Of course GOHtk bloglah!

How we travel
Ferry, taksi, ferry, bus, Opelet or Angkutan (4-wheeled small urban minibus, seating 7 to 10 passengers).

8.4.2005 - Harbour Front to Batam Center

Pre
Two years ago (2003), Harbour Front was known as World Trade Centre (WTC). That time, ferry from Singapore docked at Batu Ampar but now change to Batam Center (BC). Batam is never the same again, I suspect.

11:03 am
Reached Harbour Front Cruise Center and brought a one way Penguin ferry ticket to BC at 11:40 am for S$21 (including S$5 passenger departure fees), two-way costs $S27. Later H told me that Wavemaster ticket is only S$19 one way.

11:23 - 11:40 am
Boarded the ferry. Waiting…

11:40 am - 12:46 pm
It took about an hour to reach Batam Center from Singapore. Met my friend H, he was waiting for me at the ferry terminal.

12:46 - 1:27 pm
Reached Telaga Punggur ferry terminal. It is a small ferry terminal managed by PT. Indotri Terminal Batam, which serves 2 destinations on Bintan. Tanjung Uban is the main one, Tanjung Pinang is another one. Got the ticket to Tanjung Uban at 2 pm for Rp. 18.000 and paid a terminal service charge of Rp. 3.500. While waiting for boat to depart, sipping Milo at the canteen. Saw quite a lot of locals boarding and alighting from the speed-boat (bum-boat type).

2:00 - 2:15 pm
A real local ferry experience. Bum speed boat cruised the bluish water and reach Tanjung Uban terminal. During the journey, chatted with a local in the midst of the loud engine sound of speed boat, he told me that he works seven day a week except Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays (about a week). Saw a Japanese middle-aged man with a local girl on the same boat.

2:15 - 2:54 pm
Walked around the Tanjung Uban town, known as km. 90 by the locals as it is located at the end of 90 km road from the capital of Bintan, Tanjung Pinang (so km. 0, I guess). Passed by wooden house built on water. Further down, small houses with quite a number of suraus (prayer room) and mosques scattered in between them, all link by narrow streets and alleys of character. The town landmark is a “Deklarasi Kemerdekaan” statue. Changed S$ to Rupiah at money changer for quite good rate, (1S$ : Rp. 5.700). Found a mini bus departing for Tanjung Pinang at a simple bus terminal. After a round of negotiation, we settled the fare for Rp. 10.000 per person.

2:54 - 5:52 pm
The mini bus didn’t start until 3:13 pm. The final destination is Batu Tujuh (km. 7) terminal on the outskirt of Tanjung Pinang town. Bear in mind, bus departures are irregular and infrequent. Along the way the bus passed through Lagoi (4:27pm) and Bintan Beach International Resort. There’s a junction at the km. 25 that leads to the fishing village of Kawal (where the red arrow points in the map) and another one at km. 10, to Kijang.

5:52 - 6:10 pm
Angkutan to Ramayana shopping center.

Rest of the day
Checked into Hotel Kartika then went to Jalan Potong Lembu for dinner. The hawkers and coffee shops here serve good and nice food. Wet kway Teow costs Rp. 10.000, otak Rp. 800, can drink Rp. 4.000, sliced fruit Rp. 1.000 each.

9.4.2005 - Tanjung Pinang to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal

Arrived at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal about 2:22 pm.