Batam Nightlife Guide

Batam is a small island in the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) located about 45 minutes from Singapore by ferry. With a population of 800,000 souls, it is the home to a small community of expatriates, most of them working in the Oil & Gas or in the High Tech manufacturing. Unlike in other parts of Indonesia, you'll find that Batam is rather well organized and clean.

The Indonesian island of Batam has long been one the best kept secrets as a low cost getaway for Singaporean local and expats.  The island has seven golf courses, several resorts and an expat entertainment area like Blok M / Kemang.

Four – Five Star hotels run from as low as USD $45 - $80 per night and green fees can range from USD $65 - $105 which includes twin buggy sharing & caddy.  Drinks at the pubs run from USD $2 - $5 and mixed drinks from $4 - $6. Batam also has a fair share of spa’s and traditional massage outlets that will cost you USD $10 for 60 minutes and slightly higher if you want sauna etc.

The Batam nightlife is very active, as you will read on this blog post and our goal is to write comprehensively as possible. We urge visitors to share your experiences, updates and feedback.

The main entertainment centre is located in downtown Nagoya: ‘The Nagoya Entertainment District’ or commonly referred to by expats as ‘The NED’. This area attracts a fair number of Indonesian girls working in massage parlours, karaokes, or freelancing in some bars & clubs.

The NED is a bit like Blok M in Jakarta, only bigger, with a decent concentration of nightlife venues, catering to different markets. Generally speaking though, the atmosphere is laid-back and girl-friendly, and you won't find very chic or sophisticated bars & clubs like in Singapore or Jakarta. You may meet all kind of girls there, but you should be aware that most of them are thinking in dollars.

During the day, there isn't much to do in Batam, except for golfing, some shopping (cheap clothes and fake stuff) and going to massage parlours / spa’s. All of these activities will be reviewed below.

You have to go to Harbour Front ferry terminal and there are about 5 ferry companies with service to Batam.  There are several port destinations in Batam:  Batam Centre, Sekupang, Nongsa & Harbour Bay (Batu Ampar)   The closest location to downtown Nagoya and the entertainment district is ‘Harbour Bay’ which is 5-10 minutes from The NED and all the pubs.

The ferry ticket from Singapore is SGD $48 for two ways or SGD $42 for one way. This includes the SGD $21 fuel surcharge from the ferry operators.

By Air you can take Garuda, Lion Air etc. The flight is one hour twenty minutes. The air fare on Lion runs about Rp. 380,000 each way (1 week advance booking). On Garuda it can run twice that amount.

Visa from Singapore:
ASEAN nationals can get a free visa upon arrival good for 30 days. Most westerners can get a holiday visa on arrival for USD $25 for 30 days or USD $10 for 7 days. The 7 days visa for $10 is subject to change.  At one point it was not available then re-instated.  There is no guarantee you can get it.

If you require a visa it is suggested you pay with USD – otherwise you be charged a premium in the exchange rate.
 

Taxis in Batam are far more expensive than in Jakarta. Although a law was passed to have the taxi’s metered – the taxis installed the meters but disconnected them!  Many of the taxis are substandard ‘rust buckets’ and if you are western, the taxi drivers will try to charge you a premium.

Taxi fares from the airport to the downtown Nagoya is Rp 80,000 – and the ride is approx. 30 minutes
Taxi fares from the ferry terminal to downtown Nagoya should be no more than Rp 30,000 – for a 5-minute ride!  The taxi drivers will try to charge you Rp 50,000 and show you a paper with a government logo and insist that this is the published regulated price!  Negotiate – there are tons of taxis available.
 

There are many hotels in the Downtown Nagoya area close to The NED and the nightlife.

Planet Holiday– One of the best with rooms running about SGD $90 2 blocks from the action

Harmoni Hotel - closest hotel to all the pubs. Rooms run about SGD $80 per night

Goodway Hotel  - an older hotel but it has big rooms & a nice spa. Rooms will run around Rp, 500,000

Your best bet it to buy a hotel voucher from Kaha Travel – located in Nagoya next to the Jamsostek Bldg. I suggest you call them before you arrive to ensure availability.  Batam often has many government events and the hotels fill up quickly. It’s also wise to avoid Batam during major Singapore holidays.                                                                                         
Kaha Travel in Nagoya:  +62 778 703 4790

In the past few years there have been an explosion of pubs!  Way too many for a small expat community. A visitor may find many of the pubs empty or with less than a handful of customers. In our Batam Pub Listing below we only added those that are the most entertaining and/or of interest.


