Batam is known for…

Nightlife and entertainment
Discounted shopping
Golf
Close to Singapore
Watersports
Spa and Resorts
Seafood

Why visit Batam?

Tourists visit this island to escape the bustle of Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries and to enjoy the island’s many pubs and nightclubs, which range from laid-back beach bars to high-energy sports bars and offer drinks, great tunes, and a wide selection of delectable fish at much more reasonable prices.
Batam was formerly famous for its adult-oriented nightlife, but since the island banned gambling and other adult-oriented activities, child-friendly resorts have sprung up all over the place. This implies that the events of the day are less shocking than they formerly were.

Many tourists travel to this destination so that they may bargain shop, stocking up on household items and gifts to take with them when they return home. Others come to enjoy the amazing food of this region, relax on the beach or in a luxurious spa.

There are beaches that go on for miles and have clear blue sea. You will have the opportunity to go banana boating, kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, and partake in a variety of other exciting activities.

Hotels in Batam

There is so much to choose from. Best practice is to narrow down the location you want to go, and then filter the list of hotels by price and star ratings.

Booking.com

Many international hotel chains, such as Marriott, have opened their doors in Batam, ensuring that you receive the service and quality that you would expect from a star-rated and internationally managed hotel. Finally, there are hotels in Batam to suit every traveler’s needs, from those on a tight budget to those with lavish tastes.

HOTELS IN BATAM

Batam Guide

The Riau Islands are a province of Indonesia, and Batam is its largest city. It is made up of a number of smaller islands and the three major islands (Batam, Rempang, and Galang), all of which are linked by the Barelang Bridge, a series of six state-of-the-art full-swing bridges.

It is part of the Indonesia-Malaysia-Singapore Growth Triangle, which makes it a free trade zone and is quickly becoming a center for transportation.
Singapore to Batam is only a 40-minute boat ride away, so it’s a popular place for Singaporeans to go when they want to have fun in the sun or east freshly caught fish of the day, cooked to perfection, and offered at a fair price.

Batam is home to a lively food scene, with vendors lining the streets selling an abundance of different types of inexpensive local food. When faced with so many tasty options from so many different vendors, it might be tough to narrow your options down to just one. But hey, you are on vacation.
Ready-to-eat or freshly prepared on-the-spot, the street food offered by hawkers and vendors at warung stalls and food carts in Batam is certain to satisfy your tastebuds.

People also go to Batam to dive or snorkel because the water is so clear and visibility is so good.

Batam is home to the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia. It is called The Laughing Buddha Temple, Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya, and it is visited every day by thousands of Buddhists.

In the city of Batam, there are a number of shopping malls with a wide range of stores and places to eat. You can find Matahari, Hypermart, ACE Hardware, and Cinema 21 at Nagoya Hill Mall. At the very top of the mall, there are a number of fast-food places that combine western and Singaporean styles. At Baloi’s BCS Mall, you can find Golden Truly, Gramedia, and even a bowling alley.

There are several manufacturing facilities, including those in the electronics industry, the ship repair business, and the oil service industry, on the island. There are a large number of foreign workers in the area, therefore amenities like bars and golf courses have cropped up to accommodate them.
Several government and business buildings may be found in the Batam Center, the official heart of the island.

Nagoya is where the majority of the city’s business and industrial action takes place. Batam’s commercial and industrial activity is concentrated on Nagoya, also known as Lubuk Baja.

Nongsa is where you will find the vast majority of Batam’s accommodations (famous for beach tourism) Waterfront City: a tourist mecca with two enormous hotels.

Batam’s main domestic port is located at Sekupang where a ferry can take you to the island of Sumatra. Telaga Punggur, in southern Batam, is the main launch point for speedboats bound for Tanjung Pinang on adjacent Bintan.

Good to Know

Safety

The crime rate is quite low compared to other mega-cities in the world. Of course, like in any other place in the world where lots of people mingle, there is always the odd scam going on, and some might try to take advantage to make an extra buck on you. But even the poorest people in Batam are very friendly and optimistic.
Batam is relatively secure throughout the day, but you should be careful if you plan on exploring the nightlife in Nagoya. Leaving a place late at night? Either locate someone else who wants to go or is about to leave, or wait until it shuts and then depart together.

Getting to Batam & Getting around

Most international tourists will find that flying into Singapore and taking a boat to Batam is the most convenient way to Batang. Changi Airport requires passengers to arrive at the airport at least three hours before to their flight departure time, so those taking a ferry to Singapore should plan accordingly.

You can take a domestic flight straight to Hang Nadim’s International Airport on Batam from most of Indonesia’s major cities including Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan, Pekanbaru, Banda Aceh, Jambi, Palembang, Bandar Lampung, Pangkal Pinang, Pontianak, Balikpapan, Natuna, Yogyakarta, Semarang, Surabaya, Surabaya, and Bandung.

If you’re flying from Bali, you will most likely have a layover in Surabaya’s Juanda International Airport (SUB).
Garuda Indonesia, Batik Air, Citilink, Lion Air, and Sriwijaya Air are just few of the many Indonesian airlines that service the area.

A more exciting option is to take a road trip from Bali to Batam. However, you’ll need at least 67 hours on the road (2,133.7 km) to get there.

Telaga Punggur, on Batam’s southern coast, is the primary ferry terminal for trips between Tanjung Pinang, capital of the Riau Islands, on Bintan, and Batam.

