Batam Info / Interest / Help Thread

[HeatguyAlvin]

Originally Posted by QQ.[B]lurry

My view on Batam is: BATAM is BACK to where its suppose to be!!!!!!!!!

this recce report solid. good to see batam alive again. Have been checking out my old spots in JB as well + geylang for the first time and was quite surprised to find quite solid young ones at budget prices for a change of view but i think with the cheap seafood and everything, btm still one of my favorite spots . only ferry ticket price abit sian.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by BFOMF5

Not in batam, it is 4hr boat from sekupang...

Oh, that is really very faraway. Required to step out of the main Batam island.

Originally Posted by BFOMF5

Selat Panjang, hv a lot of Chinese temples like batam Balai. But one unique thing is... most temples here would hv this giant candle.

Yes, i have seen these candles around which can burn as high as few years with 1 lit in Batam.

Very unique indeed. Not something where one can see in Singapore.

I always have in mind to bring one of those back to Singapore tho. But well, the weight can be scary.

Originally Posted by BFOMF5

When I was doing my Market walk.(Is my habit...every town I go I must go market to mingle with the locals) I saw some workers was unloading some giant candles and incense (undecorated). then I learn that this is the factory that customise and supplying all temples in this region. Unfortunately due to time factors I hv no chance to see how they decorate it.

I enjoy going to the market too.

Only in their local market can one really see the true color of Batam socially. How their local lives their lives, their mindset, culture, behavior etc.

Batam isn't just about a quickie for me today anymore.

Originally Posted by BFOMF5

May be I will return in December for my Makao-Hei feast....
at the same time... see how they decorated it.

I will need to plan as far as Jan 2023.

CNY, i am wondering, where should i be now that Formosa is gone.

Its going to be my 1st CNY without Formosa. In the past, there are many options there, from Alishan to fireworks to temples and so on. This time round will be very different.

Girl wise not a problem. Already napped a handful on hand in my last few trips.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

Yes bro. Those were the days. Still remember with S$200 i could stay 3D2N. Thats why i dont like the idea of getting more rupiahs from exchange cos hotel, cewek, food and now ferry fares, would surely rise in tandem! So it really doesnt benefit me. I would rather the currency remain stable.

Hehehe...likewise for the rest of the world. i can buy an apple for S$0.50, but few years later the same apple will no longer cost S$0.50. The truth is, no one can stop such trend, bro. Yes, absolutely no one. Unless there is a natural or man-made disaster or something.

When i 1st go Batam (about 10 years ago, & i have got record that in this thread), exchange rate only 8000+/SGD. Today its like 11200/SGD or around there.

Overnight booking girls used to be like 500k rupiah, which is the lowest i could find in general at those time. Today...hehehe...i think no need me to repeat on this one.

Anyway, lowest i can find is 800k rupiah so far.

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

If your interest earned can subsidize your spending for the whole year that means your principle amount must be huge ya.

Bro,hehehe...you only got to Batam mostly for 2D1N base on the last round you shared here. Spare cash S$100k in FD will give you around S$3100+ next year. Thats S$258+ a month, enough to cover for all your trip inclusive of a girl, hotel, ferry & food already. Some more, you don't go every month.

For my case, it is just "subsidizing" my trip, not covering it all tho.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by Nulgath

And to answer your question. Yes, you should change rupiah in Batam.

Only time of the year where i don't change rupiah in Batam is the 1st week of CNY in Batam. Those time, changing in Singapore is better.

Reason, during CNY 1st few days, more than 50% of money changer is closed. Ferry terminal & Airport (in both Singapore & Batam) has the worst ever exchange rate.

Originally Posted by miumiu6464

Have a good trip!

This trip not bad.

Eyeing at a "virgin" girl now.

Going to be my 1st "virgin" in Batam.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

If you didn’t mentioned that formosa had a sauna room, I don’t even know that it existed.

Is it hidden inside king’s massage parlour at level 4 ?

King’s massage had a staircase shortcut that leads to level 3.

I only know that there was a under-utilized gym in formosa hotel hidden near the staircase of level 3 at one corner if not mistaken.

Shows not many people look into a hotel thoroughly,hehehe...you guys are not the only people who didn't know. I shared them here before but just briefly,hehehe...whatever i shared here "briefly" is my "key" word to note in this thread. Then others cannot say i didn't share.

I shared, just briefly. But when i indulge in a place, i go through them thoroughly.

