Batam Info / Interest / Help Thread

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by nono1973

Batam is full of mystery...hehehe...there is another joke which i will post on a later time about Indonesian version of mathematics.

Ok, here's the joke...

I went over to Baba Street food court in my last trip to eat my favourite roti prata (i brand it the BEST prata in Batam),hehehe...one kosong prata is suppose to cost 6500 rupiah (i asked the shop owner). So in my 1st order i ordered 3 prata kosong (the bill on the right side of the photo below).

The bill turn out to be 3 prata for 20k rupiah. We didnt notice this at 1st and while my friends were still hungry, so they ordered another 2 more prata kosong,hehehe...that was when the bill on the left-hand-side of the photo appears,hehehe.... 1 prata kosong for 13k rupiah.

We didnt argue/talk with the staff from prata shop over the the price difference since variance isnt much and we just laugh at the bill. To us, its just an after-dinner joke in how they calculate the bills.

Just sharing THE moment on this one.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

I and my friends had very bad experience with those fuckers taxi drivers. Bad experience over at Tg Pinang and the old Batam Ampar. Like hooligans! Cheaters and crooks. I know they are trying to earn a living. But the way they doing business they are only scaring away tamus. But those encounters were many years back. Early last year encountered another experience with the taxi. It was raining and certain part of the road were flooded. But vehicles can still move slowly. I paid 30K for the trip to Penuin. Half way CB told me need to take separate route to avoid the flood. Told me to top up 20K. I mean i cant possibly say no and it was still raining. Tats why i never trust those taxi drivers at all. To each its own. Now tat they have grab and i will just bok them when going back to HB.

Hmm...come to think of it, i have not seen any senior bros who frequent Batam in SBF that never have had any bad experience with taxi drivers in Batam before. Even before i made my 1st trip there, and after reading the previously older Batam thread and already knew what kind of attitude those "baddie" taxi drivers is going to be, i still need to face it. Part of the experience, i guess. (or part of growing up?Hehehe...)

One of my bad experience in Nagoya Hill Mall entrance, i try to take a photo of its taxi fare listed outside the taxi counter, i got shouted at by the taxi touts. I dont get such issue in BCS mall, Harbour Bay ferry terminal and DC mall. Another one was when my friends and i were going somewhere from Harbour Bay, my friends drops me off on the way to his destination got charge 70k rupiah instead of the initial 30k rupiah. This one ticks me off and i launch an official complain to Harbour Bay (even tho i am not expecting its going to help much) and well, it turns out the situation got a little better, they improved on the situation (rare).

For every bad experience i had in Batam, i seek a solution/s to it. Bad experience here said is not just solely on taxi issue alone but can be on girls in Batam, massage parlor, booking joints, hotel accommodation etc. Over the years, experience pile up base on understanding (and some analysis), solution/s built and my Batam trip/s experience just gotten better and better over time,hehehe...

I said, no point crying over spilled milk. i learn from it instead,hehehe...at the same time also learned from other bro's "spilled milk" from the past and the current. Making sure whenever i encountered same/similar situation, my "cries" can be minimized when i travel to Batam.

In order to be able to remember the good and bad i experienced/learned in Batam, i have it recorded in this thread,hehehe...so that i have lesser chance to forget.

[fde83]

Anyone in batam now knows if batam is hit with the haze. I need to prepare a mask if so.

[Hurricane88]

Originally Posted by fde83

Anyone in batam now knows if batam is hit with the haze. I need to prepare a mask if so.

I am here and hazy but not thick... this morning looks clear... bring mask if sensitive nose...

Pleasant surprise that the free voucher travel on Friday just pay $28 and back Sunday. No need to pay additional $10 weekend charge...

Exchange rate 10100...

[Hurricane88]

Thank you to TS Nono for excellent info...reading the forum and takes notes make my trip successful...

Friday 13/9 - took afternoon ferry and arrived buy sim card...go collect Sunday ferry return ticket... check in hotel Da Vienna...

Read bro Naka_Timo forum on Da Vienna hotel... packed during breakfast Sunday morning...

Friday walk to JV happy8 and change money on the way... booked gal wo driver tips...now driver tips around 250k...

Ate and drknk local mee bakso... then buy some necessities at local mini mart...then walk back to hotel...

Cewek arrived and fire one round and nap before dinner at Windsor foodcourt nearby...

Day 2
went for foot reflexology at BCS took 1 hour foot masage...

Do shopping at JC Supermarket and bought local Indon specual...

Afternoon go to Fame spa...took 360k package...gal hard sell but not in mood to do any special...

Day 3

prepare to go back...

Above field report just to share there is enough info to enjoy Batam wo asking questions...

