Batam Info / Interest / Help Thread

[jackofalltrades]

Originally Posted by Transporter1

Going to batam tomorrow

Anyone know where I can rent a pocket wifi for batam?

I think you should be able to rent from horizon ferry without the need to purchase ferry tickets from them.

[hawkeye007]

Originally Posted by Transporter1

Going to batam tomorrow

Anyone know where I can rent a pocket wifi for batam?

Available for rental at Majestic Ferry counter... Not sure for the other ferry operators

[random12a]

Guys, a quick question. I bought two bottles of liquor from Singapore ferry terminal duty free shop. But couldn't finish the bottles. While coming back, will I have a problem or need to pay tax in Singapore immigration? Thanks

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by nono1973

Note that all the 3 Swiss-whatever hotels in Batam's taxi fare isnt cheap,hehehe...talk to their respective hotel's receptionist/s for confirmation of their shuttle services.

Meaning to say, if i were to book my stay in Swiss Inn and wish to use their shuttle service, i go to Swiss-Bel Harbour Bay 1st and then reach Kepril Mall, followed by another trip from Kepril Mall to Swiss Inn,hehehe...since they do not provide direct transportation.

Hope you see the picture. A direct 35k rupiah taxi trip from Zest to Swiss Inn and then comes back to Harbour Bay free via Kepril mall when my trip ends during a Friday,Saturday or Sunday, if i am standing in your position.

Another option would be, 35k rupiah from Harbour Bay Zest to Swiss Inn, and return via Grab/GoCar at about 12k rupiah, since online taxi is allowed there.

Cheers!

Yes. Either pay extra 35K fm Zest to Swiss Inn for me. Or fm Swiss harbour to kepri to swiss Inn...free. But only concern is hopefully the shuttle timing is chun. Must try ur suggestion using the shuttle service. Never try before. Always in a rush.

Just curious. Can any tom dick harry take the shuttle service fm Swiss bel harbourbay to kepri? Or must i be the hotel guest?

[nono1973]

Hehehe...there's been some talks about it and tho i arent so much interested in getting an Indonesia’s KITAP, but its definitely something thats good to at least know a little about it for now. And below should be a simpler way of explaining it.

Just sharing my findings and keeping tabs here or can call it as some add-on....

Here it is, i finally found the written list of taxi fare from BCC Hotel to Harbour Bay and/or almost everywhere else within Batam,hehehe...

[nono1973]

Hmm...while i was looking into the Harbour Bay ferry terminal taxi stand 30k rupiah issue, i chance upon a non-samster's complain on Batam Center Ferry Terminal immigration officer. I will just extract the whole conversation here for my future reference as well as for readers to get a better picture on whats going on (i dont wish to misdirect readers with only partial conversation as it can means differently for different people who reads it).

The thread title is as follow :

Corruption Batam indonesia immigration

This incident happens not too long ago during the beginning 2019 in Batam and at Batam center ferry terminal. For a while, i thought corruption has already been minimized in Batam (i did not use the word "Indonesia" for reason of my own) but well...i guess i was wrong.

Keeping tabs and sharing it at the same time.

[Myhorizon]

Corruption has not been eradicated in Indonesia, but there are some tourists who will attract questioning.

Since I travel solo fairly frequently, I observe same happenings at Batam immigration. Here some observation.

Ladies from third world countries like phillipines, cambodia and vietnam always called into office for interview. And in rooms it is possible that money is involved.

Singaporeans/Malaysians first time go to Batam alone kana ask why go Batam, and if can not speak Malay or Bahasa Indonesia then Why alone if cant speak. Answer wrongly and sure kena called into room.

Sometimes ask stay which hotels, go how many days, do what in Batam. Give touristy answers normally can clear with this type of question.

Hope it helps, cos I kena ask such question before.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

Yes. Either pay extra 35K fm Zest to Swiss Inn for me. Or fm Swiss harbour to kepri to swiss Inn...free. But only concern is hopefully the shuttle timing is chun. Must try ur suggestion using the shuttle service. Never try before. Always in a rush.

I tried the Zest Hotel method many times, its 35k rupiah every time, so on my own, i will say it works well for me all the time.

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

Just curious. Can any tom dick harry take the shuttle service fm Swiss bel harbourbay to kepri? Or must i be the hotel guest?

Hehehe...not sure about dick but bro Harry and bro Tom tried it before and they shared that you will have to proof to the receptionist at Swissbel Harbour Bay that you are staying in Swiss Inn tho. It dont work 100% of the time tho (according to them), so i cannot guarantee anything becos i havent tried it out on my own before. However, if it were to fail, Harbour Boutique hotel is just few mins walk away, and taxi fare going at 35k rupiah, just like Zest hotel. So, they were covered in another way.

