Batam 2017 (23Dec - 25Dec)

Hi all! Merry Christmas to you! Sorry for not updating for so long, because there's really nothing much interesting going on in my life except the busy Uni life! Since I love reading other's travel blog and vlogs, I decide to blog about this travel trip as well! :)

Just so you know, before this trip, I actually went Batam once in August before Uni actually started. If I didn't remember wrongly, it was during the Raya Holidays. I went with a random small tour group that my dad booked with WTS travel. Tbh, it was..... boring LOL. That's the reason why I didn't blog about that trip. :/ What's worse is, it wasn't even cheap at all. I think about $150 or more per person for 2D1N? The only good side to it was a sumptuous seafood lunch during the first afternoon at a Kelong.

This time I decide to tell my dad not to go with tour group because I think I'm not too bad ((both in terms of planning financially and enjoyability)) when it comes to planning itinerary and booking hotel.

I can definitely promise my itinerary will be more fun than those tour group itinerary which brings you to cliché Batam places like chocolate shop, factory outlet shop, kueh lapis shop as well as Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall/BCS shopping mall.

Below is the itinerary that I planned. Since there were no plans for us to go to a beach or Kelong this time, I made the itinerary a pretty chillax one. ((If you really compare this to those I made for Thailand trips LOL)) The itinerary consists mainly of simply walking about malls, enjoying massages, and enjoying food as we shopped.

23 December

2:30PM - Taxi to Lovina Inn Penuin Hotel  (~20 mins)

• Penuin Centre Blok A, No.1 Nagoya Batam Island, Indonesia (near Gideon hotel)

3PM - check in Hotel

3.30PM - 5.30PM - BCS mall (~5mins walk from hotel)

*got KFC

5.30PM - 7PM - A2 foodcourt

7PM - 9PM - Universal Massage and Reflexology

• Batu Selicin, Lubuk Baja, Batam City, Riau Islands 29444, Indonesia

24 December

11AM - 12PM Pasar Penuin Wet Market (~3mins walk from hotel)

*Can have lunch there as well

12PM - 6.30PM Nagoya Hills Mall

• By taxi

*massage - majesty massage and spa

*dinner there

25 December

10AM - 11AM - Hotel breakfast

11AM - 12PM - Check out, take taxi to batam Centre

12PM - 3.40PM - Mega Mall shopping centre

*lunch @ Mega Mall Shopping Centre

4:40PM check-in

Day 1 (23 Dec 2017)

There was a crazy long queue at Batam centre that noon. We were scheduled to start queuing at about 1:35pm as the ferry departs at 2:20pm. We almost missed the ferry even though we started queuing at 1:35pm LOL. By the time we finished all stages of custom checks, it was already 2:31pm. Thank goodness there were many who were still trapped behind due to the long queue, so there was actually a delay in the departure of our ferry. The ferry actually only departs at 3pm.

YAYYYY Successfully boarded the ferry! #Batamfast

Finally reached at 4pm

In case you're also on free & easy tour and is scheduled to land at Batam Centre but is unsure of where the taxi stand is, all you gotta do is just walk straight to the exit where you'll see a Taxi Counter. Just queue there, and let the counter person know the address in which you're going to. They will issue you a receipt with a fixed price stated. ((depending on the location you're going to)) I think it is a good idea because in that way, the taxi drivers can't scam you even if you're a tourist. It should be roughly ~$6-$7 for a regular taxi.

Still using the manual cars in Batam

I felt that the taxi driver drove damn recklessly. Or is it because it's a culture there which will never be seen in Singapore? It was really crazy. As I sat in the car, I was thinking, "Wah, he take TP test confirm fail till damn jialat." He practically was lane changing every 30seconds, no joke. From lane 1 to lane 2 to lane 3, then from lane 3 to lane 2 to lane 1. He doesn't slow down even when there was a vehicle very close, in front of his vehicle. When he stopped behind a vehicle, he stopped super close to the vehicle, can't even see the car plate number of the previous car LOL.

So scary to be sitting in his car but oh wells, survived~

Checked in to the hotel afterwards. We stayed at Lovina Inn Penuin, a budget hotel, which I booked on Agoda. My parents were initially against it cuz they want 4-5 stars hotel like Nagoya hills/Gideon hotel but too bad there wasn't any more rooms available when I booked. HAHA, I was actually secretly happy because I want to prove to them budget hotel can be good as well (in terms of location and facilities) and the accommodation money can be channelled elsewhere.

True enough, the hotel was not bad. It has a good location (opposite BCS mall, A2 foodcourt as well as a wet market nearby) and provided more than sufficient facilities. The only downside to the hotel would probably just be the limited choices of food, which I think is the only downside to most budget hotels. The hotel only costs $44 per night for a room (2 adults), inclusive of breakfast.

Limited food choices

But actually, whenever I travel to countries which are considered food paradise, I don't mind even if the hotel provides me with limited food choices because I would rather choose to go outside and spend money and try their local food instead.

