Guided Tour Begins
We picked you up again after collecting all twelve boarding passes from the Dolphin Fast Ferry office with Pak Syakri. I rejoined the group as he pulled up in his comfortable white Toyota HiAce Commuter — cool air conditioning, cushioned seats, and plenty of space for all of us. With everyone settled, our guided tour officially began.
Our first stop was Masjid Raja Hamidah, greeting us at 11:50am like a calm, golden anchor at the edge of Tanjung Uma. Its soft cream façade shimmered under the midday sun, domes glowing with honeyed warmth. After a group photo, Cat returned her abaya and we picked up three fridge magnets for IDR45,000 (≈ MYR14 / USD3 / EUR3) before heading off.
Sweet Stop at Alia Layer Cake
Next was Alia Layer Cake, wrapped in a warm, buttery glow. Rows of lapis legit stood behind the glass counter, each one a tiny Batam masterpiece of caramel, honey and amber layers. Fresh trays emerged from the kitchen, releasing that unmistakable aroma of spices and melted butter. We sampled a few flavours and left with one kilogram of their original lapis for IDR320,000 (≈ MYR98 / USD20 / EUR19).
70 Fahrenheit Koffie Batam
We continued to 70 Fahrenheit Koffie Batam, stepping into a cool pocket of café culture — wood toned interiors, soft lighting, and the hum of espresso machines. Baristas pulled rich, velvety shots while shelves of beans lined the walls. Before leaving, we grabbed their promo: buy four packets of Kopi Betina, get two free for IDR800,000 (≈ MYR245 / USD50 / EUR47), shared evenly with Sunil.
Lunch at Garuda Restaurant Batam Center
Pak Syakri then took us to Garuda Restaurant Batam Center for a Padang feast. The signature beef rendang was dark, glossy and tender, surrounded by vegetables, sambal, crispy sides and fragrant rice. Our hearty lunch came to IDR1,730,300 (≈ MYR391 / USD96 / EUR85).
Checking In at Grand TW Batam Center
We checked in at Grand TW Batam Center Hotel & Convention, practical and friendly. Our Twin Deluxe room was simple, clean and spacious, with strong air conditioning and comfy beds. For RM91 (≈ USD22 / EUR20) a night, it was excellent value. Most of us were settled within half an hour.
Grand Batam Mall
At 3:30pm, we regrouped and returned to the HiAce. Two thirds of the delegation were dropped at Grand Batam Mall, greeted by bright lights, cool air conditioning and that unmistakable weekend buzz — Batam’s modern heartbeat in full swing.
My Indothai Spa & Massage Batam
Pak Syakri then took Tasha, Sunil, Cat and me to My Indothai Spa & Massage Batam, a quiet sanctuary of warm lighting, Thai Indo décor and soothing lemongrass mint aroma. Cat and Tasha enjoyed a two hour full body massage for IDR340,000 (≈ MYR77 / USD19 / EUR17) each. Sunil and I opted for two hour foot reflexology with head and shoulder massage for IDR300,000 (≈ MYR68 / USD17 / EUR15).
Love Seafood Batam Center
By 6:30pm, we reunited with the rest at Love Seafood Batam Center for a grand finale dinner. The table filled with Mini Buffet Ranjungan, Steam Boat Besar, Kakap Steam Thai, Bawal Bakar and a parade of seafood dishes that took over the evening. It was abundance, warmth and flavour — Batam showing off at its best.
We returned to the hotel knackered and filled, ending the night on a perfect note.
Stay tuned for the next video for the continuation of our guided tour and our return trip to Kuala Lumpur!
(Do visit our YouTube Channel Have Perut Will Travel)
📍 Location:
Harbour Bay Ferry Terminal - https://maps.app.goo.gl/jNdbM2Zz8dPRdz159
Masjid Raja Hamidah - https://share.google/Pi3BnZvV5i5yiT3ej
Alya Layer Cakes - https://maps.app.goo.gl/JGq3DSTrbQt7N6Yp7
70 Fahrenheit Koffie Batam - https://maps.app.goo.gl/mQHZQvW27npLVVSm9
Garuda Restaurant - https://maps.app.goo.gl/HG6pcaSbJm7aQnHw5
Grand TW Batam Center Hotel - https://maps.app.goo.gl/CAbtEwQWUCbLP3Kz9
My Indothai Spa & Massage - https://maps.app.goo.gl/zP11GEnBTNcf3yS9A
Love Seafood Batam Centre - https://maps.app.goo.gl/dwoeUqZugExpihfo8
No comments:
Post a Comment