It is beside Kings, need to walk past the Gym to get to the sauna.

For a short period of years, i actually controlled some of the surveillance in Formosa Hotel too, hehehe...that i didn't share here. Even if i do, no one will believe me anyway. (that is one reason why i like Formosa so much more than anyone here)

How i did that happened was by accident too.

Long long time ago (in my 1st few trips), "Formosa has an internet cafe" aka computer to use by their reception area side (at 5k rupiah per hour)....ok, not going to look into the details.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Yes, (never try never know) it is good to always try out new hotel, grade them according to different tiers and put under your favourite hotel list if it satisfied your expectation.

百闻不如一见 See for oneself is better than hearing from others a hundred times.

Choosing the right hotel is important as it can made our stay more comfortable and gives us a good mood.

Yes, i always tells my friends, the most suitable for oneself is the best. You no like fat girls, i recommend you a super beautiful BBW in Batam also no use, right?

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Sometime I will review the hotel room I have stayed before, will record down the room number for the good one, whereas lousy one will be blacklisted hehe

I also records them, just that i do that in this Batam info Thread. As long as SBF not down, my Batam 10 years track records (Batam summaries) will always be here.

From a newbie to batam until what i am today,hehehe...to a newbie-want-to-be today.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Not bad at least you were able to cheong for free previously.

I think for me to really enjoy staying in batam without worrying for money will have to wait till my retirement age which is another 10 over years from now as I am only in my late fourties

I think our age quite close, mentality of cheonging also quite close. You & me in SBF also a bit loh soh & enjoying going into details (buy i don't mind chubby girls).

I improvise a bit, i use the girls with me to help me cover my cheonging cost, i look at their "interest", use them to help me make money to "subsidize" my trips.

Example, I pay OKT 1.5 juta of booking her overnight, the girl help me make 500k rupiah, cost of booking become 1 juta.

Above is only example, i am not pimping the girls in Batam. Its legal work without harming them (gonna say this here in case some wise guy start slamming me).

No going to elaborate on this as i shared this before, hehehe....

Ok, time for my 4 hands massage appointment. Will be back later to share...if time allows it.

[lawry]

Hi
All the old birds of batam. What is a nice hotel to stay in batam? Thanks

[kum69]

Originally Posted by lawry

Hi
All the old birds of batam. What is a nice hotel to stay in batam? Thanks

I am looking to stay at Hans Inn. Any old birds stayed here before?

[lincoln3010]

Nice hotels to stay

Biz Hotel

Harmoni Suites

Batam 1

Paragon Hotel

Swiss Bell

M1

Aston

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by HeatguyAlvin

btw you can skip having the need for prescription by buying from teledocs like thesire in SG.

At TBK the customs will confiscate and make you pay kopi money. They can detect enhancement pills fm their xray machine. But btm no idea. Maybe they allow or close one eye.

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by nono1973

Anyway, lowest i can find is 800k rupiah so far.

Wow. Still have affordable price ya. FL or fm joint?

[HeatguyAlvin]

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

At TBK the customs will confiscate and make you pay kopi money. They can detect enhancement pills fm their xray machine. But btm no idea. Maybe they allow or close one eye.

tried several times and am sure btm the customs never open their eyes

[Ninja_Assassin]

Originally Posted by HeatguyAlvin

tried several times and am sure btm the customs never open their eyes

Batam immigrasi/customs seems to have changed their attitudes. Unlike pre-covid times the present batch of officers are not looking for undertable $$$ or purposely going out to find fault with you. They are more professional now and do their jobs by the book.

I asked an oldtimer Batam resident who was a retired civil servant about the changes in attitude of the immigrasi/customs. He told me that now the personnel are not locals but are brought in from other Indonesian provinces on rotation..... each batch usually stay about 2 yrs before rotating back to their home province.

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by HeatguyAlvin

tried several times and am sure btm the customs never open their eyes

Good to hear that.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Who knows maybe the courteous, smiling Sinta will be back to the new hotel, which her children whom she had to take care years ago may have already grown up.

Can be hopeful but better not keep expectation too high.

Likewise for the rest of the hotel service level as they were run by different different management altogether.

The good vibes there will be mainly to see familiar faces.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

I remembered you have achieve the gold card status.

I have both the physical silver & gold card tho, but rarely the chance to use them. The staffs there already recognized my face before i could take out my card. Normally when i join my friends or vice versa, i would pass those cards to them so they can get 15-20% on hotel food (include room service), massage & in Tea story.