There are over 25 pubs and counting with more opening every few months.  Only several Batam pubs have "real" kitchens but most can provide you with a menu and will order food for you from the other pubs.  The majority of the pubs are ‘entertainment’ driven featuring SPG’s. In the past two years some pubs have adopted a Pattaya / Manila approach.  The girls will ask you to buy them ‘ladies drinks’ which can cost anywhere from USD $5 – USD $12. It’s a good idea you ask the girl what kind of drink they want before you end-up with a huge bar tab for enumerable ‘Long Island Ice Teas’.

Several pubs charge a bar fine if you want to leave with one of the girls or you will need to purchase several ‘ladies drinks’ like in Manila.  This policy varies from pub to pub. At last, most of the pubs have happy hours from 17:00 – 19:00.
 

Lucy’s Oarhouse
Lucy’s is the oldest pub in The NED. It’s the major networking hub for the oil & gas industry. A good place to catch-up with your mates and Lucy’s has the best price on Happy Hour in The NED which is from 3 Pm to 7 PM.  You can buy beers for Rp.18,000.  They just renovated and installed a new kitchen which offers western food and Mexican dishes. They have a pool table & free WiFI.

The New Place – Sports Bar
The New Place is the most popular sports pub in The NED – several large screens with every possible global sports event you can imagine.  They have an extensive menu offering western & local food. The New Place also has one of the largest selections of wines & spirits.

The Bistro
The Bistro is owned and operated by a German national.  It prides itself as a fine dining restaurant with European (mostly German) cuisine.

Hot Spot
A popular traditional British pub known for its: ‘pies, curries & beer’. One of the best place for Western food in Batam.

Cock & Bull: (Formerly known as ‘The Red Cock’): The Cock and Bull has retained the same menu as the Red Cock but no Haggis..  Good selection of Western fare & some local dishes. Prices for entree’s range from $6 - $12.  Nice ambience, consistent quality of food and some new ladies.

Fat Willy’s/Dirty Dicks– This is one of the newest and hottest pubs in The NED – a must!

Wallabies– just re-opened in The NED

Pattaya (Ex Java)– just opened and may feature Thai food…

D’Angel’s  - are set-up for ‘speed pool’

Asylum– A very popular night spot with girls dancing on the bar and overall mayhem.

Our Bar– Popular with Singaporeans

Slainte Bar – Open 2012, mostly popular with Asians.

The Last Pub– Owned by the founder of the Sugar Pub – one of the oldest pubs in Batam

Red Rose– Serves British & Scottish food

Koenigs– Great selection of wines & ladies

Other pubs to be reviewed: Ice Pub, Dragon Bar, Classic's, Bintang Bali or BB Bar, VK’s (Ex Jessey’s Pub), Monsoon (Ex CAT’s), Bar Fly, Chili's, 4Play, Barbarella (behind HotSpot).

Our Bar in Batam (Picture from Our Bar Facebook)

Please be advised that some bars will attempt to exploit an unsuspecting expat and are rip-offs.  Loaded with girls that push expensive ladies drinks and before you know it - you will have spent $100 + with nothing to show for it.  Insult to injury - if he fancies one of the girls he has to pay a bar fine OR buy a heap of ladies drinks. Then - the gal will charge him $100 + for a booking!  You may find that in some pubs the gals are older than the women you will find in Blok M or Kemang etc.
 

Pacific Disco: One of the most famous place for Singaporeans in Batam when in comes to nighlife, it is a huge club with loud techno and girls everywhere. North Jakarta style entertainment, not everyone will like it, especially if you prefer a more relaxed atmosphere.  It has a young crowd and be sure to carry a small torch with you!  (pitch black!  Beware of pick-pockets).

