Re: Batam Info Thread
 

bro newyorker88, that was quick. thanks. will start my reconnaissance later tonight... :D

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Agree with you bro on getting a cheaper hotel ,eg from Kaha or other 1 star or 2 star hotels near Formosa hotel...but for HJ,how to bargain for 150k from a newbie's perspective? Bargain from 300k to 200k in Formosa i am confident,but 150k is still a challenge to me cos will end up the girl doing the HJ face black black and end of the day do a lousy HJ.

For hotel food,i was warned not to order food or take any food/tit bits/drinks from Hotel room fridge by my fren during my 1st trip cos they will ultimately cost a bomb with their charges there does not include the 11% + 10% extra charges.

If i stay Formosa (which i usually does),i buy everything from what is in the hotel fridge from the supermarket downstairs of Formosa Hotel. It is in the hotel building itself,just step out of the hotel glass door,turn left...walk behind the hotel. Everything in the hotel fridge should not cost more than 100k.

For me to go really desperately budget on a 2D1N Batam Trip,i will :

1. Walk from Harbour Bay to Grand Nagoya 69 Hotel (very close to Formosa)at 200k per night.

http://sammyboyforum.com/showpost.ph...ostcount=25350

2. Eat my lunch x 2 /dinner x 2 /breakfast x 1 at the hotel downstairs at 200k

3. Book girl at the Grand Nagoya 69 Hotel downstairs (New Berlian)at 600k + tip 200k (with good service).

4. Buy every necessities from Nagoya Hill Mall Hyper Mart for 2D1N - 100k

5. End of trip,walk from Grand Nagoya 69 Hotel (which is near Formosa) to Harbour Bay.

Total spending :

S$143.00 base on 9100/SGD + S$48.00 Ferry = S$191.00

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Thanks bro

I nearly used up my 200sgd rupiah during my trip

I know it is still within the chiong funds I set aside but was thinking if it would have cost even more if I ate seafood + beer for dinner instead. We didn't skip dinner, we order from room service and it taste pretty good. Ordered supper as well. Drank the soft drinks and beer off the fridge. Total charge 200k but the taxes added up to 230k.

I still thinking within Formosa walking range, anymore good fish tank joints to look see? I just went to new Berlian joint by following the map and got my first catch.

I am still unsure about batam, first trip almost inside hotel mostly except when waiting for room, walking to Nagoya and going to my 1st joint.

Food and massage recommendation?

I read about windsor, asked my gal but she say she don't know and ok to eat room service.

One fabulous thing about this overnight booking in batam for me is I can take as long as I want if I can maintain the motion. Really no time constraint and really a good bonk after another.

Re: Batam Info Thread- Cewek houses
 

Yours is steam train, diesel train or electric train :D

You and Pak know too well that all WLs tend to be more risky

As you advis wearing rubber is one way to prevent the risk

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Sorry,bro...Your Hotel + Overnight girl + Hotel check out amount already about S$200 base on 9100/SGD. Not counting massage and others.


Dynasty & Queens are Fish Tank joints too. Try walking to Gold Bird if you have the spare time tho.


That's why my Batam trip always include Temple visit. Directly Opposite formosa hotel also got Massage joints. Nagoya Hill is big place,enough for one to shop for an hour or 2 (even 3).

Click on Bro New Yorker's signature for massage...as for food,New Berlian outside got some super good food store,hehehe...:D

I always believe in taking baby step a time as i am a still newbie to Batam. I haven't explore till Windsor yet. Sorry bro...


This one i 101% agree with you....but then again,i haven't meet lousy or problematic ones yet. Reading from the previous posts,the bad ones can really spoil your day/evening (even your entire trip). And most of which are from New Berry joint (near Bali Hotel)...,i guess that's why it was banned by senior bros in this thread.

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

I book online for Formosa so never use rupiah for hotel booking.

Walk in rates is about 750k, it's higher than I paid online. U mention about Kaha, book near ferry terminal? Sorry didn't explore that.

I will read and get the direction to gold bird. It's not on the map.

Planning my 2nd trip soon, hopefully it's as good as the 1st.

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

No need to walk a long way from Harbour Bay to Formosa, you may get on a van for just RP 3k per trip.:D

Walk away from ferry terminal towards Harbour Bay Mall,
go through the car entrance toll booths,
turn right upon reach the main road, pass by a petro station,
reach the round about, get on a van (usually red in color but not necessary) on your side,
it will turn into the round about and pass by Planet Holiday, Harmoni, Goodway, Nagoya Plaza,
get off at Nagoya hill, then Formosa is one street behind.:p:p

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Another term for sarong is condom.
cheers !