Originally Posted by random12a

Guys, a quick question. I bought two bottles of liquor from Singapore ferry terminal duty free shop. But couldn't finish the bottles. While coming back, will I have a problem or need to pay tax in Singapore immigration? Thanks

If you are not caught its ok, but if you are caught then it is not,just like some bros who brought one or 2 packs of cigarette from Batam to Singapore...hehehe...i am guessing no one can really answer that question to the dot and my answer is ,as long as both bottle of liquor doesnt adds up to 1 litre, i am almost sure it should be fine. Since the legal quantity that can be brought into Singapore is no more than 1 litre.

If you are staying less than 48 hours in Batam, also take note of the below :

[fde83]

Originally Posted by ndnd

Tonite batam razia nite. Those goyang and jackpot kaki beware.

Goyang dumang om. Lol

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by nono1973

I tried the Zest Hotel method many times, its 35k rupiah every time, so on my own, i will say it works well for me all the time.

Hehehe...not sure about dick but bro Harry and bro Tom tried it before and they shared that you will have to proof to the receptionist at Swissbel Harbour Bay that you are staying in Swiss Inn tho. It dont work 100% of the time tho (according to them), so i cannot guarantee anything becos i havent tried it out on my own before. However, if it were to fail, Harbour Boutique hotel is just few mins walk away, and taxi fare going at 35k rupiah, just like Zest hotel. So, they were covered in another way.

Ok. Jelas leow. Make sense tat one have to proof one is a guest to get free shuttle service. Only hope the schedule time is chun. Alternatively just top up 5k to 35k to my lovenest at SI.

Originally Posted by nono1973

This incident happens not too long ago during the beginning 2019 in Batam and at Batam center ferry terminal. For a while, i thought corruption has already been minimized in Batam (i did not use the word "Indonesia" for reason of my own) but well...i guess i was wrong.

It happened almost every part of Indon. So u are not entirely wrong to assume Indon is a corrupt country. I remember decades ago lah. I knew this imm offr from Batam Ampar. Well, he belanja me. Drove a car. Looked new to me. When asked, he told me his mthly pay pathetic. But can afford to have a new car...cheong here and there.

[shahgila]

Originally Posted by hawkeye007

Available for rental at Majestic Ferry counter... Not sure for the other ferry operators

Horizon has it. collection and return point at Harbor Bay. $8.50 per day, unlimited data. Planning to use it on my next trip next week.

[trippinlsd]

Getting to Batam in a couple of weeks....
looking for opinions on GRAND DRAGON KTV which was recommended by my old cewek saying they have the most girls now.

Been to M1 and Alishan KTV, not looking to go back.

other suggestions would be greatly appreciated too!

[DDAMn]

Originally Posted by shahgila

Horizon has it. collection and return point at Harbor Bay. $8.50 per day, unlimited data. Planning to use it on my next trip next week.

Wifi connection strong?Using which network operator?

[lee123]

Originally Posted by trippinlsd

Getting to Batam in a couple of weeks....
looking for opinions on GRAND DRAGON KTV which was recommended by my old cewek saying they have the most girls now.

Been to M1 and Alishan KTV, not looking to go back.

other suggestions would be greatly appreciated too!

grand drangon cewek sitting 500k, 600k and 800k, booking from 2.5 juta, 3 juta and 4 juta, yes agree have many cewek but if booking a bit expensive

[BlickBassy]

Originally Posted by nono1973

Hmm...while i was looking into the Harbour Bay ferry terminal taxi stand 30k rupiah issue, i chance upon a non-samster's complain on Batam Center Ferry Terminal immigration officer. I will just extract....
Keeping tabs and sharing it at the same time.

—
Observations-
Those do visa runs will be tagged. Common country girls include VN, China and Pinoyland. Batam-nites also will kana from our immigration including outright u-turn. For batam they take coffee money so whatever red flags can settle with coffee money. So the stories in the forum quoted like one sided and whole story not presented. You can be sure the ferry ports got hierarchy. On one end, the immigration officers prefer BC because can makan the most money. You have ferries coming to n fro from johor beside the sg side. Most will not be taxed but if you look funny, you will be scrutinised. Sure benign tourists will get spot check once a while. They may ask where you are going or are in doing business etc. But if a fish is distressed, the sharks will smell it from a mile. If they are successful in getting a hold on your Achilles heels, they will grab what they want. The boss gets the lion’s share and distribute 20% to the lower ranks. The fat one makan the most. He is the same one sitting inside the office. All Indonesian wants to get a job as an immigration man. If can’t will try to be a banker but that is another story, no?

For this reason, the group of officers got pecking order. If you new bird or kana marked, they send you to Nagoya. There got nice tourists but most time damn boring and worse like far from civilisation like that. That side how to eat money? Very little traffic and mostly transits from casino boats. The ok one is Sekupang. If you got a handle, just pay one or two dollar for express services and an angpow for CNY and Hari raya. But familiarity breeds contempt so if you go to Batam be unpredictable like using other ports. For example, Pungol and Sekupang got domestic ports, and Barelang also got stop over to get to other parts of Riau Islands, and more importantly can connect you to sg from other islands like Bintan and TBK. You see all kind of authorities from the polis, the navy and other military detachments on Batam island. Sometimes got to look sometimes they just stare you down. This is my personal, abeit dated causal observations.