Since we’ve been to Singapore a few times already, I wanted to add a short side trip to another country. I was torn between Malaysia and Indonesia, but in the end, I chose Batam, Indonesia.
One of the biggest reasons was convenience. Batam is just one ferry ride away from Singapore, which meant fewer transfers and less hassle. It seemed like the perfect destination for a quick taste of Indonesia.
But planning our Batam itinerary turned out to be a little challenging.
I knew that Batam would be a little different from our usual sightseeing destinations, so I had a hard time deciding what kind of tour to book. While browsing Klook, I found several day-trip options, including Explore Barelang View, High Tea at Forest View, High Tea at Mangrove/Pulau Putri, and Eat & Shop tours.
After going back and forth between the options, I eventually decided to book a Batam Private Car Charter instead.
Since it was a private tour, I could customize the itinerary based on the places we actually wanted to see instead of simply following a fixed tour package. It also gave us the flexibility to change our plans during the day, which, as it turned out, was exactly what we ended up doing.
What the Batam Private Car Charter Includes
English-speaking driver
Hotel pick-up and drop-off
10-hour private charter service
The day before our scheduled tour, my husband received a message with the details of our driver and car. We were also asked to send our itinerary.
Our original plan was:
Barelang Bridge
Vihara Duta Maitreya
Mini Heritage Visit or Local Cultural Stop
Nagoya Hill for lunch
Batam Waterfront
Bukit Senyum Viewpoint
Welcome to Batam Sign
Back to the hotel
But the following day, I changed our itinerary. Instead of squeezing in as many tourist spots as possible, I decided that I would rather spend more time at the mall. I’m not sure if it was because of the hot weather or simply a sign of aging, but apparently, shopping and a relaxed lunch sounded more appealing than rushing from one attraction to another.
There was nothing particularly extraordinary about our day trip, but we still enjoyed getting a little glimpse of Batam, Indonesia, and having the freedom to explore it our own way.
Our final itinerary included:
Barelang Bridge
Welcome to Batam Sign
A local temple
A souvenir shop
Nagoya Mall
Starting Our Batam Tour
Our pick-up time at the hotel was 9:00 AM, so we checked out as early as 8:30 AM and left our luggage at the hotel.
Our driver arrived around the same time, so we were able to start the tour earlier than planned. By around 9:10 AM, we had already arrived at our first stop, Barelang Bridge.
Barelang Bridge
Our first stop was Barelang Bridge, one of Batam’s most recognizable landmarks.
The name Barelang comes from the connected islands of Batam, Rempang, and Galang. The bridge complex connects several islands and is one of the iconic sights to see when exploring Batam.
The main bridge, also known as Jembatan Tengku Fisabilillah, is especially photogenic because of its large cable-stayed structure and the surrounding sea views. It’s a popular quick stop for visitors who want to take photos and enjoy the scenery.
We didn’t stay for very long, but it was a nice way to start our Batam tour.
Entrance fee: IDR 5,000 per person
Payment: Cash only
Welcome to Batam Sign
Next, we stopped by the Welcome to Batam sign. It’s basically Batam’s version of those giant destination signs that we had to stop for photos. It was a quick stop, but it gave us one of those simple travel moments that make for fun memories later.
Rumah Kue Wiweka
After that, we stopped at Rumah Kue Wiweka, a small local shop where you can buy Indonesian snacks, including lapis and other local specialties.
One thing we liked about the shop was that they offered free samples, so you could taste the lapis before deciding which one to buy. This was helpful since there were several flavors and varieties to choose from.
If you’re looking for something to bring home from Batam, this is the kind of place worth checking out. We also liked that it was a quick and convenient stop where we could browse local treats without spending too much time away from our itinerary.
Payment: Cash and debit card accepted.
Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya
We also made a quick stop at Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya, one of Batam’s well-known Buddhist temples.
The temple complex is spacious and peaceful, with large Buddha statues and details that make it an interesting place for photos. It was also a nice contrast to the busier commercial areas of Batam.
Since this was just a quick stop on our private tour, we mainly walked around, took a few photos, and enjoyed the surroundings before continuing to our next destination.
Nagoya Mall
By around 11:00 AM, we arrived at Nagoya Mall, where we decided to slow things down for the rest of the afternoon. This was also the point where I officially abandoned my original plan to visit as many attractions as possible. We told our driver that we would stay at the mall until around 2:00 PM.
Nagoya is one of Batam’s main commercial areas, so the mall was a convenient place for us to have lunch, shop, and pick up a few things from the grocery store.
Looking back, I think changing our itinerary was actually a good decision because it started to rain around lunchtime. Instead of rushing from one outdoor attraction to another, we were comfortably inside the mall, having lunch and taking our time shopping. Sometimes, a slower itinerary really does work out better!
Lunch at Renuin
We had lunch at Renuin. Unfortunately, I can’t remember the names of the dishes we ordered, so instead of pretending that I do, I’ll just let the photos do the talking!
The food was a nice break in the middle of our day, and we enjoyed taking our time before continuing with our shopping.
Sugarcane Juice at Sabu
After shopping, while waiting for our driver, we spotted Sabu, a juice kiosk inside the mall. They were selling sugarcane juice, and we immediately got curious. It had been such a long time since we last had sugarcane, so we decided to get one. It was a simple little treat, but it was also one of those unexpected finds that made our afternoon a little more enjoyable.
Back to the Hotel
After several minutes of waiting, our driver arrived, and we headed back to the hotel to pick up our luggage.
Our private tour is good for 10 hours, but we ended up finishing much earlier. We were back at the hotel after a little over 5 hours, which was much earlier than the original schedule.
By the way, our driver was already a senior citizen, but he was still doing private tours to earn some extra income. He was very friendly and accommodating throughout the day, and we appreciated how flexible he was when we changed our itinerary.
He even commented that our itinerary was one of the easiest he had ever handled!
When he found out that we would be heading to the Batam Ferry Terminal after picking up our luggage, he offered to wait for us and drop us off there instead.
That was one of the things I appreciated most about having a private car charter. We didn’t have to worry about following a strict schedule, and we could adjust our plans depending on the weather and what we felt like doing.
Batam Ferry Terminal
After collecting our luggage from the hotel and resting a little, we got ready for the next part of our journey.
At around 3:00 PM, we were on our way to the Batam Ferry Terminal to catch our ferry back to Singapore.
And just like that, our little Batam adventure came to an end.
Our Batam day trip may not have gone exactly according to our original itinerary, but I think that was part of what made it enjoyable.
It wasn’t a packed sightseeing day, but we still enjoyed our little glimpse of Batam, Indonesia. This trip was less about checking every tourist attraction off a list and more about getting a taste of another country, enjoying a relaxed day, eating, shopping, exploring at our own pace, and staying dry when the rain came.
And for us, that was enough.
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