Went to BCS mall right after we checked in to the hotel. I was so excited because I look forward to buying food and snacks from JC supermarket HAHAHA. Supermarkets are like paradise to me whenever I travel because it's where they sell their local snacks and food!!!

From just that trip to the supermarket, I bought 10 packets of Indomie Goreng, and roughly 15 cups of cup noodles. (POP MIE) I really hope I won't die from Maggie poisoning... It's really a lot but I can't control because the price of their maggie mee is almost half compared to SG!!! Indomie only @ 23cents per pack! We also bought lots of snacks because they are pretty cheap too! Everything was done because we were....., OUT OF CONTROL!!

Shopped away our afternoon there, coming back with a box full of snacks and maggie. Headed towards A2 foodcourt which is just located about 3mins walk away from BCS mall. A2 foodcourt is really big and crowded, with more than 20 stalls selling food. It has a large open space and it totally felt like Newton Circus Food Court in SG, LOL. There were also many Singaporeans there as well.

Price wise for the food @ A2 food court, still relatively cheaper than SG.

A2 foodcourt

Crowd @ A2 foodcourt

Because I loveeeeee Nasi Goreng, I had to give it a try there too. Chose this stall because the stall owner does charcoal cooking, way cooler than the typical gas cooking.

YES NASI GORENG FTW~

Charcoal cooking

YUMZXC

Rested in the hotel after dinner before heading for massage. Chose Universal Massage cuz I saw some good reviews about it in some other blogs before and also because it is very near our hotel, only 3mins walk!

Photo cr to respective owner

Went for the Traditional Bali Thai massage. The masseurs skills are not bad but I think my masseur was a bit hard on me after she asked whether it's pain and I gave her a reply "No". At one point I actually screamed out loud LOL. The sad part: had shoulder pains the next day. Maybe massage just isn't for me. If I didn't remember wrongly, its < SGD 15 per person for an hour. Also, note that its polite to give some tips $$$ after the massage to the Masseur if not most of them will keep following you all the way till you exit the massage shop LOL.

Had maggie for supper that night ~

23cent POP MIE

Day 2 (24 Dec 2017)

Went to the nearby wet market to have a feel of their local wet market LOL. Not much difference I would say. (I mean, its market, how different can it be?) Only difference is that there were some other stalls selling the Malay Kuehs. My mother was particularly interested in the wet market and she asked why we wake up so late. On the third day of this trip, she woke up damn early for the wet market by herself while we slept in HAHAHAHA. 

We then had our lunch at a Bak Kut Teh shop opposite BCS mall. My dad loves 猪血 and I have always been a fan of 猪腰 so we order a mixture of pig organ soup. Love it! But this one not so cheap. 2 claypots of soup for 4 person cost $23. The soup is made from herbs and, pig organs as you know, are not very cheap. Probably due to the higher cost price, but still worth the try!

Went to Nagoya Hills shopping mall after lunch. Nothing much to talk about because its also a big mall like BCS mall. More shopping ~

I think I was feeling fat that day. Dying to eat the Indomie Goreng there even though I wasn't very hungry LOL.

Indomie Goreng, spiciness level: 2

We spent our entire noon in Nagoya Hills shopping mall. We then headed back to A2 food court for dinner because my dad wanna try the BBQ food there.

The sotong killed me

The BBQ fish was good. The Belachan chilli that they provided was good too! Sotong and chicken wings were a bit disappointing though. It was sweet and not towards our liking. What killed me was the BBQ Sotong. It tasted normal, just a bit sweet. Suddenly seconds later, my entire tongue started to burn and it got SO SPICY that my ears hurt and I wanna pull out my hair LOL!!  It practically felt like the spiciness I endured when I ate the MALA SAMYANG MAGGIE!!! It was really really spicy that I stood up and I wanted to scream LOL. No amount of ice could help at that point of time :X I even thought it was the chilli at first, but only to realise that it was the SWEET-TASTING SOTONG.

Went to dabao some Pisang Goreng after dinner back to the hotel. One big box of Pisang goreng + many many cheese + chocolate for only $1.80. 

It wasn't as nice as I have expected but its something special I feel, can give it a try. :) Its located just opposite BCS mall, in front of Lovina Inn Penuin.

Day 3 (25 Dec 2017)

Yay its Christmas!!! My parents decide to spend Christmas in Batam. Scheduled to depart for SG at about 5pm Indonesia time. Did nothing much for day 3 as I was afraid that there will be a long queue for check in at Batam Centre, so we would have to arrive there earlier. We spent the entire noon at Mega mall (right beside Batam Centre)

Our lunch ~

Nasi Goreng for me again! It just never fails to amaze me

Bought crepe as well. It was nice and cheap! $1.90 for a generous amount of cheese.

It was already time to check in by the time we finished our lunch. Batam is a good place to spend money and enjoy life! Will definitely visit again! :)