[maddog_mlvn]

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

Thank you to TS Nono for excellent info...reading the forum and takes notes make my trip successful...

Friday 13/9 - took afternoon ferry and arrived buy sim card...go collect Sunday ferry return ticket... check in hotel Da Vienna...

Bro H88 got $28 ticket bo jio, I buy u Luwak kopi there.

[Hurricane88]

Originally Posted by maddog_mlvn

Bro H88 got $28 ticket bo jio, I buy u Luwak kopi there.

haha...my bro long time no chat...eh $28 ticket buy online for my trip.... TS mentioned many times...

go anywhere use Grab cheap between 11k to 16k rupiah...

[PowerBenz]

I notice that take grab car in batam can book them by hours from 4 hours $250k up to 12 hours for $500k.If wanna book 12 hours plus tour to barelang will be $650k...

[Naka_Timo]

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

Thank you to TS Nono for excellent info...reading the forum and takes notes make my trip successful...

Cewek arrived and fire one round and nap before dinner at Windsor foodcourt nearby...

Day 2
went for foot reflexology at BCS took 1 hour foot masage...

Do shopping at JC Supermarket and bought local Indon specual...

Afternoon go to Fame spa...took 360k package...gal hard sell but not in mood to do any special...

Day 3

prepare to go back...

Above field report just to share there is enough info to enjoy Batam wo asking questions...

Look like u have a wonderful solo trip. Many many new hotel recently. Da Vienna, stay there when it just open and had lot of memories there. If stay there again, will drop by tua pek kong near there to pai pai ping an.

[yourslovingly]

========= Please DO NOT quote the whole post unnecessarily or you will be zapped - System Moderator =========

Originally Posted by ndnd

The May 1998 riots period and that day Suharto step down, i was in Batu Taman Gembira watching TV on scene of Suharto step down. Suddenly exchange rate drop to 1juta = $100.

you mean this all happened in 1998? now very very very hard to get very young cewek like this. That old man very lucky 3-4 very young girls at a time. but no energy to bonk😄. now we have energy but can't find this type of girls 😆

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by nono1973

Another one was when my friends and i were going somewhere from Harbour Bay, my friends drops me off on the way to his destination got charge 70k rupiah instead of the initial 30k rupiah. This one ticks me off and i launch an official complain to Harbour Bay (even tho i am not expecting its going to help much) and well, it turns out the situation got a little better, they improved on the situation (rare).

For every bad experience i had in Batam, i seek a solution/s to it. Bad experience here said is not just solely on taxi issue alone but can be on girls in Batam, massage parlor, booking joints, hotel accommodation etc.
In order to be able to remember the good and bad i experienced/learned in Batam, i have it recorded in this thread,hehehe...so that i have lesser chance to forget.

Tis where they will find every reason to short change or over charge u. More than one destination they sure charge u extra. Just like my experience i mentioned regarding taking diff route cos of the "flood". I called it ponding. Kana charged extra 20K.

Correct. Bad experience can come from the joint/MP be it cewek or okt. But i specifically target those drivers. Maybe from my past bad encounter with them. One more thing. They have the habit of calling u esp around the jetty. It goes like this "abang masih ingat saya? Ini Leman. Dulu abang pernah ambil saya". Its a trick. U respond and tats it. They will stick to u like a leech. So best is to tee seow aka buat bodoh. But nowadays have taxi booth. So no such problem.

===============

Q-LIST IS CLOSED. DO NOT UPZ ME

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by Naka_Timo

Look like u have a wonderful solo trip.

Sure was. Every sentence ended with . Kekeke....

[maddog_mlvn]

Originally Posted by PowerBenz

I notice that take grab car in batam can book them by hours from 4 hours $250k up to 12 hours for $500k.If wanna book 12 hours plus tour to barelang will be $650k...

250k for 4 hrs, spend the 250k on renting a 1.8cc car, top up another 100k petrol and drive it any where u intended to visit for 24 hrs.

[hawkeye007]

Originally Posted by maddog_mlvn

250k for 4 hrs, spend the 250k on renting a 1.8cc car, top up another 100k petrol and drive it any where u intended to visit for 24 hrs.

Pak, not everyone get special rate of 250k like me leh...

Plus not everyone knows the way around la; this Grab rental will be useful for newbies and those with no sense of direction... 55555

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by BFOMF5

For old man only

( Click to show/hide )

Sindo PAssion Silver offer, extended till Sep 2020.

Thank you for sharing, just wish to check how much in total amount (after tax) a Passion Silver card holder gonna pay when they take Sindo ferry? Weekdays and weekends. I dont own Passion Silver card as yet, hence the question.

Thanks.