Visa-free and visa-on-arrival access to Batam is available at the following ports: Harbor Bay (Jodoh), Batam Center (Nongsapura), Sekupang (Teluk Senimba), and Nongsapura (Sekupang).

General Vibe - Dynamic

At the beginning of this decade, rumors circulated again, this time claiming that Batam will soon be resurrected and prospering once more. Inflation was the result of the widespread development of new office buildings and housing complexes. After seven years, Batam’s growth has been steady but not as rapid as was hoped.

The population of Batam was estimated at 450,000 in the year 2001. More than 1.6 million people call the area home in 2022, a number that has more than doubled in the 21 years of local government.

Despite Batam’s occasional setbacks, such as the ripple effect of the collapse in global commodity prices on Batam’s huge fabrication yards in late 2014, residential, commercial, and industrial growth at that time was impressive.

Batam Weather

Tropical & Hot

Since it is so close to the equator, it makes sense that Batam, Indonesia, would experience a tropical monsoon climate. You can always take a dip in the hotel pool, go shopping at any mall, or sip an ice-cold Bintang at one of the many air-conditioned cafes in the area.

Prices - Great Value for money

You can stretch your hard-earned cash much farther in Batam.

The Indonesian rupiah is the official currency of Batam, but the Singapore dollar (S$) is used as a second currency. Singapore dollars are often used to quote prices in hotels, restaurants, and shops that cater to tourists, and almost everyone will take them. If you want to pay with a credit card, the law says that your bill must first be converted into rupiah, so it’s a good idea to check your exchange rates.

Attractions - Hidden Treasures

Even though the city of Jakarta’s new highrises, hard concrete, and crowded streets may not seem appealing at first glance, it is actually full of surprises and hidden gems.

Play at Coastarina’s Ocarina Park

Coastarina’s Ocarina Park (Kawasan Wisata Ocarina) is near Batam Center Ferry Terminal. If you’re looking for a location to have some laughs with the kids, you’ve found the right spot. There is a water park, a 3D movie theater, and a number of food courts, not to mention the entertaining carnival rides and games.

Visit Sultan Riau Grand Mosque

Situated on the island of Penyengat, is one of Indonesia’s oldest and most historic mosques.

Play Golf

Batam golf stay and play packages are available at Batam Golf on Batam Island, close to the ferry terminals. Batam is a golfer’s dream, with seven great courses that offer world-class championship golf and great service.

Batam City Square Mall

Calling all nomadic women, your shopping needs can be met in one convenient location: BCS Mall. Every girl’s dream store, stocked to the gills with everything from heels to cocktail dresses, clutches to jewels. Don’t worry, fellas; you’ll have plenty to keep you occupied while the ladies peruse the goods. BCS is in the heart of Penuin, right across the street from the popular Grand Duck restaurant and adjacent to the BCC Hotel. You can get here from either the Harbor Bay or Batam Center ferry terminals; however, Harbor Bay is the more convenient option.

Barelang Bridge

Batam, a popular tourist destination and important industrial hub in the Riau Islands Province, isn’t complete without a visit to its most recognizable landmark, the Barelang Bridge.

The bridge is an engineering marvel that connects Batam Island to the smaller islands to its south, including Rempang, Galang, and Galang Baru (also known as the Barelang Islands area) and the smaller islands of Tonton, Nipah, and Sekotok, and is located about 35 kilometers from the heart of Batam City.

Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya Monastery

The largest temple in all of Southeast Asia is the Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya in Sei Panas, Batam. Vihara Duta Maitreya was established in 1991 on 4.5 ha of land. Because of its name, you can assume that this temple holds a high religious significance, and indeed, it does, because its teachings align with those of Buddha Maitreya, who teaches a message of unconditional love for all beings. It’s a massive structure housing separate worship spaces for Buddha, Guang Kong, and Guan Yin.

Masjid Raya Batam

Located in Batam Center is the Great Mosque of Batam, previously known as the Great Mosque of Batam Center. This mosque is visually impressive because of its grand architecture.

The mosque’s architecture is a synthesis of two primary forms: a square beam for the main structure and a triangular pyramid for the minaret. This pyramidal design, with its seeming verticality towards a point above, represents humanity’s connection to its divine creators. And it’s obvious the mosque was intended to serve as a landmark being next to a massive “Welcome to Batam” sign.

Mega Wisata Ocarina Batam

As a theme park named after Batam and opened by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2009, Ocarina Batam is a source of great pride for the people of Batam. The park’s 40 hectares are home to ten unique attractions suitable for all ages.

Nongsa Beach

Located in Batam’s northeast, this beach is peaceful with several resorts and hotels of worldwide renown, the calm waters and soft beach make it ideal for a relaxing time. Enjoy the sunset and a distant vista of Singapore from this vantage point.

Penyengat Island

Catch a speedboat from Tanjung Pinang Jetty to Penyengat Island for a dollar
and, peek into the life of the Sultan of the Kingdom of Johor-Riau in the 18th century. Explore tombs, crypts, and a rebuilt fort with a fusion of Javanese and Dutch architecture that, despite being deserted for more than eighty years, has an air of grandeur.

Pura Agung Amerta Bhuana: 18-meter-tall hindu temple overlooking lake and mountains.
SeaForest Adventure: 10 hectares of outdoor activity park for families, particularly kids who wish to play, have fun, and learn.

Geography & Map