Planet - Located in Planet Holiday Hotel. Similar with all One Stop Entertainment nightlife venues in Indonesia.

WARNING!– using or possessing drugs in Indonesia is a criminal offense and possession can land you 5 years in jail!  & a stiff fine!   When in these clubs be very careful of women that approach you and want you to buy them ‘obat’ (Xstacy) – you may find yourself being arrested by an undercover police officer…  If a police officer wishes to search you – be sure it’s done in front of witnesses and YOU empty your pockets...
 

As far as 'food' goes - well, Batam is not that interesting and in some cases - the prices are more expensive than Singapore !  The most popular western food locations are:  The Bistro (German food - pricey) , The New Place, The Cock & Bull and Hot Spot.  The other establishments offer rather run-of-the-mill pub grub.   If you like Indonesian food, just stick to it.

Speaking about Indonesian food, one restaurant is particularly recommended. It is Sunda restaurant, located walking distance from the NED and from The Good Way (across the street from the Harmoni Hotel, near the Lai Lai Hotel). It offers a wide buffet style – ‘no frills’ wide assortment of Sunda & Local delicacies. A meal with several courses with a soft drink runs around RP 25,000.  (try the grilled chicken!)  It’s often very crowded and a favorite with the locals. A must if you like local food.
 

There are many, many massage parlours / spa’s in Batam. One of the best in the traditional category Adorabella, located in the Pacific Palace Hotel. In the sleazy category, you will find many that offer similar services around the bigger hotels like Harmoni. They offer massage for USD $10 for 60 minutes and are often frequented by Singaporeans.  For a little more, you can have private room / spa with a jacuzzi. The most expensive one in that category is Atalanta spa, with high end equipment and the prettiest girls. Very popular with Asian tourists.

Gambling and Casinos in Batam
Scattered about the island and in some malls are ‘arcades’ with gaming machines – locally referred to as ‘Jackpots’ (geleper: It should be noted that these types of machines are not electronic slot machines per se). Players buy tokens to use with the games and are paid any winnings in tokens. Attendants outside the arcades exchange tokens for cash, which, according to critics, is done to prevent the impression that the arcades are involved in gambling.   You should note that when redeeming your tokens for cash, expect to have 10-20% premium deducted from your winnings!   If you win $100 – you will only net $80 -$90.
The payoffs in these machines is very, very low and you should be very careful.  Although the operators have a license to operate these arcades, they are subject to being raided and closed and at any time as ‘gambling’ is outlawed under Indonesian Law and clearly, they are operated for gambling purposes.  You don’t want to be caught in one in a raid!  A no-win situation!

Regarding the situation of gambling and casinos in Batam 2012, I recommend you to read this Jakarta Post article from September: Gambling is back in Batam.
 

Taxi Drivers  - Be careful. Taxis in Batam are not metered and if you look like a newbie – you’ll be taken for a ride!  Across from Lusys there are some local drivers that you can trust or ask some of the pub owners / managers for a reliable driver

NEVER take-up a taxi driver on an offer to ‘find you woman mista?’ - !!!

One last thing about taxis: Prepare the correct amount of change if you can to avoid being rounded up...

STD ‘s– ALWAYS use protections. Statistics from 2007 state that 9% of commercial sex workers in Batam re HIV + ~ ~!

Drug Dealers– Western Expats are a far and few in-between in Batam. Be careful.  If you are in a club you could be targeted.
 

Batam has 7 golf courses and green fee’s run from USD $65 - $105 which includes twin buggy sharing & caddy.

Courses:
•    Batam Hills Golf Resort
•    Indah Puri Golf Resort
•    Palm Springs Golf Resort
•    Southlinks Country Club
•    Sukajadi Golf Club
•    Tamarin Santana Golf Club
•    Tering Bay Golf & Country Club

For More Information on Golf Packages you can contact Peter Williams  (UK national) from Paradise Golf Holidays by email (pete.w@paradisegolf.co.uk) or by mobile: +62 813 64 339 449 (Batam), +65 90848070 (Singapore).

We will complete this review from time to time with new information about Batam nightlife. Please help us also keeping this updated by sending new infos or comments.