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 Traveller's Tales: Advise for travellers in Batam Island (Indonesia), Singapore
Heed our handy tips on safe travel in Batam Island (Indonesia), Singapore. You may read about travel warnings, health, what to wear, travel with kids, travel with pets, local weather, local government, medical information and traffic information in the area.Also, you might want to read our
Singapore city guide.
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| E Lim |
11 August 2002 |
Stayed at Panorama Regency Hotel - Batam Island (Indonesia), Singapore.
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Well, if you have to go to Batam for a trip, have a stay in Melia Panorama.
But always be on the watch in Batam. Lots of touts and little 'crooks' who are always ready to earn a fast buck from you, ESP if you don't speak their language. They may understand your English but they jolly well can pretend they can't answer!
A load of advice I got from various sites (including this one): Try to arrange for the hotel to get you transport. Else try taking the taxis outside the ferry terminal.
Be firm with the taxi drivers, demand for your destination, followed by "Charter" and the amount you wanna pay. Do not negotiate, walk away if he doesn't agree. "Charter" is important as it means he is NOT allowed to pick up any other passengers. If he does, GET OUT.
Melia Panorama isn't that far from Batu Ampar Ferry Terminal, I took a 30 minute walk.
In Nagoya, if you can, walk. Stay in the main roads, never walk the dark alleys. Be careful of the motorcycles and cars tho - traffic's a b*tch.
Beware of the touts in the ferry terminal when you are departing! Personally check-in your documents to the counter of your ferry company. NEVER EVER hand your paperwork to the fellas outside the counters! I made the mistake even tho I read about it... sigh... In the end, luckily I was only left with less than 5000 Rp (that's why I walked from Nagoya ;) ... so I guess it wasn't that big a loss to me. They originally demanded 20,000Rp!!!
Good luck and I'm sure you'll have more fun than I did! :D
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| B Niedzwiecki |
21 July 2002 |
Stayed at Novotel Batam - Batam Island (Indonesia), Singapore.
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Batam is the worst tourist trap I've seen!
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| W Young |
21 April 2002 |
Stayed at Panorama Regency Hotel - Batam Island (Indonesia), Singapore.
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Nagoya itself is not a tourist destination. Business and/or nightlife only. Good bars/restaurants are Lucy's Oarhouse, The Red Cock, and The Bistro. The Bistro has the cleanest restrooms I have ever seen in a Southeast Asian nightspot outside a hotel. The Batam Cafe in the shopping mall next to the Melia Hotel is a good place to eat. Same kitchen as the hotel for a fraction of the price.
Getting to Batam was via the Penguin Ferry service from Singapore's World Trade Center. You must remember that bookings for the ferries close thirty minutes prior to departure, so get there quick. On your return at the Batam side whatever you do, do NOT give your passports to the touts claiming to be from the ferry office. Go up to the window and personally hand your passport to the people in the booth.
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| E Chu |
02 February 2002 |
Stayed at Panorama Regency Hotel - Batam Island (Indonesia), Singapore.
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Not your fault, but Batam has very limited facilities for people used to big cities.
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