCSS till we reach Harbour Bay Batam.

Check the money changer exchange rate 9900/SGD,hehehe...no,no,no...not going to get at this price from Harbour Bay.Shown the boys where's Horizon Ferries Counter at Harbour Bay and how to book their return tickets back to Sillypore. Everything is written on my Batam beginner's guide and after which,we grab a taxi to the money changer opposite Formosa (turning the boys into millionaire with a 9980/SGD) proceed to Kaha,buy the hotel room vouchers at 475k/night from there before heading to Formosa Hotel for check in and the unreliable taxi driver brings bro NK heading to Da Vienna for his own check in.

As we are early,our 1st stop,Meximo Pub Wan Tan mee to fill ourselves up.

Photos taken from Bro Micmac's post

I remember asking the boys to remember the taste of Meximo Pub wan tan mee,so that they will be able to make comparison with Momo's mee the next morning. The bill for 4 pax turns out to be 105k (inclusive of 4 drinks),hmm...looks like their price has gone up a little. As usual,1st meal on me.

[nono1973]

This newbie learning Batam trip,i have chosen another method to lead the boys to the booking joints. I briefed them how they should choose their girls and we are going to half of the more popular joints on the cheong list 1st for day 1. We basically go to all joint on the list except Indah2,MM,Hawaii,Memory and Permata Indah. It helps them to understand which are the better joints,their environment and its characteristic. It gives them more confident to help themselves pick their right girl w/o being pressurized to pick a girl chosen by the respective OKTs of each joint too (i believe this is one reason why bros who followed me in my newbie trip thank me for).

Its about 2 hours later before we finally finish picking our girls. Already they were quite worn out due to the multiple travels and this is the exact reason why i choose only 5 joints to go to on Day 1 and not all joints.

One thing i need to compliment on the boys in this group is they know they are not there to choose super models,wives or girlfriends,they have lowered their standard hence picking of the right girls is not made difficult. The rest is all about luck. I always believe with the right knowledge,one can be less reliance on luck.

After all the "girl shopping",we all head to Atlanta Spa for some rest and relax.

There seems to be more people going to Atlanta Spa. Not going to be good for me. Time to seek for better pasture,hehehe…but seems like Atlanta Spa is the quiestest among the rest of the other men’s spa.

After spending a few hours of rest and relax in Atlanta Spa,we head to Top 100 beside the Dynasty block for our groceries before heading back to room to await our girls,followed by OTOT till dinner time.

In the room,i contacted bro MM who will be bringing us to Anah BBQ for dinner and at this point,i need to send my special thanks to him and sister K (most time i realise many would forgot about her effort) for helping us reserved all the Stingray and other good tasting food. Yes,base on my usual dinner timing,i will never get a stingray fish which is often sold out if i were to just walk-in to Anah BBQ store.

Pictures were taken from bro Micmac's post


http://www.picturevip.com/x/clean/im...9/15/B10Ye.jpg

To be honest,bro MM and myself thought we have under-reserved the stingrays as the turn out for the food was 10 pax,hehehe...well,we actually didnt becos we later realise the girls dont eat much. In fact,i think we ordered more than we could consume. Everyone including bro NK,bro MM,bro M and bro A has to squeeze all the food down our belly,hehehe...honestly,from someone who eat to live,good tasting food should not go to waste,hehehe...

And the bill for 10 pax shocked everyone,hehehe...

I checked with bro MM,there was no special discount,the bill is a full bill,anyone also same price. Oh,in one of the pics above there is also Anah's contact number,and why i choose not to censor it off is becos believe me,this is one place that NO NEWBIES can ever locate them even if i were to show all full contact details. If anyone wish to know the details,kindly check out Micmac's postings.

https://sammy.services/showpo...ostcount=31607

[nono1973]

So much for dinner,the rest is back to hotel for our OTOT,hehehe...

Next morning,we decide to head to Momo for brunch.The drive is about 20 mins...

Had a good meal and i remember asking the bros which is taste better,Meximo Wan Tan Mee or Momo. Answer is always the same...Momo,but Meximo one is not bad either.

After brunch ,someone suggested we go for some proper clean massage. We didnt go there 1st but decide to meet up with bro MM there in around an hour's time. We move to help bro A and bro M to get girls from booking joints. As we move around,the boys couldnt found their right girls. So we went to visit Permata Indah and Hawaii which we havent visit yesterday. Finally both got their girls,arrange for their girls to come at a certain time and off we went to meet up with bro MM at BCS. He's gonna recommend something good,something clean...and we are targeting foot reflexology this time.

