This resort on the island of Batam, Indonesia has been much raved about lately so naturally I had to give this a go as well. Developed by Singaporeans, Montigo Resorts is a mere 1h ferry ride from Singapore. Reservations for this resort can be done on MisaTravels for e.g. My friends and I got a great deal for 3D2N (breakfast included), ferry transfer and a sea view 2 bedroom villa for S$290/pax. Honestly speaking, whether you get a seaview or hillview villa, there is NO difference. There is no real sea view to speak of.


Hill view villas on the left and sea view villas on the right

Depending on which ferry terminal you arrive at on Batam, the transfer to the hotel will take approx 45mins by taxi. Do check upfront for the cost of the taxi ride with your driver. Check-in is swift and a buggy will take you to your villa (you have to call for buggy to take you everywhere). The resort is very self-sufficient with 2 restaurants and a bar (expect Singapore prices). TADD's serves international American breakfast daily, PANTAI their seafood restaurant serves fresh and pretty affordable dinners, TIIGO is the adults only bar and if you prefer a more private setting, in-room BBQ can be arranged for $50/pax.



If venturing out of the resort, there is a once a day shuttle bus at 10am to Nagoya Hill Shopping Centre. The return pick up is at 4pm at Nagoya. Montigo has an in-house spa which I did not try as Nagoya Hill has many massage joints. With an infinity pool per villa, there is no real reason to leave the resort either :)


The spacious living room (doesn't look like much but it's huge) and the disappointing seaview from the infinity pool


Master bedroom (looks small but it's not) and the guest bed room


Master bedroom bath tub (shower stalls on the left), guest bathroom and the night view when skies are clear

Batam brings to mind weekend rendezvous with mistresses, cable skiing, cheap seafood and basically a getaway from the hustle and bustle of Singapore with friends or with your significant other.

The island is just a short 60min ferry ride from Harbour Front terminal in Singapore. You can get your tickets from Batam Fast and exit tax will set you back S$20. Upon arrival, you’d be greeted with a small DFS store. If you’re planning to get drunk, do stock up at Singapore’s DFS prior to exit.

Holiday Inn Batam is an all-suites hotel and 1 of the 2 more recognised hotels in Batam (the other being Harris Hotel). The hotel provides a bus service (albeit just a 5min ride from the terminal) and check-in includes a welcome punch. Per pax for a 2-bedroom pool facing suite shared among 5 is approx S$70. Suite has 2-bedrooms and 2 restrooms as well as a living area and kitchenette.


View from the balcony *I apologise for the quality of the photos. They were taken with my Blackberry

KLM now flies to Bali on their transit flights from Amsterdam so there are more available options on international airlines if you’re not interested in budget. Food served on KLM is a decent beef meal with appetizer and dessert. Newspapers are also available on their return flights. All in all, not too shabby for a short 2h flight to Bali and only costs S$200 return.

Arriving in Bali
Passing through immigration at Bali International requires a lot of patience as the queue for non-visa foreigners takes about 30-40mins to clear whilst that for visa foreigners take even longer. Tax is also applicable for visa entry foreigners. The airport is pretty run down and the air seems tense due to security concerns. Keep a close look out for your hotel name and sign as there are dozens of drivers picking up guests at the entrance. Our driver from Villa Ixora picked us up at the airport and a 30min drive later, we arrived right at the doorstep of our hotel room (no checking in on the spot but welcome drinks are served instead). Ixora is pretty off the main stretch of hotels and restaurants in Seminyak but if you enjoy the peace and quiet, this place is for you. The establishment is run by a German couple (hubby is German and wife Madame Julia is Indon-Chinese. She runs a bakery, ice cream shop and caters for all sorts of parties in the Seminyak area). Titin is your go-to person for just about everything; travel, food, transport, advice.


Breakfast @ Ixora, room in Ixora and pool

Hello Bintan... again
Rewind. 8 months on and I am back in Bintan yet again. Due to the monsoon period (Oct – Dec), taking the ferry from Singapore to Bintan proves to be a challenge. Seas are rough and the ferry bobs up and down. Needless to say, the smell of puke permeates the air. This being a free trip (company retreat), the logistics were taken care of by the travel agency. However, staying @ Bintan Lagoon Resort (BLR) for 3D2N with meals will set you back S$500+ per pax for the deluxe sea facing room.

Compared with Nirwana Gardens (see previous entry), BLR is more commercialized and well maintained. The lobby is nicely refurbished and rooms have been recently renovated. But if you’re looking for some place more laid back, the other resorts will be a better choice.

Christmas dinner was pool-side with Christmas trees and snowman accompanying the plentiful BBQ buffet line. Teambuilding games were played and some proceeded for drinks at the club, while others headed to the exorbitant KTV at the Recreation Centre post dinner. DO NOT waste money at this KTV as the drinks are half diluted with water and the song list comes in a menu with font size so small it will cause your eyes to cramp. S$60 nett per hour for this crap (drinks not included).

1 hour behind Singapore and a short 55min catamaran ride from the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal later, you'd have escaped the urban jungle that is Singapore.

Bintan is essentially good for relaxing by the beach and doing absolutely nothing but reading by the pool. Booked the trip via Fascinating Holidays and per pax for 3D2N costs S$216 with S$44 included for the ferry ride. Total spent on food is S$100 (ate seafood) and massage costs S$81. All in all, not too expensive (and not cheap either) for a short getaway.


View from the room at Nirwana Gardens and blue skies abound

Most hotels/resorts offer pick up from the Ferry Terminal and the bus will take you to your hotel lobby direct (10mins bus ride).

Staying occupied
Activities here include archery, elephant & pony ride and the Kedaton Spa, water sports, ATV rides (S$50), beach walks and staring at the millions of stars out at night.


Sun, sand, sea

Short trip with the uni mates again. We stayed at Holiday Inn Batam, and a lovely stay it was. We didn't do much during the short trip.. basically feasted (wooh the seafood there is cheap! and the food is so yummy!) and nuah-ed. My kind of relaxation holiday. ^-^x

Check out the view.. postcard worthy, no?


Go Kart-ing time~! Loved it..


Sunset on the way home~

In short, Batam is a huge place, you need a ride to explore the island fully. And no, it's not all sleaze as reported in the papers. Just go to the right places and you'll find yourself a cheap and relaxing holiday!