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 Batam is one of the largest islands in the Riau
archipelago, and not long ago it was just another poor island with
coastal villages and unspoiled nature. The declaration of the Batam
free trade zone in 1989 has turned the island upside down, after just a
few years of rapid construction it now has a modern airport, tourist
and business centers and a still growing infrastructure that has
changed the island completely.
It is no secret that nearby Singapore is the role model, and the goal
is eventually to become one of the biggest ports of Southeast Asia and
a major center of international trade, industry and commerce. The
strategic location close to the Malacca Strait and Singapore will
certainly help reaching this goal, but like the rest of Indonesia the
economy and development here was dealt a major blow during and after
the Asia economic crisis in the late 1990's.
Batam is actually one of fastest growing tourist destinations in
Indonesia in terms of visitor arrivals. There are several tourist
resorts here with luxurious hotels and golf courses. Many visitors
however choose to use Batam only as an entry point, it is only 40
minutes from Singapore with boat, and then leave with the first
available transport to other destinations in Indonesia.
History
The history of Batam is tightly interwoven with nearby Bintan island
and the rest of the Riau archipelago. According to Chinese chronicles
Batam was already inhabited as early as 231 A.D. when Singapore island
was still called Pulau Ujung (Ujung Island). It came under control of
the Malacca kingdom from the 13th century, and later taken over by the
Sultan of Johor who ruled until the 18th century. The coastal villages
that face Singapore is said to have been a hideout for pirates who
hijacked ships in the strait.
In 1824 the name of the island again appear in the Treaty of London
which led to the division of the region between the Dutch and the
British. Batam and the surrounding islands later became part of the
Riau Lingga Kingdom, a situation that lasted until 1911, when the Dutch
East Indies colonial administration took over.
The People
Close to Sekupang, a large part of the population still make their
living from fishing and sea transport.The native people of Batam are of
Malay origin, but with the rapid growth and development of the area
various ethnic groups from all over Indonesia has come here in search
for jobs and a better life. Traditionally most of the people live in
coastal villages, while the "Orang Laut" (sea people) continue to live
on boathouses and boats and generally fish for a living. Some of their
catch are sold to Singapore. Bahasa Indonesia is the language used to
communicate among the multi-ethnic population here, while many now also
understand English, which is commonly used in business communication.
Culture
Even if Batam is multi-ethnic it is still the Malayan culture and Islam
which forms the root of the local culture. Both daily life and the
ceremonies have religious and mythical elements, expressed in dance,
music and other forms of art. Some of the most popular traditional
dances are Jogi Dance, unique for Batam, Zapin Dance, which reflects
strong Arabic influence, Persembahan Dance, to welcome honored guests
and Ronggeng Dance, where the guests can be invited to come up and join
the dance and song.
The Mak Yong drama is a dance and song performance which tell the story
about a country named "Riuh", commonly believed to be the origin of the
name of the Riau province. This country is governed by a wise and
popular king, who one day to his surprise and embarrassment is told
that his princess have given birth to an animal called "Siput Gondang"
(the gondang snail). Upset by this he orders the newborn to be expelled
to the jungle. A couple of years later he is told that the snail has
begun to grow, and he asks for the snail to be brought to the Royal
Palace where the shell is broken. To his surprise and joy he can see a
beautiful princess appear from the broken shell, and he names her Putri
Siput Gondang (Princess Siput Gondang), celebrations are then held for
seven days and seven nights.
But also other cultures contribute to the Batam community, and in the
"Padepokan Seni" art center in Sekupang you can see arts and crafts
from all over Indonesia, as well as various kinds of performances which
are staged every day for visitors and tourists. Another art center in
Sekupang is "Desa Seni", Indonesian art village, which main objective
is to "maintain, conserve and develop Indonesian culture", and also to
manage the Cultural Institute where qualified instructors conduct
various shows and courses.
Accommodation and food
You may easily find hotels of all standards here, from five star hotels
with all facilities to budget losmen. The most expensive rooms can be
found in Nagoya or at the tourist resorts at Nongsa on the northeast
part of the island. The tourism here has seen a steep decline lately,
so you may get a good bargain. More reasonable priced rooms can be
found in Nagoya or elsewhere, but the budget rooms are said to be of
less quality and overpriced compared to most other areas in Indonesia.
Riau is well known for its fresh and delicious seafood. Prawns, live
fish, lobsters, clams and shellfish are cooked in a variety of styles,
a local specialty is the "gong-gong" conch shell dipped in a spicy
sauce. To find a seafood restaurant is no problem, especially in
Nagoya, Batu Besar, Batu Merah and Telaga Punggur. At Nongsa you can
eat in a "kelong", a restaurant built over the sea on stilts.