Joy Massage at BCS mall...

Foot reflexology standard definitely not the best in Batam,but i must say that the one who provide the service should be next to the best and better still,at only half the price from the best,hehehe.. In other word,this place live up to the name of the best for least.

When i go for Foot reflexology,the foot therapist needs to spend at least 75% of the time on my foot and the other 25% on the other part of my whole leg. The left and right side of foot reflexology needs to be consistent,not those left leg use 80% strength,and right leg uses 40% strength kind or they massage some part of my right foot and skip other part of my foot when they are on my left. Ambiance is good,very soothing peaceful feel,but bro NK and i both spot something,a big fat rat just ran by 6 meter away from our sight twice,hehehe...rating this massage place base on the clean massage i have been to in Batam,i will give it a 7.5/10. The price? 75k/75min,hehehe...and thats S$0.10 per min,10 times cheaper than most decent foot refelxology in Sillypore...lol. Special thanks to bro Micmac for his recommendation and sister K's membership card and to her for helping us book a slot for all 5 of us. At the end of the reflexology,we were all served with a cup of ginger tea.

One more good point about Joy Massage,all of us have to speak in "silence".The place is crowded,i do not feel the crowd due to everyone being quiet,rather surprising. Which means this place isnt polluted by Sillyporean.

After the good foot massage session,we head down to walk around BCS mall,shop a little at its supermarket before heading back to our respective rooms to get ready to welcome our girls,hehehe...and OTOT from there on until dinner time at Marine Live.

Dinner time,we all gathered at the lobby and we have bro S6 linking up with us. So now,we have about 10 or 11 of us all heading to Marine Live..

Lucky no one ask me to order food in this Marine Live trip,otherwise this is going to be an "all chicken" dinner,hehehehe...believe me,the chicken,the way they do it are really really addictive when it goes into your mouth. Crabs,prawns and other sea food,i dont know...lol. But i see bros were hitting hard on those crabs and prawns...hmm...skin them and then eat them like...some big bad monster...lol. Anyway,there’s our Marine Live Bill for this trip :

This is our 2nd night's dinner. After all the tcss fun,we all head back for our OTOT...i feel so sad after dinner becos 2morow we will all be heading back to "hell". The good things we have over the last few days,is coming to an end in a couple of hours. Hmm....should i extend another night in Batam since this is a blessed trip? Hehehehe...

[nono1973]

Next morning,the whole day's plan will be just "free and easy",bro NK and bro S6 came over from their hotel to have breakfast with us,hehehe...clever,arent i? Knowing City Central hotel breakfast sux,so i have invited bro NK and bro S6 to come over to have a little better breakfast at Formosa,hehehe...i mean since most of us arent gonna use up our breakfast voucher given by the hotel,so...lol.

Anyway,due to my girl hasnt left at that time when we met up,i need to head back to room to chase her away so that i can plan the rest of my last few hours doing what i wish to do. Woke my girl up (its already 915am),allow her some time to wash up,tip her and off she is gone. Her last words before she left the room, "are you a muslim?"..told her i am not,she says i am a "good man". Hehehe...obviously she hasnt seen me piss off yet...lol.

Nevermind,after she left,i receive a call from bro NK,telling me his plans and i ask them over to my room to discuss after they checked out from City central Hotel which we later switch to bro A's room. Bro S6 and bro M wishes to leave for Sillypore early,bro S6 wish to get a hair cut,bro NK and bro A wish to go Nagoya Hill Mall walk about,buy some stuffs and then to the temple.And as for me? I need to help them make all those possible,and have them arranged to be done together using limited time,hehehe...

1st stop : Nagoya City Walk

Do some small walkabout before heading to V-salon. Had 3 guys head (big head) washed ,myself and bro S6's a haircut + head washed. After they are done,get unreliable driver to send bro S6 and bro M to Harbour Bay while we shop around.

We then head to Nagoya Hill Mall 1st to buy some stuffs before heading to the Tue Pek Kong temple at dont-know-where,a temple that i believe no ojek will be able to reach due to this place not even having a proper road.

After doing the prayers, we all made a small donation to the temple and head back to Formosa Hotel to do our check out.

[nono1973]

After checking out,we head to Budi Siang Malam around Penuin wet market to have some proper lunch…

It is known to me to be a better chicken rice in Batam base on my perspective.

Lunch ends and we head to Harbour Bay to head back to take our ferry back to “near Hell”. No,I decide not to extend another night ain Batam. Will save it for my next blessed trip.

