Of course GOHtk bloglah!

1 Oct 9 am - Arrived at Padang Besar train station.

I cleared Padang Besar immigration in the early Raya morning, about 9:30 am. Walked across the road and hopped on a red, non-aircon Hatyai bound bus, asked to be dropped at Hatyai bus station (Satanee Rot May Hat Yai).

The fare is 45B.

On the left is 1B and on the right is 10B bus ticket. I was given 5 black and 4 red bus tickets. These tickets were taken out from a long iron roll shape container.

Batam is one of the largest islands in the Riau archipelago, and 30 years ago it was just another poor island with coastal villages and unspoiled nature. The declaration of the Batam free trade zone in 1989 has turned the island upside down, after just a few years of rapid construction it now has a modern airport (Bandar Udara Hang Nadim), tourist and business centers and a still growing infrastructure that has changed the island completely.

Nagoya, also known as Lubuk Baja, is the original center of Batam, and not a very attractive town with a mix of old and new characterless buildings. But if you are looking for local entertainment this must be the place, with plenty of shops, food stalls, nightlife, discos, music lounges, karaoke, restaurants and many small hotels. It is also at the present Batam’s center of business, trade and finance.

10 August 07

Batu Ampar is the port of Nagoya. HT, SK and myself arrived at Harbour Bay, Batu Ampar ferry terminal at about 2:30 WIB (Western Indonesia Standard Time. GMT+7). Going through the immigration formalities is straightforward and hassleless. The money changer at Harbour Bay operated by PT. Banda Mustikamas offered Rp 6.075 to S$1.

Took a taksi (Rp 15.000) far outside the terminal following the advice of Theosofie and within 5 min, we were at Nagoya. According to him, if you take the taxi in front of the arrival hall it will cost you bomb and the price is fixed.

It was a clear and lazy Friday afternoon and we decided to stroll around Nagoya and do some hotel review ourselves. We covered 7 hotels within 2 hours time.

Here’s the review outcome:

Hotel Prima Asia
Nagoya 2000 No. 09-10, Lubuk Baja (Nagoya), Pulau Batam 29432, Indonesia
☎ +62-778-429607, 429608, 429609 (fax: +62-778-426389).
Standard Rp 125.000, VIP Rp 165.000 (additional Rp 20.000 on weekends).
Located behind Centerpoint, it offers acceptable rooms with hot shower and TV, though a few have only wall views. It’s a good deal if your budget is really tight.

Hotel Nagoya Plasa
Jl. Imam Bonjol, Lubuk Baja (Nagoya), Pulau Batam 29432, Indonesia
☎ +62-778-459888 (fax: +62-778-456690, 456418)
Standard Rp 300.000, Superior Rp 380.000, Junior Suite Rp 600.000, Suite Rp 800.000, add an extra bed costs Rp 100.000.
A total of 131 rooms and suites. It is located next to the largest, brand new hypermarket and shopping center in Batam – Nagoya Hill Shopping Centre. The rooms are stuffed with modern amenities such as refrigerator and mini bar, IDD, private bath and shower, soft touch and master bedside control panel for central AC, TV, radio, lighting, in-house video. Other facilities include a bar & lounge, coffee shop and big screen sport café. Well known among modern executives and golfers.

Holiday Hotel
Jl. Iman Bonjol Blok B No. 1 Lubuk Baja (Nagoya), Pulau Batam 29432, Indonesia
☎ +62-778-458616 (fax: +62-778-457531)
Ekonomi Rp 181.500, Standard Rp 192.500 VIP Rp 220.000, add an extra bed costs Rp 44.000.
This is a typical Indonesian Chinese-run midrange hotel. It’s not gorgeous, but it’s the best value of its kind. The staffs seem ambivalent to give any discount, even though the room occupancy rate is low. Breakfast included and check out time is 13:00.

