Things to take note at Batam

[moejoseph]

Hi guys,

Will be going to Batam this long weekend with my family. Anything we need to take note?

Heard nasty things about the custom there especially...anything we can do if we meet with problems? Thanks!

 

[runeruin]

main thing keep quiet in the clearance area
Don't be like those auntie talk loud loud if not you join them in the ferry back to SG
Worse scenario is treat them some coffee

 

[moejoseph]

main thing keep quiet in the clearance area
Don't be like those auntie talk loud loud if not you join them in the ferry back to SG
Worse scenario is treat them some coffee

Thanks!

I heard berms and slipper are not allow, and cannot use phone (Look at phone)?

Just scare they will find fault with our passports (Photos, white card etc). Heard cases whereby they say the photo does not resemble you, and they will pretend to lose your white card saying you do not pass them..

 

[runeruin]

Thanks!

I heard berms and slipper are not allow, and cannot use phone (Look at phone)?

Just scare they will find fault with our passports (Photos, white card etc). Heard cases whereby they say the photo does not resemble you, and they will pretend to lose your white card saying you do not pass them..

No issues with attire
try not to take out your phone they don't know whether you are really using your phone or taking photos,its an immigration after all

As for other hearsay i didn't encounter them before

 

[moejoseph]

No issues with attire
try not to take out your phone they don't know whether you are really using your phone or taking photos,its an immigration after all

As for other hearsay i didn't encounter them before

Thanks! Because i read these on the web and was quite scare lol.

 

[Elnin0]

Easy to buy sim card there at the 2 ferry terminal? just show passport?
what are the rate for sim card?

And also is it easy to flag a cab, or must book?

 

[jumpmanz]

Easy to buy sim card there at the 2 ferry terminal? just show passport?
what are the rate for sim card?

And also is it easy to flag a cab, or must book?

if you are arriving at batam centre, plenty waiting for you.

 

[Elnin0]

if you are arriving at batam centre, plenty waiting for you.

There is 2 ferry terminals, right? Batam centre is further down one.
If we take ferry from Singapore, which ferry terminal will we alight?

if alight at Harbour Bay, is it walking distance (got pavements/safe) to Nagoya Hill shopping areas?

 

[lamEduDe]

So TS, did u meet with any issues?

 

[jumpmanz]

There is 2 ferry terminals, right? Batam centre is further down one.
If we take ferry from Singapore, which ferry terminal will we alight?

if alight at Harbour Bay, is it walking distance (got pavements/safe) to Nagoya Hill shopping areas?

not sure about harbour bay as i always go to batam centre.
you can choose the terminals when you buy the tickets. before you board, its clearly shown the destination too.

 

[xRenol]

There is 2 ferry terminals, right? Batam centre is further down one.
If we take ferry from Singapore, which ferry terminal will we alight?

if alight at Harbour Bay, is it walking distance (got pavements/safe) to Nagoya Hill shopping areas?

There are more than 2 ferry terminals in Batam. They are Batam Centre, Sekupang, Waterfront and I think 1 more.

Most ferries depart from HabourFront Centre, Singapore to Batam.

Nagoya Hill is not walking distance from Harbour Bay. If I am not wrong, there is not ferry from Singapore to Harbour Bay.

 

[travellover]

2 ways from Singapore to go batam, either from harbourfront ferry terminal or tenah merah ferry terminal.


There are 5 ferry terminals in batam.
Batam Centre, Batam
Harbour Bay, Batam
Sekupang, Batam
Nongsapura, Batam
Teluk Senimba (Waterfront City), Batam


from harbourbay ferry terminal to Nagoya hill, cab fare is about NT50,000 to NT55,000

from batam centre ferry terminal to Nagoya hill, cab fare is about NT70,000

 

[dleodleo]

There is 2 ferry terminals, right? Batam centre is further down one.
If we take ferry from Singapore, which ferry terminal will we alight?

if alight at Harbour Bay, is it walking distance (got pavements/safe) to Nagoya Hill shopping areas?

Harbourbay is not walking distance to Nagoya Hill. Take taxi around 5-10 mins.

The supermarket below harbourbay swissbell hotel is cheaper than the supermarket in nagoya. You can buy the toiletries from there and also JC donuts (12 for SGD6.00+) before you take your ferry back to Singapore.

If you stay near harbourbay, you can walk to the seafood restaurants (few in a row) for dinner.

That time i stayed at Harbourbay swissbell hotel. Walking distance from harbourbay ferry terminal. I went to Go Massage for spa. They will pick you up and send you back free.

 

[moejoseph]

So TS, did u meet with any issues?

Nope! I went to Harbour Bay instead of Batam Ferry Centre, because there was issue with WaveMaster Ferry (It was closed down btw, so please do not purchase any tickets online!), and the other ferries are almost full (as i went on Good Friday),hence i took Horizon Ferry (which was nicer but expensive at $48/pax) to Harbour Bay.

Harbour Bay was not as strict and not as many people i heard, since there are only 2 ferry companies going there (Batam Fast & Horizon Ferry).

Shopped at Harbour Bay Mall which has nothing except a Hypermart, and then took a taxi to my hotel (Godes Hotel) near Nagoya Hill (5 -10min walk) for IDR50,000 (SGD$5+)

Nagoya Hill was big but nothing much to shop for us as well, so we went back to our hotel early as the sky was getting dark and we were afraid that it may not be safe outside, especially when crossing the roads.

 

[a1v1n_]

wah closed down?

 

[jumpmanz]

Wavemaster closed down??
They have many ferries iirc

Sent from my Samsung 4K HDTV in Batam using GAGT

 

[moejoseph]

Wavemaster closed down??
They have many ferries iirc

Sent from my Samsung 4K HDTV in Batam using GAGT

Ya when i tried to book days before via walk-in they still try to bluff me by saying their ferries all fully book, when their calls, emails etc can't get through lol

It was only when i checked their Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/WaveMasterBerlianFerries that i saw people commenting that they actually closed down le. Now they have hidden that post, but can till see it from their photos

Some says they changing management, but who knows? Better not to get tickets from them first

 

[wildkev]

Anyone knows the taxi rates from Sekupang to Nagoya?

 

[kevinlaikf]

Since almost all tourists are virtually millionaires in Batam, what is the best rupiah denomination to hold, not too small not too big? What is the ideal way to dispose small change? Those discount ferry tickets sold in forum, any risk, assuming they are genuine?

Sent from LGE LG-D855 using GAGT

 

[moejoseph]

Since almost all tourists are virtually millionaires in Batam, what is the best rupiah denomination to hold, not too small not too big? What is the ideal way to dispose small change? Those discount ferry tickets sold in forum, any risk, assuming they are genuine?

Sent from LGE LG-D855 using GAGT

Try to get 50,000 or 100,000 denominations. Usually Supermarket can spend quite a lot easily.

Near ferry terminal should have convenience store, can spend the small change there as well. Things are sold in RP1000s though (Most minimum RP10,000), so a few hundred dollar RP is basically useless

Usually no issue with those tickets, just that the booking procedure may be a bit tedious, and you may not get the slots you want. You can still purchase but make sure the tickets you bought are inclusive of the taxes or not, and go down physically a few days in advance to book the actual tickets/get the boarding passes