Batam Island is 45 minutes away from Singapore by ferry boat. It is used to be a poor place, but because of its strategic location (being close to Singapore and Malacca Straight), this island is slowly improving in terms of economy.
If you have plans of having a day trip from Singapore to Batam, be sure that you know your destinations once you reach Batam Island. The residents of Batam can hardly speak the English language. There are some (only a few, very few) who knows a bit, but they are not that conversant. They may know how to speak English, but they cannot express it well and so you cannot also get the information you need.
The first place that you will see once you reach the island is the Batam Centre. Batam Centre is a place where you can shop for souvenirs. There are also eating places where you can dine to feed your hungry stomach.
During our visit in the island, we did not enjoy much because we were not able to see their tourist spots. We did not have much information about the place because their Tourist Information Center that time was closed and also their residents could not express well about the attractions that they have. To be safe, we just toured around the place by foot.
Lesson learned: If you are going to explore a place, research ahead!
Batam Island, Indonesia
May 2010
With Teacher Halzi
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