Formosa Hotel
A8 City Plaza, Lubuk Baja (Nagoya), Pulau Batam 29432, Indonesia
☎ +62-778-426789 (fax: +62-778-426722)
Deluxe or Superior King S$63/S$68 (weekday/weekends), Junior Suites S$100/S$110 (weekday/weekends), Executive Suites S$130/S$140 (weekday/weekends).
This Singapore Dollar friendly 3 star hotel is only steps away from the Nagoya’s shopping malls and food courts (pujasera). All 110 rooms are fully carpeted, tastefully furnished with soft color and attached sound proof bathroom. The hotel has great modern lobby, spacious rooms but no swimming pool.

Goodway Hotel
Jl. Imam Bonjol, No. 1, Lubuk Baja (Nagoya), Pulau Batam 29432, Indonesia
☎ +62-778-426888 (fax: +62-778-458057)
Superior S$106, Junior Suite S$107, Executive Suite S$245, Presidential Suite S$860, add an extra bed costs S$35.
This 4 star business-class hotel with good location offers 273 rooms and suites. Used to be known as Mandarin Regency Hotel and ever housed one of the better known casinos in Batam island, it’s quite a grand hotel but a little dated. Nevertheless, it’s served by a good team of friendly and helpful staffs. The hotel business is not as good as it used to be since the casino ban in Feb 2005. There’s a restaurant, health centre, swimming pool, pub, karaoke Lounge and saloon. Check out time is 12:00.

Regina Inn
Kompleks Inti Sakti Bl A/4 Lubuk Baja (Nagoya), Pulau Batam 29432, Indonesia
☎ +62-778-425290.
Ekonomi Rp 90.000 Standard Rp 110.000 VIP Rp 130.000.
Uninspiring, unexciting, this budget option can be pretty grimy. Rooms are very basic.

Sari Jaya Hotel
Kompleks Bumi Indah, Lubuk Baja (Nagoya), Pulau Batam 29432, Indonesia
☎ +62-778-451338 (fax: +62-778-451342)
Superior Rp 250.000, Junior Suite Rp 300.000, add an extra bed costs Rp 60.500.
This hotel has seen better days. Renovation works are still ongoing and will only finish around end of Aug ‘07. It has big and spacious rooms, offers standard TV, hot water and breakfast. However, there are some hairline cracks observed on the wall in the room. Daily renovation works end about 17:00 and it’s not really worth the price unless having a perennial 20%-off special. Check out time is 13:00.

Updated the hotel review information in Wikitravel and thanks to HT & SK!

I still remember 21 July, evening time at Harbourbay (Batu Ampar ferry terminal), Batam.

“S$18 will buy you one way ticket to Singapore, S$24 for a return ticket“. The ticket counter personnel, who is an Indonesian chinese quiped.

Brought a return ticket means we will go back to Batu Ampar.

Yes, on 10 Aug, we travelled back to Riau Archipelago, starting another island hopping trip.

Will try to pen down the following:

1. Batam Lubuk Baja (Nagoya) hotel review
2. Moro
3. Pulau Kundur

Moro - Exploring land of peach blossoms
摩洛 - 探世外桃园

Thanks HT and SK!

I

陶渊明在《桃花园记》里写道：

晋太元中，武陵人捕鱼为业；缘溪行，忘路之远近。忽逢桃花林。夹岸数百步，中无杂树，芳草鲜美，落英缤纷，渔人甚异之。复前行，欲穷其林。

林尽水源，便得一山。山有小口，仿佛若有光，便舍船从口入。初极狭，才通人。复行数十步，豁然开朗。土地平旷，屋舍俨然，有良田、美池、桑竹之属，阡陌交通，鸡犬相闻。其中往来种作，男女衣着，悉如外人；黄发垂髫，并怡然自乐。

Tao Yuan Ming wrote:

In the year of Taiyuan of the Jin Dynasty, there lived a man in Wuling who earned his living by fishing. One day, he rowed his boat along a stream, unaware of how far he had gone when all of a sudden, he found himself in the midst of a wood full of peach blossoms. The wood extended several hundred footsteps along both banks of the stream. There were no trees of other kinds. The lush grass was fresh and beautiful and peach petals fell in riotous profusion. The fisherman was so curious that he rowed on, in hopes of discovering where the trees ended.