Upon reaching Harbour Front,I realise I have left my Sillypore phone in my room. Quickly drop the hotel a call,they found my phone and will keep it for me until my next trip to Batam.

~~~~~~~~~~ END OF SUMMARY ~~~~~~~~~~

My thoughts for this trip :

1. While we were shopping in BCS during one of the days,the bros in the group found this :

...so they are dedicating this SHIRT to bro Miumiu who is in this thread,hehehe...i thought of buying it down for him,but its for ladies (i think),so i begin to have other naughty ideas,hehehe...maybe can buy it for one of bro Miumiu's 2 favourite girls in Batam. Hmm....still thinking...lol.

2. There are no such thing as an all good and no bad thing happen in any trips. I have talk so much about the goodies,what about the bad? Here we go :

a. The NEL train broke down at the beginning of my trip,however sad it may be but it still turns out pretty well for me. I am a regimental person,i feel REAL BAD when i am late during the meet up and it is especially so with people i met for the 1st time. Remember my 19th Batam trip when i bring my girls to Doctor Gigi (dentist)? I was late for that dinner meet up too with practically everyone waiting for me,and i felt equally bad.

b. I forgot my phone at the end of the trip and i still dont have it back yet as of this post but well,i am lucky the hotel staffs found it and will keep it for me. Am i lucky? You can say i am,but if you ask did it spoil my mood.Then yes,it does a little as i am now living each day after i am back to Sillypore thinking about my phone,hehehe...but still i am looking on the brighter side as it MAY gives me an excuse to visit Batam one more time this month (Sept),hehehe...

c. Price increase. I can see a slight price increase in booking joints and in some eateries. The rate is good for most Sillyporean as the S$ is holding up stronger against the IDR then ever. How high will the price go upward? I have yet to find out.

d. Unreliable taxi driver were late a few times,hence delay some of our destinations.

3. I missed out taking breakfast at Da Vienna Hotel,hehehe...

4. Everyone splits the food bills equally base on per headcount (including paying for their own girls share).

a. Meximo Pub wan tan Noodle for 4 all in 105k (1st meal's bill on me)

b. Dinner at Anah BBQ 369k round up 370k,per head 37k each out of 10 pax (i profit 9k rupiah,hehehe...)

c. Next day brunch at Momo,about 100k+ too,around 27 pax over 4 pax.

d. Dinner at Marine Live at 947k,after bro Mic's bargaining become 900k. Per head is 90k over 10 pax.

e. Breakfastsss for 2 days was all at Hotel

f. Last day chicken rice lunch,3 pax sharing 4 pax shares each at about 30k. (cant remember exactly)

End of the day did i make any money out of anyone? You guys who are in this group trip deem it yourself. I must admit that i turn you guys from a "millionaire" to a "poor man" tho...lol.

5. Taxi fare each person contribute 100k,so i collected 800k for 3D2N.

a. Pay unreliable taxi driver 600k for 3D2N (i can actually just give him 500k but he's been nice,so choose not to bully him) Everyone see me paying up.

b. Unreliable taxi driver lunch 50k inclusive drinks,cigarette per day,total = 100k for 2 days (considering he's a muslim and cant take what we take in during the day)

c. Unreliable taxi driver's 2 dinners from Anah and Marine Live base on head count = 37k + 90k = 127k

6. The girls? Gold Bird girls in this trip scored an average of 8/10 base on my collection,Hawaii and Bunga an average of 6/10. Maybe the bros feel paiseh to rate them lower score becos of my presence,so i am dropping the average rating by another 0.5 to make a 8/10 to 7.5/10 and 6/10 to a 5.5/10.

7. The Massage,we had a taste of 2nd tier and 3rd tier standard of massage.

Overall rating for my 20th Batam trip : 8/10

I will be planning my Oct trip after this summary. Not looking forward to it becos its gonna be a "cursed trip" for me so i will just take my own time.

Sorry about this long summary,i have already shorten it from the initial 8 posts to 5 and it is meant mainly for me to keep track of my experience and tag my collected information in Batam so that i can constantly flip back to know the "before and after" of each trip,eg. the price increase in things,the room rates,the exchange rates etc etc. They are all recorded in summary form. It benefits me,hope it benefits you too.

I also wish to take this time to thank all bros for joining me in my 20th Batam trip. Sorry for being uncompromising and thank you for learning together with me. Be it with me or not in your future Batam trip,i hope you will be able to put what we have all learned to good use when travelling in Batam. More importantly,enjoy yourself,enjoy Batam wisely!

Cheers!! Cheers!! Cheers!!