I asked the hotel to give me A FEW MORE GOLD cards, hehehe...they turned me down.

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Little did we know that formosa can close shop during that time

True...it really comes as a surprise to me.

Before they close shop, while i browse at advertisement of apartments to buy in Batam online & chanced on Formosa going up for sale. I even checked with Riki & he got no idea of it.

Few months later, the news broke out that hotel was closed.

Until today i still cannot figure out how a hotel with such good business & regulars can close down.

There are also quite a lot of people there "Long-Stay" in that hotels at a premium price too (usually on 3rd floor).

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Because those safe box in the room can be carried away by strong burglar whereas formosa's centralised safe box is in the room jaga by the staff

Formosa's centralised safe box makes more sense to me.

To date, i cannot understand why the need for those safe box in Batam hotel room.

I mean since strong burglars can just carry them away, whats the point of it being there? Just to feel safe but NOT actually safe? If you are a burglar, where will you start looking in when you broke into a hotel room? A lot of things require some level of common sense.

Most of the safe box in hotel rooms i stayed in were more like a shoe box for me. I keep my shoe inside & then lock it up. When i need to step up of room, i unlock it, take it out, wear it & step out. (i rarely do that nowaday because its rather inconvenient if i need to rush,hehehe...)

The only useful thing i could think of for safe inside room is to prevent scent of my shoe from flowing all over the room. Especially my socks scent,hehehe....i create my own in-room safe.

If you read my Batam reviews before, you probably would know i build a "safe" inside the toilet bath tub at Formosa hotel,hehehe...

[Black Page]

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

At TBK the customs will confiscate and make you pay kopi money. They can detect enhancement pills fm their xray machine. But btm no idea. Maybe they allow or close one eye.

Originally Posted by HeatguyAlvin

tried several times and am sure btm the customs never open their eyes

That must be an urban legend. Xray cannot detect the difference between viagra and aspirine.
Every time I cross the borders between Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, as well dozens of countries worldwide in all continents, I have a plastic bag (supermarket medium size) full of medicins of all types in my luggage. It's my emergency kit, in case I fall sick: antibiotics, painkiller, for cold, for fever, for wounds in case of accident, for this and that... OF course, I have also my sildenafil supply for the trip.
I was NEVER questioned, of course, and I am speaking not of a box of pills, but of a bag full of boxes. It's clearly for my personal use, not for reselling.

Originally Posted by nono1973

Until today i still cannot figure out how a hotel with such good business & regulars can close down.

Really? I am surprised you say that.
The reason was COVID!
The owner of Formosa, Chinese from Taiwan, looked at PRC and understood before any other in Indonesia, and in most of the world, the storm that was approaching. He closed and ran away with money just 1 month before the lockdowns and border closures stopped any hotel business for 2 years. Many people lost all money, people lost job and savings, but not him. He ran away with all cash before the ship sank, leaving all workers without a job and a lot of people without their legitimate money. Smart but damn man.

Originally Posted by nono1973

Formosa's centralised safe box makes more sense to me.
To date, i cannot understand why the need for those safe box in Batam hotel room.

Also here, I am surprised.
There are no such burglars in Batam. They do not come with heavy tools to take your box out of the wall.
The purpose of the safety box in the room (better in the room than centralized!) is to have a place where to keep your passport and money when unknown people comes to visit you and spend the night there.
Whenever I have someone in my room, I want to go to shower relaxed without fearing I lose my money because one of the girls takes it from the drawer. The safety box (in the room) is ESSENTIAL.

NOTE: if there is no safety box in the room, and the centralized box is not convenient for things one wants to put and take quickly, the alternative is the luggage. Put your precious things in the luggage, close the zip and add security code. The girl will not leave the room overnight while you sleep, taking your big bag.
(I know you don't have a big luggage, so you have to excavate in the wall of the bathroom... Well, I prefer the safety box )

[HeatguyAlvin]

Originally Posted by Black Page

Whenever I have someone in my room, I want to go to shower relaxed without fearing I lose my money because one of the girls takes it from the drawer. The safety box (in the room) is ESSENTIAL.

i think they are mostly referring to when you are not in your room and given some 3 to 4 star hotels or those even lower stars do not mount their safety boxes. When they don't mount it, it can be just carried away by anyone strong enough to do so without tools.