At the end of the wood was the fountainhead of the stream. The fisherman beheld a hill, with a small opening from which issued a glimmer of light. He stepped ashore to explore the crevice. His first steps took him into a passage that accommodated only the width of one person. After he progressed about scores of paces, it suddenly widened into an open field. The land was flat and spacious. There were houses arranged in good order with fertile fields, beautiful ponds, bamboo groves, mulberry trees and paths crisscrossing the fields in all directions. The crowing of cocks and the barking of dogs were within everyone’s earshot. In the fields the villagers were busy with farm work. Men and women were dressed like people outside. They all, old and young, appeared happy.

I am particular attracted to this phrase: paths crisscrossing the fields in all directions, the crowing of cocks and the barking of dogs were within everyone’s earshot (阡陌交通，鸡犬相闻).

II

24 Feb 07, watched Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land (暗恋桃花源) by Stan Lai with Z and G.

III

Is there a land of peach blossoms? I wonder…

Prelude
======

Location of Moro in the Riau Archipelago

Interlude
=======

0900 WIB (Waktu Indonesia Barat, GMT+7)

从峇淡岛的塞古邦(Sekupang)乘渡轮到摩洛,大约是1小时.
早上9点的渡轮是 PT. Putra Abadi 经营的 SB. Rahmat Jaya 号 (峇淡塞古邦电话: +62-778-327832, 80000盾, 外加5000盾的港口税).
中午1230点的渡轮是 PT. Ayodhia Bahari 经营的 SB. Budi Jasa 23 号 (电话: +62-8127092585, 65000盾, 外加5000盾的港口税).
下午1点的渡轮是 PT. Marinatama Gemanusa 经营的 Marina Baru 号, 票价也是65000盾, 外加5000盾的港口税.

SB = Speed Boat
MV = Motor Vessel

0910 WIB (Waktu Indonesia Barat, GMT+7)

挤满了人的渡轮… 估计乘客是SB(Speed Boat)法定人数的两倍.
船开后, 爬到外头, 坐在靠近船喇叭附近,握紧一支铁杆…

Travelled with H and S to Bintan and Batam on 20-21 Jul.

Photo Essays
==========

Ready to go!

SBS Transit bus 35 (S$0.93 pay by Ezlink card, non air-con, from Bedok Interchange, ~ 15 min) to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal (TMFT). Opened on 26 Aug 95, it was was build at a cost of S$28.6 mil to cater for regional traffic to Bintan and other destinations on the eastern coast of Malaysia. Following its divestment from PSA Corp on 1 April 2003, the terminal is now managed by Singapore Cruise Center Pte Ltd. You can see a big company logo at the terminal entrance.

TMFT - departure

Inside the ferry terminal. On the left is the departure hall, on the right is the ticket counters.

Purchased one-way ticket to Tanjung Pinang, Bintan for S$36 from Penguin (Tel: +65-6542 7105). Add another S$10 more for a return ticket.

Ferry Schedule to Tanjung Pinang, Bintan

Due to implementation of new Sea Passengers Terminal Operating System (SPOS) (since 01 Dec 06), you will be given a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Boarding Card, instead of the traditional paper boarding pass upon purchase of ferry ticket.

Points to take note - implentation of new SPOS

1. Buy your ferry ticket at least 30 min before scheduled departure time!

2. Check in your baggage by using RFID Boarding card at least 25 min before scheduled departure time!

3. Enter into departure hall by tapping RFID Boarding card on the turnstiles reader located just before Pre-Immigration Gate at least 15 min before scheduled departure time! No person shall be allowed to enter after the gate close.

4. Surrender the RFID Boarding card to the ferry crew before boarding. They will tap it on the pontoon reader to ensure you board the correct ferry.

Ferry to Tanjung Pinang - Penguin 31 by Penguin Ferry Services. Total passenger on the ferry that day = 182. Actual departure time = 1838.

Left Singapore and on the way to the Riau archipelago.

Left Singapore and on the way to the Riau archipelago, sea breeze become stronger.

A vessel in the middle of the sea.

Scences on the ferry

- Uncles smoking
- Enjoy sea breeze (excluding the cigarette smoke)
- A group of people playing card game
- Groups of fishing enthustiatic
- Fishing rods + iceboxes
- 3 of us sit on the iceboxes and chit chat.

