Batam Info / Interest / Help Thread

[Black Page]

Originally Posted by BFOMF5

your regular manggis stall have shifted away from roadside

What are those photos about? What place? What are my regular manggis?
I am very sorry to disappoint, but I do not understand...

[Kaboon]

Originally Posted by Black Page

I am very sorry to disappoint, but I do not understand...

i think he means around this place



& u should hv been there before.

[Black Page]

Originally Posted by Kaboon

i think he means around this place
u should hv been there before.

NOOOOOO!!
They demolished Pasar Induk???
Those are (WERE??) the most charming buildings in Batam. They always looked like a haunted house of ghosts, with those strange shapes.
WHAT HAPPENED??

[herman_chemin]

They demolished Pasar Induk???
Those are (WERE??) the most charming buildings in Batam. They always looked like a haunted house of ghosts, with those strange shapes.
WHAT HAPPENED??[/QUOTE]

About time the run down warehouses should be torn down and make way for better safer new warehouses. My ex Indo gf used to buy groceries like onions, garlic, etc from the nearby wholesale market and store them there for free for a few days before exporting them to Singapore to sell. I am feeling nostalgic I miss her .

[Leoric]

Originally Posted by Black Page

WHAT HAPPENED??

Btm gov wish to make more money? or to make this place better? Maybe both. I read from news, stall owners are protesting against tearing dwn the iconic local market, & what the authority in btm plan was to temp move them to another part of the market where for the first 3 mths, rental will be free & thereafter, will collect 1 million rp a mth from those stalls owners.They can move back in to same location once this place is rebuild but must pay rental. As for how much, nobody knows.

Past, there was no rental & business can be not bad. After they torn it dwn, they'll temp be moved to another area nearby & got to pay 1 million rp/mth after 3 mths with no guarantee of enough business flow.

https://www.batamnews.co.id/berita-5...mko-batam.html

The market is livelihood of many locals in btm. The btm authority did put in much effort to make most happy with their arrangement after more than 2 mth of protest.

Probably gonna get to see a new look in the nxt few years to come in this part of btm.

In my own words.

[fde83]

Without tis market cannot survive.? If only locals would know where pasar jodoh is at, which open at 5am. . And another wet market at pujabahari

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by censored

Sorry bro, I knew you talk about famosa is best for newbie as got King Massage, Alishan KTV, Hapy 8 booking joint (and Nagoya Citywalk Mall). Also mentioned about gideon etc. However agent only offer these 4 hotel thus seeking your advise.

No problem, most probably the tour agent couldnt get formosa hotel room becos it is ALWAYS full. Happens all the time during peak season.

Ok, lets talk about the 4 hotels suggested by your tour agent :

Batam City hotel -

Batam City Hotel is a 3 starred hotel which i have stayed before. It is located at Penuin area and the closest shopping mall is BCS Mall. I usually recommend aunties and uncles who wish to visit Batam to look for better food and some quality clean good massage to go there. There is a rather high end Grand Dragon KTV in the hotel itself (equivalent to that of M1 and M2 KTVs)and New spa is just a min or 2 away from this hotel (New Spa like the KTV which is inside the hotel itself,check with receptionist).

The bad - There is practically no overnight booking joint in this area. Unless you wish to walk to Utama area or take a taxi or ojek there. And then back again.

Harmoni hotel -

This is a 4 starred hotel in Batam. I have also stayed there before and after reading your PM, and knowing you are looking for "pubs" to catch a "drink". This hotel should be the best place among the 4 choices given by your tour agent. Walk down stairs at 630pm Batam time and behind the hotel, you see no less than a dozen pubs and clubs. Many bros i knew here do pub-hop there,hehehe...there are lots of more westernized food in the area. There are some local street food that only operate in the early evening.