[Bigbird00]

Originally Posted by Soi6

I want blanja bro micmac murtaba..

Hey bro S6,
Like to enquire if the Murtaba to mentioned is the Indo type like Sgp "Ban Cheng Kueh" but with sweet wacky fillings?



Is it???

If yes, there's a quite popular store nearby Danny's Marine Live SF too, koppitiam across the longkang from MLS.

[miumiu6464]

Having nachos and cappuccino while reading your trip summary at Cafe NoWhere. Can't resist popping in here (and City Central Hotel) to take a lot at the receptionist and the cafe manageress..

[micmac888]

Originally Posted by KohOnly21

Things at tourist places definitely cost higher if the rate continue dropping.. However, i believe for local places that catered to the locals will remain unchanged.. If not how do the local cope with the price increase when their salary remain unchanged?

Yep. local places catering for the locals - price do not change. Was at Momo this morning - and asked. He says his prices won't increase unless his rent is unreasonably increased and he chooses to stay (in non-touristy-areas , stall-owners would rather move away since their clientele is local - not tourists.)

Also asked Marine Live 2 days ago - same thing. Denny not raising price. The place is owned by his brother(in-law) anyways.

Anah - also not increasing price although the rent went up. Staying put - same location.

(as a joke) - we asked the chempedak highway-side stall - the owner looked at us like "cannot laaaaaaa, unless is tourists" LOOOOL!!


Dun wanna comment about the touristy areas - samsters should be expecting it. Afterall, these places are out to earn the tourists' money.

Originally Posted by nono1973

heading to the Tue Pek Kong temple at dont-know-where,a temple that i believe no ojek will be able to reach due to this place not even having a proper road.

LOL! Nono, that's the temple I told you about in the car. Said "no not the one at H89". It's also very close to my future home (3.5 years time, v.good FENGSHUI ) If one scrutinises the place - many things in the temple got donors' names inscribed/painted/pasted on. The ones who struck lottery.

Originally Posted by nono1973

d. Dinner at Marine Live at 947k,after bro Mic's bargaining become 900k. Per head is 90k over 10 pax.

LOOOL !!! Nooooo... I didn't bargain ! I just asked Denny if he could just round it off. that's it. Also - not forgetting , there was one dish which he forgot to serve (the yiou-tiao dunno what), but we already finished dinner. He still made it and served the group, at no charge. He just wants to satisfy that/those customer(s) who ordered that dish but didn't get it. Steady BO !?

[Soi6]

Originally Posted by Bigbird00

Hey bro S6,
Like to enquire if the Murtaba to mentioned is the Indo type like Sgp "Ban Cheng Kueh" but with sweet wacky....

If yes, there's a quite popular store nearby Danny's Marine Live SF too, koppitiam across the longkang from MLS.

I dunno..must ask bro micmac..for me all types I whack..

[Balmung]

Bro Nono. The ferry VIP only for 2 seats, in the past is 4. They just changed not long ago. Next time download uber to take private taxi.

[SuperFAT]

Staying in davienna for my first virgin trip tonight. Went down to indah2 and got a girl at 1.5m. Papi doesn't allow haggling. Now waiting for the girl to come into the room. Hope it's a good night! Thanks all bro here for the detail guide provided!!

[miumiu6464]

Wah... so late in the night and still don't allow discount.. he must be very confident of asking her for tonight. On our way to DC Mall just now, we spotted a slim, long long hair pretty girl walking in the direction of Indah2. She's dressed in black throughout. Not sure if she's the one you booked. Based on her appearance though, I'm sure she's worth the 1.5 juta.

[DreamMaster1985]

After reading this thread, I am so damn tempted to go to Batam during year end. But I might need help in finding my way around and avoid getting chopped unknowingly.

A slight catch, I'm looking at around 30th Dec - 2nd Jan or 31st Dec - 3rd Jan. Not so sure if any of the laojiaos here can make it?

[SuperFAT]

Originally Posted by miumiu6464

Wah... so late in the night and still don't allow discount.. he must be very confident of asking her for tonight. On our way to DC Mall just now, we spotted a slim, long long hair pretty girl walking in the direction of Indah2. She's dressed in black throughout. Not sure if she's the one you booked. Based on her appearance though, I'm sure she's worth the 1.5 juta.

Maybe it's her but normally will they be late ? I am still waiting in the room lol. Normally how long you guys will wait before calling Papi?

[S.B.Y.1]

Best time to be in Batam to celebrate 2016 in their discotheques

Book your hotel well in advance if your date is set