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Old 25-02-2016, 02:26 PM
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Re: Batam Info / Interest / Help Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Humlea View Post
LOL... I haven't even started my virgin trip to batam yet... still learning and researching from Nono's guide... tomolo go there and check out the place... any fellow cheongster going tomolo?
All key points of my Batam Beginner's guide is here :

https://sammyreviews.store/showpost.p...ostcount=32897

Follow it and you should not go too wrong. If something goes wrong,then maybe pay a visit to Tua Pek Kong to get some "flower water" to bathe,hehehe... *joking only*

The information posted on the above given link is updated as below :

_____________________________

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nono1973 View Post
Going to Batam is like going to Sentosa in Sillypore. The main difference is you need a passport. You do not even need to understand their language. Most people there will be able understand simple English.

Below are some basics :

1. Stay in Formosa Hotel,which will be use as your HQ for your group. Its a hotel with nearly all you are asking for under one roof,eg Massage,KTV,overnight booking girls,provision shop etc.

2. You likely reach Batam before noon,get yourself to the hotel and checked in,rest up a bit and then look for taxi driver for 2D1N from either the bellboy of the hotel,the receptionist or just step outside hotel to ask around. Price around.3 person share should not cost you more than 150k per pax. (dont forget to tip 10k-20k for those you ask help from)

* the reason why I am looking for 2D1N taxi driver when you are staying 3D2N: It is becos you can bring down the price lower when you tell the driver you extend another night later on. Its your bargaining chips.

3. As a beginner,do not be too ambitious. Aim for just 3 of the safest booking joints for overnight girl which you can ask taxi driver bring you there or simply walk there if you have the courage. Locations and maps are on my signature.

a. Gold Bird (nearby Lai Lai Hotel)

b. New Berry (opp Hana Hotel)

c. Bunga Massage (directly behind DC mall)

Dont hold too high expectation,be humble, courteous and dont show off.These are my keys to enjoy Batam. Drop whatever expectation you have by half before you touch down Batam.

4. KTV which usually opens around 7pm is just at the 4th floor of Formosa Hotel. Be reminded that you already have a booking girl when in a KTV for your 1st night,so you might want to save your 2nd night to grab a higher priced overnight girls from KTVs. You decide.

5. Massage is also at the same floor as the KTV in Formosa Hotel. You need to bargain down the price for Kings massage on the same floor on special service or get ready to be chopped. They opened till 1am. (if i dont remember wrong)

6. Walk across the street from Formosa Hotel is another 2 more massage shops,Linda Massage and Relax Massage. at 70k to 80k per hour,i believe its still worth exploring. (1 min walk,Relax is known to be clean,Linda is not)

7. Directly behind Relax Massage is the popular Indo Rasa Massage (not clean) on the 2nd floor. 1st floor is Indo Rasa Food Court where you can eat till you drop during day time and early evening.

8. Step outside Formosa Hotel front door,turn right and walk straight is Lucky Plaza. In between Lucky Plaza and Formosa Hotel is a small road. Raise your head up and you will see Nagoya Hill Mall. 10 mins walk there if you dare.


9. Once you can walk to Nagoya Hill Mall and back,there will be no place within Nagoya area you cannot go by foot. Start roaming around the Mall (inside and outside),it can easily burn your whole day off. Almost everywhere within a radius of 500m of this mall could be a trap for tourists. A Batam newbie's shopping paradise.

10. Pace are slower in Batam,do not plan too much schedule on your itinerary in one single day.

Key things from my signature you need to know :

1. 1 of the main link on my signature that holds some most important links with infos :

https://sammyreviews.store/showpost.p...ostcount=29580

2. How to pick the right girl in overnight booking joint :

https://sammyreviews.store/showpo...ostcount=32592

3. How to search for what you are looking for in this thread :

https://sammyreviews.store/showpo...ostcount=27197

4. The latest Batam Cheong List updated on Oct 2015 :

https://sammyreviews.store/showpo...ostcount=32873

5. Useful maps of Batam :

https://sammyreviews.store/showpo...ostcount=30020

6. Tipping Table for overnight booking joint girls :

https://sammyreviews.store/showpost.p...ostcount=30015

7. Additional Information if you think you wish to know more :

https://sammyreviews.store/showpo...ostcount=29580

Above links are mostly taken from my signature links. It has helped me and hope it can help you too.

Always bargain down the price BUT do not bargain until your mood is spoilt.If price isnt right,just smile and walk off or simply politely turn down the offer. Its Indonesia's business culture to mark up a higher price for one to bring it down. How low you can bring the price down depends on your capability to bargain. Put it in another way of saying,how much you choose to get chop carrot also depends on how well you bargain.

Once you are in Batam,get yourself linked with the in-room free wifi to get on to SBF,feel free to ask questions if you have any emergency need. Just avoid stupid questions and have some patience to wait for a reply (Myself and some Batam bros are usually online,most don’t like to answer repeated questions tho). I will try to lead you to the answers.

Sample of my past itineraries for your reference to help you plan your trip :

https://sammyreviews.store/showpo...ostcount=30110

https://sammyreviews.store/showpo...ostcount=31326

https://sammyreviews.store/showpo...ostcount=32162

You can always mix and match your own planned itinerary,no need to 100% stick to what you originally plan. There is always next trip,next next trip,next next next trip to Batam (and so on). Most importantly, you need to find out what you and your friends enjoy most.

Hope my reply helps.

Enjoy!
Add-on : Booking joint near Formosa Hotel were Happy 8 and New Berry. About 10 to 15 mins walk for those who arent sure on direction. (start slow)


Please note the reason why i am quoting my above own post (it is not my whole post) is becos some of the links were broken due to the Administrator/s (not done by a Mod) of the forum removing certain posts in the previous old thread making some links going "not right". I dont wish to mis-direct, so i am rewriting it here again by copying and pasting the previous old post written by me previously with some amendment as some form of update. I have fixed the broken link.

I call this as an enhancement of my Batam beginner's guide,hehehe...

Latest 180 degree-look just outside of Formosa Hotel :


1st 2 pics above show the right side of Formosa. Follow by middle (direct opposite the hotel) and then left side of Formosa hotel from main entrance. Pics were taken from 4th floor of the hotel.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Humlea View Post
Btw, where should I buy a simcard? at harbourbay or around formosa?
Both places sells them. Beside Formosa Hotel is Lucky Plaza where sim card seller can be obviously seen. I dont use an indo sim card when i 1st started Batam,so i dont have info on this in my beginner's guide. Hotels has free wifi.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Humlea View Post
Is there a preference for telco and packages? I only need data.
Check with the shopkeeper. Most speaks some form of broken English,Chinese or dialects. Indo sim card should not cost more than S$10. I usually dont ask 1st timer or newbies to buy it unless they were planning to go to Batam on a regular basis. No need to waste unnecessary money for a 2D1N or 3D2N.

*i am prioritizing my reply to you 1st becos you were heading to Batam tomorrow.

Dont be overly ambitious,take each step a time and avoid rushing. Batam has a much slower pace than Sillypore.

Good luck and have a good trip.
__________________

Basic Batam Info in One Link



Avoid quoting the whole post if you are replying to me in the thread

信言不美,美言不信。
善者不辩,辩者不善。
知者不博,博者不知。
圣人不积,既以为人己愈有,既以与人己愈多。
天之道,利而不害。
圣人之道,为而不争。


My December 2019 Batam Trip Info


Last edited by nono1973; 25-02-2016 at 02:38 PM.