[nono1973]

Originally Posted by cashprice

Don't forget there's Sheng Song, Cold Storage & Giant too.

Then again, price has gone up to $90 for $100 now.

Hehehe...when one can buy many stuffs for S$0.10 each & better things for no more than a S$1 in Singapore. Shopping in Batam no longer as cheap anymore (there are still things whereby it is still cheaper to buy from Indonesia Batam tho).

Not forgetting there are fairly good things thats going at 90% to 95% discount.

All the bluetooth earphone i am using now (almost a dozen of them), each cost no more than S$1 (most of it cost no more than S$0.50).

Originally Posted by cashprice

Next mth before 11/11, going btm to beat inflation in Singapore. If u are there, drop me a tinkle.

Will sure do so.

Let us all beat inflation together.

Originally Posted by Black Page

In Batam I bought 15 kg of fruits, which I cannot find in Europe so good as here (mangoes, manggis, jambu air, papaya, dragon fruit).

According to my parents, their friends told them that it was mango season last month, hence that's 1 reason why you are getting all the fresher fruits now.

Next month when i am there, i am likely to see thick mango juice, freshly squeezed from 100% actual mango without any ice or add-on to be on sale at 10000 rupiah (less than S$1) at DC Mall, hehehe...

Originally Posted by Black Page

....but I could not smuggle a cewek in my bag.

Ok, ok...maybe you stole the heartS of many SYT cewek in this trip instead,hehehe... i'm sure they're going to miss you much.

Originally Posted by Black Page

I don't understand what is amazing.

A long time ago, i brought along my neighbor, a Portugal man with his wife (father from US, mother from Philippine) from the US to Batam. They didn't quite like the idea of taking ojek. Reason given was the helmet was shared by many. And bikes were swiveling at dangerous turns on high speed.

Another time ago, i brought another Italian friend with his Pinoy girl friend to Batam, the couple shared about the same reason with me too.

Therefore i was amazed when you so strongly recommend to take ojek to move around Batam.

Originally Posted by Black Page

(Pacific reopened the disco again! Hurrah!!)

That's good news for many.

I think you just got yourself 1st hand information as i notice no one has shared about this before.

Originally Posted by Black Page

Normal office girls at pubs: nearly nobody. Much less than before Covid. I guess that economy crisis hit hard. Normal people has less to spend, and therefore do not go to pubs, which are really expensive. This is my main sorry about this visit to Batam. I missed this type of meetings.

Most likely could be busy making babies during lockdown, hehehe...& probably taking of them now.

I notice a handful of ladies who has just given birth for no more than a year in my last 3 trips.

Originally Posted by Black Page

- A girl from Hallo Kitty (go there! expensive, but probably the best place to relax). I found myself in Pacific with a group of those girls partying after the work place was closed.

Thats why i only visit this place once.

One reason is that the girls there can be found in other shops at a lower entrance fee, hehehe...

Originally Posted by Black Page

In the past, I was used to get a new girl every day or even 2 a day. Things are more quiet now in Batam.
Still I am happy I spent my time in Batam, and I cannot wait to be back again.

That would be until next year...

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Last time when ferry ticket was $48, used to go to Batam quarterly (3 months once)

Now the ferry ticket is $70, will plan to go (4 months once) but with longer stay.

Here we are just talking about ferry ticket, let's not forget about the other essentials like hotel rooms & food which we all will need.

Food wise not much of an issue as it isn't going to go up too high (compare with Singapore's necessity's increases).

Example : Singapore food court's chicken rice cost S$5 today, Batam's chicken rice cannot forever stay at S$1.60, right? (Budi Siang Malam's chicken rice at Grand Batam Mall is at S$2.50 & with bigger share)

____________________

Ferry tickets may have gone rocketing high (almost double), but hotel room appears to be coming down (in case you haven't already noticed). During pre-covid time, my hotel room was about $45 to S$55 on average (ex Formosa when i 1st visited Batam was about S$62). Today...S$35 & i am talking about same hotel, same type of room (i usually try to make comparison with apple to apple & not apple with orange).

Want to have free hotel stays? Hehehe...try looking at credit card offers in Singapore. I recommended some friends to apply HSBC credit cards around 2-3 months ago in Singapore & they got 1.5 night free stay at Marriot Hotel and/or almost 10 nights at 4 season hotel near NED (4 season is under Marriot group, fyi), hehehe...

Originally Posted by retirebatam

If increase again to $100 two way, then maybe further reduce to twice a year (6 months once) with even longer stay

Used to visit Batam once a month during my 1st trips to Batam almost 10 years ago when ferry ticket was S$48. Followed by 3 times a month when ferry tickets dropped to S$28 or so (same ferry company). Now i just switch to once a month with a longer than usual stay.

Comparing the 2 essentials between hotel rooms to ferry tickets, i would rather ferry tickets price goes up than hotel room price up (both comes down would be best,hehehe...).

Originally Posted by retirebatam

There is only two way you can buy ferry ticket at a cheaper price.

1) Source for tour agency in batam or those ferry ticket shop that offers two way ferry ticket at a cheaper price, currently the one I encountered was 690k (two way)

This was mentioned last month, i think.

https://samleong.shop/showthread.ph...9#post21668259

I think some money changer sells it. All one needs is just to open mouth ask. Takes about 20 seconds for me to open mouth, another min or so to transact if needed to. All in less than 2 mins.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

2) Wait for the rupiah to devalue to say maybe 12000 per sing dollar and quickly convert to buy the ticket.

2 sides of a blade in this case.

There is an expiry date in every ferry ticket. If one isn't capability to use them up before the expiry date, then he/she needs to have to capability to sell it off his/her hand when the needs are no more.

Remember i bought a lot of orange tickets at S$28 each before covid time?

Refer to below link :

https://samleong.shop/showpost.php?...ostcount=16051

2 of the above Horizon ferry ticket which is S$56.00 = today's S$70 Horizon ferry ticket (thats what Horizon says 3-4 months ago). When i sold them off hand that time, Horizon was still selling their new ticket at S$80. Made some tiny profit out of it & use them to cover for my August's S$70 ticket (to be exact, i paid for 1 way at about S$40).

When i reached Batam, i buy a 2 way 690k rupiah tour group ticket in Batam, use half of it to come back home sweet home.

Not many will be like stingy me who'd try to save 10k, 20k or if not more (this 10k-20k saving keeps reminding me of my debate with bro Blackpage in thsi forum,hehehe...). But what happens if we go in groups? The saving can be quite substantial. The number just adds up from essentials like Hotels, to ferry tickets to everyday food & then to massage, booking joints, transport etc etc.

Never underestimate the power of "small money" aka 10k to 20k rupiah.

I'm saving, yet not compromising my enjoyment in Batam.

If ferry ticket goes up to S$100 per trip, then i just have to play, "eat the pig to pay the dog" game better.

Solution/s: Organize group trips or go with friends, share the burden (cost). Eg, better bargain in overnight-girls booking joints, MPs & hotel room too.

Above were how i play my game in Batam, hehehe...