About 8 to 10 mins walk to Memory KTV booking joint and 13 to 17 mins walk to Sekar Massage booking joint if you can locate Lumba Lumba Inn Hotel which is diagonally behind Harmoni Hotel. Note : Opposite lumba lumba inn hotel is New Hotel, beside it is Memory Hotel/KTV. Beside Lumba Lumba Inn hotel is Dynasty 99 which is STILL under renovation.

As for how to walk to Sekar, i suggest you google for Hana Hotel. Lumba Lumba Inn Hotel is quite close to it and Sekar Massage booking joint is directly opposite Hana Hotel.

The bad - In my view, everything there is expensive, the K-mart and provision shops sells everything more expensive than other K-marts in the island.

Aston batam hotel -

Forget this one, this hotel is located somewhere in the middle of Nagoya area and Batam center area. Good hotel no doubts for its facilities, new beds etc and all that but no one whose intention is to monger will take this hotel. Its is more of a preferred choice for golfers and youngster who bring their girlfriend/s, families to Batam. Good place for non-hanky panky tour,hehehe...

Grands hotel nagoya -

I believe the tour agent means Grand I-Hotel Nagoya,hehehe...this is also a 4 starred hotel. And a very expensive one too. Stayed there once before sponsored by my part-time boss. This is a very good hotel which is well-maintained after many years and its also located near to Nagoya Hill Mall. One of Batam most expensive shopping mall (on par with Mega Mall). In that area, you can visit Delta spa at the out-skirt of Nagoya Hill Mall or you can walk over to Formosa Hotel,hehehe...i guess no need to explain much to you what Formosa hotel has in stall,right?

It would takes about 6 to 8 mins walk from Grand I-hotel to Nagoya Hill Mall and another about 7 to 8 mins walk from Nagoya Hill Mall to Formosa Hotel.

Behind Formosa Hotel is Nagoya City Walk mall, locate Baba Street food court and opposite it is Happy 8. The other end of Nagoya City Walk is Biz Hotel, and outside of Biz Hotel opposite it at almost 10 o'clock diagonally and walking down about 5 to 6 mins, you should see Utama hotel,hehehe...

Side Note : Beside Biz Hotel is a coffee shop where the famous Swee's curry puff is sold.

I repost the map done by bro Freedom 3 over years ago here.

it may be a bit outdated but still useful

(Orchid,Permata Indah and Indah 2 closed down, New Berry change name to Sekar)

You should see Harmoni Hotel and Formosa Hotel on the above map. And as for Grand I-Hotel, you can use the Spa Secret written on the map to bench mark.

Batam City Hotel and Aston hotel is not seen on the map.

Hope this reply helps you get a rough idea where you are heading to and make a decision from the 4 choices of hotels your agent gave you.

Note here that i am replying base on your this question :

"Able to advise which hotel surrounding more happening and have pubs to drinks?"

...and if you haven't make a 2nd PM to me regarding this :

"Sorry bro, I knew you talk about famosa is best for newbie as got King Massage, Alishan KTV, Hapy 8 booking joint (and Nagoya Citywalk Mall). Also mentioned about gideon etc. However agent only offer these 4 hotel thus seeking your advise."

...i probably might not have replied to your PM,hehehe...

Cheers and may you have a good Batam trip!

* more than 4k in words limitation on PM,hence gonna reply you in this way with your nick censored off from the public. My apologies.

[Black Page]

Originally Posted by Leoric

Probably gonna get to see a new look in the nxt few years to come in this part of btm.

Did they demolish also the big buildings, which I see in the background of the photo you posted? Or just the stalls?

[Leoric]

Originally Posted by Black Page

Did they demolish also the big buildings, which I see in the background of the photo you posted? Or just the stalls?

As of 3 days ago, monday...nope.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by cougar666

The quality is not bad, she kept asking me if need to use more strength. I went there around 10 or 11am. I think I am the first and only customer hehe.

Thanks again,i am regular now,hehehe...now go to aiko, be it the petrol station one or the a2 food court one, happy hour got 30%, no happy hour, its likely 10% to 20% off.

Got to know that in my last trip.

