Honeymoon Destinations

Batam Island, Indonesia, September 3, 2009

Batam Island is part of Indonesia and is located about 40 km south of Singapore. There are several hotels and resorts on the island, and a slew of attractions, 7 international golf courses, malls and restaurants, and some nice beaches to swim or take the kids to.

SIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS

Most of the attractions the island of Batam has to offer to its visitors include good beach hotels, wilderness, stunning scenery and exotic nightlife. Apart from the typical luxury, however, there several locations that are among the landmarks of the island and worth a visit.

• Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya Buddhist Temple is a big draw in Batam as one of the largest Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia. Located in the heart of Batam's temple houses a statue of Buddha and two other statues of the Goddess Mercy. There is a souvenir shop and a restaurant in the temple district.
• Vihara Buddhi Bhakti Temple is a typical Chinese temple in the city of Nagoya. It is currently used by the locals for their daily prayers and religious rituals.
• Waterfront City is one of the most beautiful areas Resort on the island of Batam. Situated on the west coast and attracts visitors from Singapore. The complex is not only famous for its beaches but also for the variety of sports and water sports are available there, including cable water skiing, Step 1 Go Karts and more. Most hotels offer massage and spa treatments that continue to amaze your guests.
• Vietnamese refugees in town you can visit Pulau Galang. It was home to many refugees Vietnamese who fled their county between 1972 and 2001 and sought refuge in Batam. The Indonesian government has allowed to live in the region, where they developed their own people through construction of a school, hospital, cemetery and temples. What's left of your lifestyle can still be seen almost intact in the area.
• Jembatan Barelang Bridge is actually a chain of bridges connecting the islands of Batam 6. The views of all magnificent and many tourists visit the bridges exactly the sake of aesthetics and in order to take some pictures of the nature of the island.

Airport or ferry

Getting to Batam is possible, either flying there from Jakarta and Malaysia, or using the ferry services that provide transportation of Singapore or Malaysia.

• Hang Nadim International Airport, an airport located on the east side of the island and serves mainly domestic flights to and from other destinations in Indonesia. The airport is just 30 minutes drive from Nagoya, the capital of the island. The easiest way to get to downtown, take a taxi. Taxis from the airport not measured but drivers have a list of destinations for fixed prices.
• Penguin Batam Fast Ferry and the ferry operators are Frequently that operate between Singapore and Batam each hour for a price of $ 30 and $ 3 extra for insurance. There are five ferry terminals in Batam, the main one is Batam Center. The trip takes about 45 minutes. Upon arrival, you can deal with taxi drivers trying to offer a trip to downtown. Negotiate the price before you agree with it.

LOCAL TRANSPORT

Various means of transportation are available in Batam:

• The Local buses operate on fixed addresses and can be stopped in the street like a taxi. Make sure the bus is going in their direction before taking it.
• Damri buses are the cheapest way of moving, but unreliable from the standpoint of frequency. Rates start at Rp.1000.
• The taxis have meters, but must negotiate the price in advance because most drivers do not use the meter Batam. Unless you tell the driver not want to share the car, going to pick up other passengers. Prices vary a shared taxi rupees. 8000 to Rp. 10,000. It is also possible to rent the car all day. Prices: around Rp.150, 000 rupees. 200,000 per day.
• Ojek is another cheap form of transport, namely, a motorcycle-taxi. Negotiate the price before rise. Usually, around Rp. 3000 rupees. 6000 for short distances.

HISTORY

The settlement history of Batam, and that of its adjacent islands dates back to 231 AD as some Chinese chronicles of the state. The region has been under the influence of the different kingdoms, from the Kingdom of Malacca since the 13th century. Later, in 1824, the Dutch and the English division of the area and ruled until it was under the power of the United Lingga Riau. The trajectory history of Batam completely changed his way when in 1969 the island became a base for exploration of oil from a state oil company. Two years was later designated an industrial area and since the Batam Authority was formed in 1975, has grown steadily in a tax free zone for industrial expansion and seafood for visitors.

If you would like more information about Batam Island, please visit us http://www.batam-island-info.com/

Terry Sandford