The journey begins - Bintan

Ferry finally docked in the port of Sri Bintan Pura, Tanjung Pinang at ~ 19:50 WIB (Waktu Indonesia Barat, GMT+7, Singapore time 20:50). The whole journey took about 2 hr 15 min. Exhausted and hungry.

To get rid of the aggresive touts stationed outside the terminal, H suggested that we hitch onto a Comfort Hotel van pre-booked by a passenger we met on the ferry. The van only started ~ 12 min later after we hopped in.

Change to Rupiah at the rate of 1S$ : Rp 5.960. The van drop us at Jalan Potong Lembu, an open space dining area (or “Akau” in Bahasa Indonesia, open till 12 midnight) where we had our dinner. The passenger we met earlier then procced to Batu 9 / 10 with his family.

You can find bakso, soto, chinese food dan seafood here. However, one Bintan speciality we missed out that night was “Gonggong” (Strombus canarium), a kind of sea snail with thick skin. Expect Rp 10.000 - 15.000 for this dish.

Food price as follows: Otak Rp 1.000 (buy 10 get 2 free), wet kway teow (rice noodle) Rp 12.500, oh Lua (oyster omelette) Rp 10.000, Sate Rp 1.500, beer Rp 17.000.

Nice food and good atmosphere at Akau made us forgot the time while chatting and eating. It’s 22:00 WIB and we haven’t reserve our room for the night. Troubless, we can opt for Paradise Hotel, which is a few steps away from Jalan Potong Lembu Akau.

After some discussion, we decided to head to Comfort Hotel (formerly Royal Palace Hotel) at Batu 10. A room costs Rp 250.000.

On Angkutan Kota (passenger van or opelet) to Comfort Hotel at Batu 10. The driver asked for Rp 20.000 for a chartered trip since quite late at night.

Comfort Hotel (Jalan Adi Sucipto No. 10, Batu 10, Tanjung Pinang, Tel: +62-771-41234/41111) at 11:00 WIB. In the search for peanut and drink.

Garuda kacang kulit. Very nice.

The next lap (21 Jul) - Bintan to Batam

9:00 WIB, Comfort Hotel swimming pool. Thunderstorm and raining heavily.

10:13 WIB, at ferry ticket agent office. A Garuda Pancasila, coat of arms of Indonesia placed in between portraits of President and Vice-President of Indonesia. Earlier, checked out from hotel and transferred to Tanjung Pinang port by Angkutan Kota (minivan, Rp 5.000). Brought ferry ticket to Telaga Punggur at Batam for Rp 30.000 (exclude Rp 3.500 port tax and insurance).

10:50 WIB, domestic ferry to Telaga Punggur (Rp 30.000, 1 hour)

12:00 WIB, arrived at Telaga Punggur port. Taxi to Batam Center (Rp 60.000, 25 min)

13:30 WIB, brought Peterpan new album, Hari Yang Cerah for Rp 40.000.

Hari Yang Cerah Untuk Jiwa Yang Sepi (peteran)

pagi biar kusendiri
jangan kau mendekat
wahai matahari
dingin hati yang bersedih
tak begitu tenang
mulai terabaikan

hari yang cerah untuk jiwa yang sepi
begitu terang untuk cinta yang mati
ah… ku coba bertahan dan tak bisa

kubu langit kelabuku
tak begitu luas
seperti memudar
kini tak terulang lagi
di hari yang cerah
dia telah pergi

hari yang cerah untuk jiwa yang sepi
ahh… ku coba bertahan dan tak bisa
ahh… mencoba melawan ku lepas
hari yang cerah untuk jiwa yang sepi…
begitu terang untuk jiwa yang mati

ahh… kucoba bertahan dah tak bisa
ahh… mencoba melawan ku lepas
semua telah hilang ….
semua telah ….

Indonesian lunch at Food City, Megamall Batam Center. The food here very expensive… Beh tahan!

