20 kilometres far from Singapore and a favoured retreat for stressed-out Singaporeans, will be the island of Batam. Unlike Bintan, Batam got its start an industrial centre, where many local and multinational companies settle their regional production operations. Subsequently, apart from business travellers, few people knew much about the island. In the past ten years however, as international resorts and hotels began flocking to the island, Batam quickly became often known as ‘that unspoilt vacation getaway noone knows about yet’, a reputation it still carries today, even as top rated hotels spring up and word from the attractions flee and spread surrounding the region.
When contrasting the 2 islands, share many physical characteristics having its sister island Bintan - long beaches, clear waters, and all. Also like Bintan, Batam is known to its excellent watersports and your well-tended golf courses, a particular attraction for international visitors. The difference between Bintan and Batam the fact that unlike the previous, Batam features a wealth of budget accommodations, beginning from motels nestled in town to your rustic chalets by way of the beachside. The variety of accommodation choices ensures the island a particular favourite of independent travellers preferring to eschew package tours and jaunt around on their unique.
Another area in which Batam differs from Bintan is contained in the activities available outside the resorts. Batam is a duty-free haven, and thus the most well-liked activity is to indulge in retail therapy in Nagoya, the island’s main town. Nagoya offers tons of little stores peddling furniture from spirits to electronics at cutthroat prices. Visitors from Singapore and Malaysia who quake at today’s sky-high retail prices often nostalgically compare the price of goods sold here to those they purchased in ‘the good old days.’ Then there's Batam Centre, the island’s explain and Singapore’s Orchard Road, in which the largest shoppinge centre - the Matahari - is found, as well as banks, atms, along with such necessities of life. Another popular attraction in Nagoya would be the Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya Buddhist Temple, although the locals don’t contemplate it such. Lots of people still pray here everyday, paying little mind to camera clicks and whispers of a typical visitors. It is considered one of the largest Buddhist temples in the region, which is increasingly remarkable if you are built in a staunchly Muslim country. The temple draws a very large number devout worshippers from throughout the region to pray and study.
Another sight sometimes visited would be the controversial Dewi Kuong Imra monument. This statue is really a tribute to your Buddhist goddess of prosperity and is located at the KTM station in Tanjung Pinggir. Much of the issue surrounding it revolves around civic pride, as its massive 26 metre height causes it to be taller as opposed to the Garuda Nusantara monument at Batam’s international airport. Apart from the shopping and sightseeing, there also exist a good amount of clubs, discos as well as other dark entertainments available, mostly to please the fair-sized enclave of expatriates stationed on the island. As you’d expect from an island, Batam also has an abundance of excellent seafood restaurants. The really adventurous may even contemplate a trip to the highlands, where the temperature has varies from 16ºC to 26ºC but has been known to drop about 8ºC throughout the night.
Identify method of getting to Bintan and Batam is to make the water crossing from Singapore. Ferries to Bintan are on offer thrice-daily that came from the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and dock along at the Bandar Bentan Terminal. Ferries ply every half-hour during daylight between Harbour Front Ferry Terminal and either Sekupang or Batu Ampur at the north coast of Bintam. You may need a visa and passport, according to your country of origin, so it’s good that you check first with all the Indonesian embassy prior to going.
For More Information , Visit Batam Hotel Website