Batam Info / Interest / Help Thread

[Snoozeboi]

Any brothers stay at 89 Hotel before? or try it Spa "Viva 89 Spa" or massage centre?

[Sawadecup]

Originally Posted by nono1973

No,cannot drink water from the tap in any hotel,even after boil...go downstairs,out of formosa hotel front glass door,turn left and keep left...to try to walk behind the hotel...but dont walk out of the perimeter of the hotel. (if still not sure,check with receptionist or bellboy,ask him bring you there)

There is a provision shop that sells mineral water. Grab 2 big bottle from there.Just 1 min walk from front door and provision shop is within the hotel premises of the hotel building. Use that water from mineral bottle to boil. (hotel provides 2 small bottles)

Bro Nono, the way u talk like Formosa is like your house, u go downstairs,out of formosa hotel front glass door,turn left and keep left...to try to walk behind the hotel...but dont walk out of the perimeter of the hotel.

There is a provision shop that sells mineral water. Grab 2 big bottle from there.Just 1 min walk from front door and provision shop is within the hotel premises of the hotel building. Use that water from mineral bottle to boil.


So Funny sia.......but you very helpful. very in detail. Keep it up. hope that can join you for one trip. Cheers.........................

[Humlea]

I'm surprise that my gal is tight... I mean ermm... I'm sure I wasn't big but her tight came as a surprise to me. Gf feeling 100%! I'm glad I could speak Malay, it made our conversation full of laughter...

[MovingTarget]

Originally Posted by nono1973

Nagoya area and BCS area ...... crowded. Nagoya wont be any less crowded either as Formosa basic room cost about S$64 online including tax and Da Vienna Boutique hotel basic room were sold out.

Just look at the crazy price for I-Hotel baloi hotel room pricing for tomorrow from agoda (w/o tax).

There is this kiosk at the entrance of A2 food court (next to it, is a seafood Zi Char store) selling ferry tickets and I was there yesterday late afternoon to buy their ferry tickets. While in the process, the lady boss (I suppose) told me she sells hotel voucher and she was trying to sell me iBaloi hotel voucher at S$65 per night. I did not pursue with enquiry as I already done my booking thru' ibaloi hotel site one week ago for April 2016 at around S$60/S$61 per night. Definitely not a last minute booking but if any Bros run out of options at the last minute, can try to enquire from this kiosk. Who knows you may get something at the very last minute and at a reasonable price.

[Black Page]

Originally Posted by nono1973

No,cannot drink water from the tap in any hotel,even after boil...go downstairs,out of formosa hotel front glass door,turn left and keep left...to try to walk behind the hotel...but dont walk out of the perimeter of the hotel. (if still not sure,check with receptionist or bellboy,ask him bring you there)

There is a provision shop that sells mineral water. Grab 2 big bottle from there.Just 1 min walk from front door and provision shop is within the hotel premises of the hotel building. Use that water from mineral bottle to boil. (hotel provides 2 small bottles)

This is the first time that I disagree with you, or better not disagree but I have some remark to make.
If there is something that does not lack in Formosa is the bottles of mineral water. I usually cumulate them day after day because I cannot drink all those bottles. They give only two (not so small) bottles per day ok, but if one asks I am sure they will be happy to give some extra bottle, even if one is not a returning well-known customer like me or you. Their cost to the hotel is negligible (even if the owner is a Chinese who counts even the cents)

"Cannot drink water from the tap in any hotel,even after boil"?
Drinking the water in Nagoya is rather safe, based on official information, although the taste is not so good. I usually don't drink from tap, because I have the line of bottles which grows day after day in the wardrobe.
On the other hand, what water do you think do restaurants use for boiling, or do pubs use for making ice? Till now, I never had stomach problems or episodes of "intestinal discomfort", even if I drank plenty of glasses of ice water from discos.

Originally Posted by Nulgath

I think u are referring to the glass of white color tap water taken by Nono during his stay in Gideon. Not only Gideon hotel is like that. Other new hotels has this problem too. I believe the whitish looking substance is an over use of chlorine-kind of chemical or it could be chemical that were use to make tap water look crystal clear. They may have over use those.
Boiling can only kill germs,it doesn't remove the chemical content in the water.

The white color is not a chemical addition, but micro-bubbles of air, due to the high pressure of pumps somewhere upstream.
The "chemical products" are chlorine, which has horrible taste, but keeps the bacterial charge low enough to not be harmful. I don't drink tap water in many cities in the super-hygienic USA, for example, not because I could get sick, but because the smell of chlorine is not bearable to me.
And yes, you are right. You should boil water only if you suspect it is infected by bacteria or protozoans, but the taste will remain the same.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by cbjuiceyumseng

I like to ask if it is still viable to chiong the kfc booking houses (leaving singapore @ 7pm Friday night). I will be alone. Any one can help on answering this question?

I think uncle fishingman got the best answer to your question

https://sbf.net.nz/showpost.p...&postcount=328

Bunga and Happy8 (Batam 2 most expensive booking joints) will be your best bet if you are talking about KFC booking houses. Why so? Becos as it is the MOST expensive,so there are lesser takers. Lesser takers means more leftovers. Alishan will be your 2nd option and at a CNY super ultra peak season of a friday night,Alishan KTV wont come cheap.

During CNY,even M2 KTV booking girls dont come cheaper either.

Originally Posted by newyorker88

haven't been there for some time. Still sticking to my favourite out lets, n regular.