14:25 WIB, took blue colour bis kota Batam (Batam city bus, also known as Bus Pilot Project by locals, Rp 3.000) to Carnavall Mall (mainly selling IT or computer products).

Metro Trans (minivan) to Nagoya. Fast and furious! (Expect Rp 3.000 - 4.000)

End of journey

17:36 WIB, on Berlian’s ferry (S$18/24 one way/return) back to Singapore from Harbourbay (Batu Ampar port), which is about 5 min from Nagoya city center (Taxi, Rp 20.000).

This is the shop where I get my banana cake in Johor Bahru. Traditionally baked banana cake, using charcoal oven (木炭烤炉).

Hiap Joo bakery & biscuit factory

Price = RM6 per pack, 12 pieces in a pack.
The shop is located at 13 Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, very near to OCBC Johor Bahru branch.

Good. I choose to agree with my friend KL’s recommendation.

Doing nothing during the bus trip to Taman Bukit Indah, Johor Bahru (JB) last Friday (22 Jun). So I jotted down the bus fare table (display on the bus, approved by government agency in charge of transportation) for Causeway Link CW3, plying between Bandaraya (JB), Tmn Bukit Indah, CIQ, 2nd link and Jurong East (Singapore). Bus fare in RM.

However, actual fare collected by the bus company (Handal Indah) is slightly higher than the one fixed by the government agency. For example, a trip from Pejabat Pos to Taman Bukit Indah costs RM2.30, 25 sen higher than the rate stated in the fare table.

Are they allowed to do so?

Guilin Mifen 桂林米粉
One particularly well known rice vermicelli of slightly thicker variety, is called Guilin Mifen (桂林米粉). This kind of thin noodles are made from rice, originating from the Guilin, China.

Yangshuo 阳朔
A small town in Guilin, Guangxi Province, China, and the seat of Yangshuo County. Surrounded by towering karst peaks, is a popular backpackers place.

Guilin Mifen factory in Yangshuo

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.

Visited Shenzhen Musuem on 30 Jan and particularly attracted to poems by Wen Tianxiang (文天祥) - “Song of Righteousness” (Zhengqige), and “Passing Lingdingyang”.

He is one of the most famous symbols of loyalty and patriotism in China and His writings on righteousness are still widely taught in schools today.

He mentioned:

人生自古谁无死，留取丹心照汗青。– None since the advent of time have escaped death, may my loyalty forever illuminate the annals of history.

His words inspired me to trace the final footsteps of Song dynasty in Shekou district, Shenzhen.

The local chinese map (Yuan 6) serves useful guide to Song Shaodi (宋少帝) cemetry.

Going to Nanshan area from Shenzhen city centre requires about 1.5 hrs, by bus 204 (Yuan 3). This follow by a further walk towards the Chi Wan road direction. Finally reach the destination, It’s not as big as what I thought initially, small… A statue of Lu Shiu Fu (陸秀夫) carrying Shaodi is clearly seen.

It’s a sad episode Lu was forced to carry Shaodi to leap into the sea and drown himself to prevent further disgrace and insult by the Yuan’s army. I pay my respect to the cemetry, thinking of Wen Tianxiang.

His “Passing Lingdingyang” was written when crossing the Shekou region, about ~ 700 years ago. However, this area now is covered with a lot of cargo containers (a cargo containers terminal), with quite some factories, didn’t feel much sorrowness that I expect earlier.

Stroll down to another side for Chiwan Old Battery and Lin Zexu statue.

There were two defensive positions on either side of the Chiwan bay, known as the “Left Old Fort” and the “Right Old Fort.” The Left Old Fort, or Zou Pao Tai is the one only left. I was surprised to found that the right old fort was destoryed to pave way for developments.

Chiwan Left Old Fort - old stone landmark

Chiwan Left Old Fort - newly made stone landmark

Climb up, you can see magnificent statue of national hero Lin Ze Xu. Although he was ultimately defeated by the British, his stand against the British policy of importing drugs to destroy the Chinese people’s strength earned him a place in the people’s hearts.

Former president of China Jiang Zemin praised patriotism of Lin Zexu!

Lin Zexu statue

Didn’t see crowd of visitors here.