Do feel free to try Tuina Massage around that area too, its almost just as good as Aiko...hehehe...

https://thesbf.shop/showthread.php?p=...9#post19467939

I am talking about the massage quality as well as the girls who does the massage,hehehe...

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by cougar666

This is the room rate mentioned by bro Nono.

Thanks for sharing, here's the more detailed photo after i talk to their receptionist,hehehe...

Basically if one takes their cheapest room aka Superior room, there wont be windows. Deluxe room will have windows, Grand deluxe is bigger sized room with windows. As for the 700k rupiah room...hmm...i think it should be their biggest room. I am eyeing on that one tho,hehehe...comparing with hotels in that area of similar class/star, this Parkside Sovrano Hotel were actually more expensive.

What put me off most in this hotel is, its another no-smoking hotel. Smoking only allowed in the cafe on the 2nd floor. And by the way, there's an in house massage/spa shop too.

Notice the price is actually MORE expensive than most other MPs in that area? Hehehe...but look again, there's a discount. Monday to Friday 20% off, Saturday and Sunday 50%...hehehe...ok, now you can start laughing on this one.

Just sharing.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by Dazza4

I'm a Singaporean who has been living in Melbourne for the past 20 years. I have visited Batam before but that was about 8 years ago. My brother and I are coming down to Singapore end of March next year and have planned to go away to Batam for 3 days. I have read the forums here and found that you guys have a wealth of information and I thank all of you for that. I did have a few questions that I hope someone can help me with.

Since you have up to March 2020 before your trip, i strongly suggest you to read.

Some of the more important links as below :

1. My general compiling info -

https://thesbf.shop/showthread.php?p=...9#post18753429

2. The places to go to which you might like -

https://thesbf.shop/showpost.php?p=15...postcount=6277

https://thesbf.shop/showpost.php?p=18...ostcount=12411

3. This one more updated -

https://thesbf.shop/showpost.php?p=19...ostcount=14870

4. And on KTVs?

https://thesbf.shop/showthread.php?p=...post184 51945

5. How to search this thread -

https://thesbf.shop/showthread.php?p=...post192129 27

So much info, but so little reading. It is only after reading before one can ask some more "nutritional" question/s.

Originally Posted by Dazza4

1. I see that the best places to book girls are Sri Kandy, JV Happy 8 and Kupu Kupu. Are these the best booking joints in Batam? I was also wondering if there were any premium escorts available? Girls who can speak good English and are really hot. We do have a substantial budget to play with and would like to have maximum fun while we're there and girls who can speak English would really help. If not, what would you guys recommend? Out of the 3 places above, which one would you recommend has the best selection of girls? Or are there better ones?

Batam is more of a hit and miss place. Not many would be willing to "recommend", neither would i. One of the reason maybe becos its a meat and poison thingy here. As the exact same girl one gets into their hotel room may offer a different type/quality of service/s.

Base on my almost 7 year experience in Batam, i dare say right here in a public forum that the LESSER i spend to get a girl in Batam, the BETTER in terms on quality of service/s (not the other way round). And i believe many of us here are looking for "exclusive" service/s rather than the SOP type, pay>release>forget (this is my observation) whereby one may feel like bonking a sex doll.

Example :

Right in one of the sub-forum of this SBF forum, Indonesia SSYT girls is going at a rate of S$100 for 2 shots at 90 mins in Singapore. Not a sex doll,of course.

A rough estimation from my observation,1 out of 10 Indonesia girls speaks good-enough english. 6.5 out of 10 of them speaks broken but understandable english. The rest who cannot speak understandable english, i just use google translate. Works all the time and up till today, i have not learned to speak their language.

Originally Posted by Dazza4

2. I also see that many recommend going to Formosa Hotel and then walk from there to these places and not take taxi drivers. But if we were to take a taxi driver, and hire him for the 3 days we're there, are there any reliable taxi drivers you guys can recommend? Someone who can speak English and knows the best places we can go to to get girls and also speak on our behalf? We used to have a guy in Batam a long time ago but he has since retired.

