2D1N Batam with PT Best Batam Tour

2 Days 1 Night at Batam
Hotel: Nagoya Plasa Hotel
Ferry: Majestic Ferry
Damage: Slight above SGD250/pax
Travel Dates: 16/08/17 - 17/08/17

This time we went to Batam on a tour. We bought a package at $53, which includes the ferry (excluding tax), 1 night accommodation, a city tour, 5 minutes of Go Kart, 60 min massage, and 1 Indonesian buffet lunch. So cheap right? I think so too.

On Wednesday, we woke up early early in the morning to catch our ferry. If you're lucky, you'll get a newer ferry. So it is all about luck. But so far, majestic ferry has never disappointed me. Even the older ferry is fine. I mean it is like less than an hour's ride. I don't think your butt will burn or ache.

On Majestic Ferry (the older ferry), about to embark on journey to Batam :)

We got there and met our tour guide. She was a super nice and bubbly lady, but I must say that the tour was a little disorganized in the beginning. It was not her fault, but PT Best, the tour agency, has too many different packages. And everyone on our tour bought different packages. So trying to organize everything was a little tough for our tour guide. But nonetheless, she did it!

On with the day tour! First stop was Go Kart. My goodness. I was excited to ride the Go Kart initially. But upon starting the Go Kart, I realized I made a HUGE mistake. It was SO SCARY!!!!! My legs were too short to step on the brakes, so I felt like I was going to crash any time and that the whole Go Kart would just flip. After 1 lap, I just gave up. I told them, "stop this. stop this now." Actual words.

The whole Go Kart track actually looks quite unsafe. There weren't any fences or barricades to stop you from flying out of the track if you accidentally launch yourself into hell.

Happily wearing helmet before going onto the Go Kart. 

Clueless about how scary it is going to be.

Looking dumb, now that I think about it.

Darrin on his Go Kart. He was lucky to get a slower one.

Darrin acting cool in his Go Kart.

After the horrible Go Kart experience, our tour guide brought us to a dry food shop, Best Layers Cakes to buy Kueh Lapis and a bird's nest shop to have homemade bird's nest soup."Best Layers Cakes", "Best Batam Tour"? Coincidence? I don't think so... But I cannot confirm that they are the same company as I didn't ask. But I am dying to know.

The kueh lapis was quite alright, it was nice and soft. It is supposedly made with butter instead of margarine which makes it nicer. We bought 1kg original flavor for RP 250,000. Not too cheap, but not cut throat expensive either. 

OKAY BUT THE BIRD'S NEST. Scam. I tell you, it is a scam. This is why I shall not provide the name of the bird's nest store (just in case they sue me. But guys, I am not worth suing. I got no money and no influence). It was not tasty and I felt like I was eating white fungus instead of bird's nest. Maybe I don't know my bird's nest that well, so I do not know how to appreciate it? But, I feel cheated. It was like RP 150,000 per bowl. Oh my goodness. 

At the scam bird's nest place.

The thing itself.

Following the scam, we went to the laughing buddha temple. It was like a huge temple. What I find interesting was the on the outside to about 50 meters into the temple, it was super new and clean. Well maintained. However, afterwards, if you continue to walk straight, the building gets older and older. Suddenly, the nicely painted walls are replaced by bare cement walls. Really strange. Strange but interesting. 

At the laughing buddha temple

This is beautiful

This art work is actually carved onto the tiles. Like the man's face is done using dots. Amazing!

If you zoom in to the picture, you can see that the line where white pillars ends and the cement walls start.

Kay kay, now to the serious business. Lunch. We had Indonesian buffet lunch. It was at a restaurant located at a super duper weird and run down area. The restaurant itself was nice and clean. It is just its location which was rundown and seemingly rural. 

My plate VS his plate

Of course we ate other stuff too. But I didn't eat too much there because I know that I will be eating a lot that night! Yay dinner and supper! Food was so-so.

Unfortunately all good things have to come to an end, and eventually, lunch was over. We headed to a coffee factory. And there was free coffee tasting!! FREE. I love free. The friendly guide at the factory shared with us how coffee in Indonesia originated and introduced the different types of coffee they have to us. We then proceeded to a cute looking room with comfortable sofas and aircon to taste some expensive coffee. 

