Located in Indonesia’s Riau Islands Province, Batam is a tiny oval-shaped island that serves as the core industrial and urban zone of the country. After becoming part of the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle, it has emerged as one of the world’s tourist destinations.
Batam is now the third busiest place in Indonesia after Bali and Jakarta, making it a perfect getaway due to its close proximity to Singapore and Malaysia. A short ferry ride will bring you to this little island that boasts beautiful beaches, luxury resorts, and much more.
What’s Included in this Travel Guide
Top Things to Do When in Batam
Food Feasting
Batam is a foodie’s paradise, offering an extensive variety of delectable foods and drinks. Indulge in food hunting, bar/cafe hopping, and restaurant tasting. Don’t forget to try their authentic local cuisines, especially their signature dish chili crab, black pepper crab, crunchy calamari, juicy prawns, and grilled lobsters. For dessert, delight yourself with the famous Kueh Lapis cake and Cha Kue carrot cake.
Shopping
Your trip to Batam is incomplete without a shopping spree. Almost all retail items are sold at incredibly low prices. For duty-free shopping, head to the famous Batam City Square Mall, where you can purchase high-quality fashion items, souvenirs, toiletries, groceries, and sweet treats. For branded accessories, clothing, and gadgets, visit Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall.
Scuba Diving/Snorkelling and Other Water Sports
Enjoy a leisure dive in various diving spots in Batam and marvel at the beauty of the aquatic world as you swim around corals, turtles, rays, and even sharks. Go water skiing, windsurfing, parasailing, banana boat riding, or cable skiing. For more fun adventure, let the inner child in you come out by playing at Sea Forest Adventure, the floating water park.
Chilling in the Beach
If you are looking for a place to relax, swim, stroll, or sunbathe, Nongsa Beach is the perfect destination. It is less crowded, so you will enjoy the tranquility and privacy of the beach. It is within the Nongsa District, where you can find luxury hotels, resorts, bars, shops, and spas. Another favorite is Viovio Beach, which offers an amazing view of the sunset, giant swings, and heart-shaped wooden platforms for beach shots.
Restoring Your Inner Zen
Batam has beautiful temples where you can offer incense for health, good luck, and fortune. The most-visited temples are Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya and Tua Pek Kong. Maha Vihara is famous for its elegant and colorful Buddha statues and twelve zodiac signs carving that can be viewed opposite the temple.
Pampering
If you love a luxurious massage, Batam is the place to be. It offers a multitude number of massage parlors, spas, and reflexology centers. The rates are relatively cheaper, so treat yourself to a two-hour massage after your exciting adventures on this amazing island.
Sunset Watching in Barelang Bridge
This iconic bridge links Batam Island with its neighbor Galang Island. It is regarded as one of the marvelous pieces of engineering works as it spans the water that separates the two islands. Best to visit it late afternoon to catch the exquisite sight of the setting sun.
Playing Golf
If you love golf, try playing in any of the seven golf ranges on the island. Batam is dubbed as the golfer’s paradise. Adjacent to the golf courses are the restaurants and bars that you will enjoy visiting after a challenging game.
Enjoying the nightlife in Batam
If you are looking for super-fun nightlife experience, you can find it in Batam. The price of alcohol is pocket-friendly as well as the entrance fees in clubs/bars. Head on to the NED (Nagoya Entertainment District) to enjoy non-stop entertainment and while there, drink the local beer called Bintang.
These are just some of the many activities you can do when exploring Batam. There are many things to enjoy, many places to visit, and many foods to taste, so book your flight now to get a taste of this beautiful island paradise in Indonesia.
How to get to Batam, Indonesia?
If you are coming from Jakarta, you can fly from Soekarno Hatta Airport to Batam’s Hang Nadim Airport. From Singapore and Johor Bahru, Malaysia, you can take a ferry to Batam Island.
Discounted Tours and Activities in Batam
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