Singaporeans even come here for a late night meal at a Batam restaurant
and return the same evening to Singapore. You can of course also find
other traditional Indonesian food here, like Padang food. In Nagoya you
can try the night markets or the Pujasera Nagoya food center.
Sekupang
The port of Sekupang, the most common port of arrival if you go by boat
from Singapore.Most travelers from Singapore to Batam will enter via
Sekupang, where ferries shuttle constantly between the two ports. The
ferries depart from World Trade Center in Singapore and arrive at
Sekupang about 45 minutes later, the first ferry will leave at 7.30 am,
and the last about 8 pm. At Sekupang you will easily find a taxi that
can take you to other locations of the island, the airport or other
ferry terminals, you will also find hotel and ferry counters here. The
domestic terminal with boats to the Sumatra mainland is right next
door.
Waterfront City Batam
The Waterfront City is a resort area on the west coast of Batam, south
of Sekupang, that mostly attracts Singaporean visitors. Some of the
activities here are water sports, bungee-jumping, indoor skiing or
simply checking out the nightclubs.
Batam Center
This area facing Tering Bay is planned to be the pride of Batam with a
business district, hotels, shops and a marina. Construction started on
29th of November 1987 when President Soharto and Lee Kuan Yew,
Singapore's first Prime Minister, each planted a banyan tree here as a
symbol of the friendship between the two countries. Prime Minister
Mahathir of Malaysia planted his tree later. The center is still not
completed.
Nagoya
View from one of the many hotels in Nagoya.Nagoya (also known as Lubuk
Baja) is the original center of Batam, and not a very attractive town
with a mix of old and new characterless buildings. But if you are
looking for local entertainment this must be the place, with plenty of
shops, food stalls, nightlife, discos, music lounges, karaoke,
restaurants and many small hotels. It is also at the present Batams
center of business, trade and finance. Batu Ampar is the port of
Nagoya, and from here you can catch a ferry to Singapore, although not
as frequently as from Sekupang. Several boats leave daily to Johor Baru
in Malaysia as well.
Nongsa
The north-east peninsula of Nongsa is the main tourist area on Batam,
an hour's drive from Sekupang. The lovely resorts were built with
Singaporeans in mind, here they can escape from the bustling town to
the north and visit one of the golf clubs, eat seafood, bake in the sun
on the beach or swim in the sea. Don't expect to find any cheap hotels
here.
Kabil
This is the site for a large deep-water port under construction, called
the Asia Port. When completed it will be able to accommodate very large
ships. From nearby Telaga Punggur you can go by boat to neighboring
Pulau Bintan, in Kabil fishing village you can also find several
seafood restaurants, and watch the passing sampans and fishing craft
while you eat.
Transport
The best way to get around on the island is by taxi, but you can also
go by public transport if comfort is not your main concern, like share
taxis. Travel agents can also provide air-conditioned minibuses. Hang
Nadim, the modern regional airport, can serve the largest passenger
planes, and from here you can reach other destinations in Indonesia,
including Jakarta, Pekanbaru, Bandung and Medan. Both Garuda and
Singapore Airlines have regular flights here.
View from the Singapore - Sekupang ferry, close to Sekupang.As
mentioned above there are several boat services to Singapore, as well
as Malaysia and to the Sumatran mainland. The ferries depart daily from
World Trade Center in Singapore and arrive at Sekupang about 45 minutes
later, the first ferry will leave at 7.30 am, and the last about 8 pm.
Less frequent services to Singapore leave from Batu Ampar and Nongsa.
The service to Malaysia leave from Batu Ampar and to the Sumatran
mainland from Sekupang. Telaga Punggur, 30 km southeast of Nagoya, is
the main port for speedboats to Tanjung Pinang on Nearby Pulau Bintan,
the trip will take about 45 minutes, there are also three boats a day
to Tanjung Pinang from Sekupang.
Other travel facts
Batam is a duty free zone, and in Nagoya or at the ferry terminal you
can shop for items like cigarettes, alcoholic drinks, perfumes,
chocolate as well as local handicrafts from all over the Indonesian
archipelago. There are many banks in Nagoya, and you can easily find a
money exchange counter or a cash machine which accept Visa or
MasterCard. Singapore dollars are as welcome as Indonesian rupiah. The
main post office is in Batam center south of Nagoya.
Batam may not make a good first impression on a western tourist with
it's ugly architecture, expensive hotels and unfinished construction
sites, but if you like you can easily spend some days here. You can
enjoy activities like golf, tennis, water sports, scuba diving, fishing
or just relaxing after a good meal of seafood. In the evenings you can
experience the local nightlife, probably different from what you are
used to back home.
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