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Book goodway through Kaha, idr 505000 i think. Location not bad. Less than 10 mins walk to nagoya hill,opposite goodway i think got street of clubs. Room is good ,better than formosa,in terms of air con and pillow. In house massage, idr 185000 i think. Breakfast here not as good as formosa,limited choices, but okay.
wifi there is good. I try to download a movie, n i was shocked at downloading movie rate,at 1000kbs.

Avoid taking beers and chips there,expensive. Better buy outside.
hotel food quoted in sgd,n expensive.
cheers n happy hunting

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Ok,so your S$200 didn't include the Hotel Booking charges which is 550k & the S$48.00 ferry price,if that is the case,it makes sense now.

Yes,it is cheaper to book online than walk-in. Then again it also depends on individual case to case basis cos my friend (also solo-ing) booked the below room at S$55.00 when he walk-in on my 4th trip & i didn't get a room i wanted from Kaha at S$55.00 (same day,almost same time) :


So again,i believe it's the relationship between the hotel and their guest.

There are 2 Kaha often mentioned in this thread. 1 of them inside Batam Centre Ferry terminal,quite a distance away from Formosa Hotel,the other which i frequent is opposite Harmoni Hotel which is near Formosa & even nearer to Goodway hotel.

To reach Kaha,1st find Harmoni Hotel. To reach Gold Bird,1st find Batam Star Hotel. The map below will be helpful :


There is one simpler method to reach Kaha,take a taxi from Habour Bay...tell the driver you want to go Kaha opposite Harmoni Hotel. They will know the place. I pay 40k to reach Kaha,ask driver to wait for me while i book the room and then board the same taxi to reach Formosa Hotel to check in. All in 40k. I avoid the 1st 2 to 3 taxi drivers who approach me during arrival to Batam,walk to Prima Ferries to book my return Ferry upon arriving Batam,then walk little further before approach by taxi drivers again which i will usually be quoted 40k and i tell them 40k to Kaha,then to Formosa,ok? 90% time,they will be ok. (keep in mind here,it's weekdays when i visit Batam)

There is one small little detail to take note,don't leave your luggage inside the taxi when you reach Kaha to book your hotel room and always take down the taxi number when you board the cab.

For Gold Bird joint,it cannot be on the map. The easiest method is get there is 1st find Batam Star Hotel or Lai Lai Hotel which is also 2 min walk away from Goodway Hotel :


I was 1st told Gold Bird is Opposite Batam Star...wrong. It is actually the next block opposite Batam Star Hotel. You will need to circle around the block opposite Batam Star,locate the block next to it and then circle around it to find Goldbird. So you will need to circle around 2 blocks,and each block will take you 2 to 5 mins to circle round. You will eventually find a NEON-looking signboard without lights that says Gold Bird on it hidden in one small corner of the block. When you find it,you will know why it cannot be pinpointed on the map,hehehe...

Location of Kaha Travel & Gold Bird (aka Sedona) has already been bookmarked on my signature.

Disadvantages in booking in Kaha,you are not guaranteed a Hotel room of your desire. Something i learned in my 4th trip to Batam. The only reason why i am booking from Kaha is that the room i need is not available to be booked online.

Since i can add 1 more photo in this post,here is the Kaha namecard for your planning refernce if you need it. In it has the address of the 3 Kaha branches in Batam,..the Airport,the Batam Centre and the one opp Harmoni Hotel.(with Tel numbers too)


Hope your next upcoming trip will be better than the 1st,bro.

Enjoy!

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Don't forget to check out permata indah when u explore Windsor foodcourt :p

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Thank you bro for your valuable info. I have not taken the mini bus before and was advise against it due to it being dirty,crowded and running the risk of being pickpocket-ed.

The fact is,a couple of times the Van aka Mini Bus did stop by for me to board,just that i didn't get up. I guess at the point of time,i still prefer walking as i can learn more and be able to recognize land mark point of Hotel location better and feel more at ease while doing so.

Now i know these buses do starts from Harbour Bay end reach Nagoya Hill Mall,thank you for you input,bro.

Haha...thx for explaining...i didn't know they will call sarongs as condom...kind of funny from my point of view.

Bro,may i check with something about VOA since i see you are using that method to enter Batam custom.

1. Reaching Batam : May i know,once my indian fren get ready the US$10,he walk to the VOA counter to get his visa via VOA done,after it is done from the counter,does he still need to join me in the same queue to get his passport chop? (i am Singaporean) Or applying VOA and chopping passport all done in the same counter?

2. Is the departure procedure (leaving Batam) same as the those without the need to apply for Visa? Meaning during departure,he queue on the same queue as me? (for All International Passport)

Hope you can advise on the above.I just want to make sure all goes smoothly for him. Thank you in advance,bro.

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Hi im at batam..any bros at batam wanna meet up n cheong together?

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Hi...

Going to batam tomorrow morning...how long will you be staying over there??

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Will be leaving at checkout tomorrow bro..