You drive ma...hehehe...and only if you just happen to pass by there...hehehe...no obligation tho. No need to purposely drive there to help me see. Anyway,most likely next trip i will go there to look see again,to see if anything new around that area. Who knows they changed the spa name,hehehe...

Originally Posted by newyorker88

Usually, people go Friday afternoon to book them already. You go Friday evening is a bad timing. Ferry full, n left overs.

Yes,definitely a bad timing and most that were left in booking joint were either leftovers or rejects (or even a runaway,hehehe...).

I learned that everyone aims for their definition of a perfectly good time in Batam. But as of my own rules during travelling to Batam,1st thing for me to do will be to drop my expectation. And arriving at an later than usual hours,expectation for booking joint girls need to be dropped a little further downward. If i want the best in there,then i will need to time the right timing for the right place on the right date.

Originally Posted by newyorker88

FLs are not advisable if you are a new player. And don't do drugs, they may be into it, but you never know if the police are with them. Alisan KTV? That place is a chopping board.

Yes,i do read that some Batam Policemen were in collaboration with the FLs into framing tourists by planting the drugs inside their customer's hotel rooms.

Example of a bro who got hit by such issue :

https://sbf.net.nz/showpost.p...70&postcount=7

Better be safe than sorry. Also,in pubs,disco and clubs,NEVER leave your drinks unattended too. Thats for the guys,hehehe...and avoid getting into a semi-consciously drunk situation. Its a constant reminder to myself.

Originally Posted by newyorker88

Also note that, you are there for fun, what you get it base on your luck. Don't expect too much, they are there just to entertain you for a fee.

One of my golden rules to all Batam newbies (especially 1st timer),always keep expectation low in the beginning. The other one will be to enjoy bargaining for everything to get a good deal,hehehe... (my own view : everything SHOULD be expensive in Batam,hehehe...no matter how cheap things may look)

Its their business culture to mark up high and the exact same culture to see us bargain down. No one wins all the time,but whether win or lose, my heart must be big enough to be happy at the end of the day.

Originally Posted by kitaeshi

The gal not stupid, direct book still roughly same price.. Who dun wan to earn more...

Agreed!

This applies to wechat girls in Batam too. Wechat girls technically should be at least 20% to 40% cheaper than booking joint girls. But the 20% to 40% cheaper do come with some risk factors tho. And if one happen to be paying booking joint price for them,then why go for wechat girls in the 1st place? Maybe becos they arrived late to Batam? But if one is coming to Batam late,isn't discotheque,clubs and pubs a better choice with an almost close to equal risk factor,yet at lower price? (however,KTV will be of a lesser risk factor but will cost a little higher)

Everyone plays the game differently,i guess.

[ilovetogobatam]

indonesia-looks-close-red-light-districts-2019-jakarta-

will this affect Batam also?

[Black Page]

Originally Posted by nono1973

This applies to wechat girls in Batam too. Wechat girls technically should be at least 20% to 40% cheaper than booking joint girls.

No necessarily, because girls on Wechat can claim to be FL only part time, not in the business, doing it to only few days, blah blah.
I tried to ask some, just to experiment, and I received offers above 1M. Probably because they spotted the foreigner. Not worth!

Originally Posted by nono1973

But if one is coming to Batam late,isn't discotheque,clubs and pubs a better choice with an almost close to equal risk factor,yet at lower price? (however,KTV will be of a lesser risk factor but will cost a little higher)Everyone plays the game differently,i guess.

I VIOLENTLY AGREE with you!!
At least one sees and talks. Direct feeling is the best indicator. I don't see ANY reason to try wechat girls.

[hawkeye007]

Managed to get a rate of 9550 today at my usual moneychanger... Not bad considering that the XE rate is 9497...

[flyingarrow]

Originally Posted by Black Page

This is the first time that I disagree with you, or better not disagree but I have some remark to make.This is the first time that I disagree with you, or better not disagree but I have some remark to make.
If there is something that does not lack in Formosa is the bottles of mineral water. I usually cumulate them day after day because I cannot drink all those bottles. They give only two (not so small) bottles per day ok, but if one asks I am sure they will be happy to give some extra bottle, even if one is not a returning well-known customer like me or you. Their cost to the hotel is negligible (even if the owner is a Chinese who counts even the cents)

For the past few years, I boiled tap water to make coffee in various hotel, so far no issues.
However, I agree that the taste of the tap water is a bit funny. For those with weaker stomach or those prefer to be on the safe side, just buy mineral water.

Anyway, the 1 liter mineral also not expensive (less than S$0.50 in DC mall, K Circle charge around S$0.70).

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by johnkhb

Managed to get a rate of 9550 today...

Agreed with your rate. And i was surprised. I got 9530/SGD in the morning.

Yesterday however was 9550/SGD opposite Formosa.

[Humlea]

Bro Nono is batam now?
Bring go seafood can?
Pleaseeeeeeee

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by Humlea

Bro Nono is batam now?

I dont understand why US President Obama photo is on a plastic from a provision shop in Batam.

Originally Posted by Humlea

Bring go seafood can?
Pleaseeeeeeee

i dont take sea food,bro. Allergy issue,if you read. And if i do,it will be in Marine Live seafood where i only take their sweet and sour chicken.

[Humlea]

Ok... At least bring me go dinner can? Anywhere

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by Humlea

Ok... At least bring me go dinner can? Anywhere

PM me your room number. I will call you in 15mins time and you will know its me. No promise yet as i am checking with my friends if they will welcome you.