The front of the factory

Coconut creamer, teaspoons, and sugar

In the coffee tasting room.

A cup of peaberry coffee. 

The coffee was good with no bitter after taste! One bag of flat white coffee bean was about SGD10, while a bag of peaberry coffee was slightly above SGD20. Great stuff. 

We were going "shopping" after that coffee experience. It was some weird shop first selling imitated goods, then a factory outlet store which supposedly genuine flawed goods. I didn't get anything from any of those stores.

Imitated slippers from the first weird store.

Not my type of shopping. Did not enjoy it.

And FINALLY!!! MASSAGE! We had the choice of upgrading our massage to various different massage packages. So initially, we had a 60 min massage that was included in our tour package. But we upgraded our massage to a 90 min massage by topping up RP100,000 per person. Quite worth it. So why not?

The massage was at First House. The place was relatively clean and there were many masseuse. The masseuse there are very very strong. They will bruise you if you do not tell them to be gentler. But nonetheless, it was undeniably, a good massage. Their technique is good. 

Then those who were staying the night were transferred to their hotels while those who were only there for a 1 day trip was transferred to the ferry terminal for departure. 

Our hotel was just old. Clean, but old. Nothing much to say about it. Oh, I have something to say. he staff were all friendly and helpful, though they can't speak much English (such irony). Okay, let me rephrase. They try to be helpful. A for effort. 

Now the fun part again. FOOOOOOOOD!

Okay okay, I am so excited. Let's start.

We asked the hotel reception where we could get some seafood. They recommended looking around the nearby Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall. And boy was she right. We went to this seafood store on the first floor. I believe it was called 933 seafood. Sounds similar to 933 Golden Prawn, but I don't think they are the same company. Anyway, we order chili crab (RP 98,000) and soya sauce chili lala (RP39,000). LIKE CAN YOU SAY CHEAP OR CHEAP? And what is better than cheap? CHEAP AND GOOD! So good.

Soya sauce chili lala. Taste a bit like soft boiled eggs with dark sauce, but with chili.

Chili crab! Spicier than the ones we have in Singapore.

Our shells.

To digest our food, we walked around the hypermarket in the shopping mall. I stocked up on my beloved Indomie! I bought so many. Darrin asked why I was hoarding Indomie. I decided to ignore that rude comment. 

Found in the hypermarket. THEY HAVE OILS IN PACKETS LIKE THOSE!

How unique.

Okay food partially digested. Time for MORE FOOOOOOD!!

Nest stop: Satay! 

Their satay is a little different from ours. Spicier, no peanut sauce, a lot of gravy. We bought 10 sticks for RP20,000.

The street store selling our satays

THE SATAYS. Beef, mutton and chicken 

And after satay, BBQ STINGRAY!!!! The store owners could not speak english at all. But that did not stop me from getting my food. The stingray was huge! We ordered just half of it. I didn't wanted to waste food. RP45,000 for half a stingray. 

Man BBQ-ing our stingray.

Dragon fruit juice. RP20,000

The chili that comes with the stingray. IT WAS SO GOOD!

The stingray is here! After a long wait and choking smoke. 

I wasn't being bimbotic. There was a fly. I was swatting it away.

Darrin said that the skin was very good as it has a nice smoky flavor. I didn't dare eat the skin though. 

Unfortunately, my stomach has a limit and I couldn't eat anymore. So we went back to the hotel to rest for the night. I am regretting it now. I should've stuff another bowl/plate of something.

DAY 2. It is free and easy. We got up early to have the buffet breakfast provided for by the hotel. The spread was not bad. We had a lot of varieties to choose from. No pictures as I left my phone in the room to charge. After breakfast it was pack pack pack and off to the ferry terminal we goooo!

We had some time between arriving at the terminal and departure. So what can we do? Eat la! A&W here I come!!

Float, Duo fries, Chicken, Rice, Soup

WAFFLES WITH ICE CREAM.

Andddd its bye bye Batam, hello work and responsibilities in Singapore :(
At least I get to go back to my dog. He is so sad without me. SORRY FOR LEAVING YOU, MOCHA :"(

Sad dog waiting