Its all in the basic guide, and the 1st step for all Batam newbies.

https://thesbf.shop/showpost.php?p=15...postcount=6277

If one is NOT staying in the right place on step number 1, then its either they are NOT reading or isnt a newbie/first timer. I look at it that way.

I do not recommend booking taxi for a whole day unless one is travelling to more than 6 places in a single day and/or if one or more in the group is wheel chair bounded,hehehe...

Originally Posted by Dazza4

3. We have booked Planet Holiday for our stay. Our choice was between Planet Holiday, BCC Hotel and Harmoni Hotel and we chose Planet Holiday. Is that a good choice for a comfortable stay?

The most comfortable place i stayed before in Batam is Montigo resort, but the MOST convenient location to get a girl to my room, to get to whole lot of money changer at good rates, to visit some pub/clubs, to reach KTVs, to MPs (be it clean or dirty), to shopping malls, to eating places, to a mini mart, to buy a sim card and where most are willing to make that extra mile of service just for me is...Formosa Hotel.

That hotel is one of the hardest hotel to book in 2019 (in the last min), hence i do NOT "recommend" anyone to stay there other than Batam newbie/s.

Originally Posted by Dazza4

As per the forum policy, I will be sharing details of our Batam stay in the thread. I would love your advice on the above questions and any other advice you guys can provide. We want to make our trip there the best we've had and want to choose the best possible girls we can. Any information or contacts you guys can provide will be a big help.

I am guessing one of the reason why you arent getting any reply as yet is becos there was no FRs aka Field Report from you in your last 8 posts (readers can actually dug up all the post/s you made in this forum). And you asked questions w/o actually reading through most part of the key points in this thread. When i can tell that base on the questions you asked, i am sure many others would be able to too.

Which is why as mentioned in my 1st paragraph of this post, i strongly suggest you would read 1st since you have that time. One last thing, keep expectation low (cut them by at least half before you reach Batam)...hehehe...you do sound like you have very high expectation for Indonesian girls to me.

[Dazza4]

Bro nono1973.

Thanks for the advice and the links mate. The links you have provided are really good. I'll ensure I read and keep myself informed before we get there. As you can guess, I have no field reports yet as we are travelling in March but I will share our trip with you guys for sure.

Cheers

[PrcLust]

Just sharing some ideas for those venturing to Batam. Hopefully it will be useful to you guys.

1. Most important thing to know is roughly the basic rate for st/lt. usually st rate is about 500 k per pop but others maybe can get cheaper but it is around there. Don’t compare to those Super regulars there who maybe able to get cheaper.F or lt the rate usually can be from 1mil-1.6mil and again others maybe able to get cheaper. This is just the rough base rate so you do your own sum.

2. Better to try out st first to get the feel instead of jumping straight to lt as the girl maybe not up to your expectations and make it a lousy booking for you. End up you stuck with her with Long black faces. You can read up many instances of lt booking that gone bad.

3. Do your own reading up to know where are places for getting girls for booking and those places for massages and ktv joints if that is what you looking for. Don’t expect other experiences will be the same as what you will be getting as they are more regular and know better. Lower your expectations and you should be better off for the experience.

4. Spend what you are comfortable with and don’t have to follow strictly others way as Long as you are comfortable with the spending.

5. For those who prefer non booking joints,if you have plans in advance may try those social apps to get to know some girls in advance. Chat with them first or videocall with them to build up friendship before going over to find them. Many many gems to be found but please do your own due diligence.

Just some information and hopefully won’t be flamed for saying posting of nonsense in here. Had been zapped before posting in here.

[StarCity]

Originally Posted by Dazza4

That's good advice mate... Thanks for that...

One gentle reminder, avoid quoting someone's entire long post during reply. Otherwise there stand a high chance of getting zap or have yr posting removed by the forum staff.

Edit : Wow! i didn't knw forum staffs moved in so fast. Faster than my gentle reminder.