Water Sports in Batam and Bintan

Calling Of the Wave

Enjoy a holiday at the beach is one of the alternative weekend activities you can do. To be relaxed after activity throughout the week would have been very nice if you enjoy the refreshing atmosphere of the beach. Besides swimming, there are many water sport activities you can do at the beach. From the most extreme to require special skills to do so, until a very easy and everyone can do it. Here are some of the water sports you can do in Batam – Bintan Island.

Banana Boating

For those of you who want to feel the brunt of the waves and wind at high speeds, but do not want to take risks when to do it alone, banana boating is a water sport that is right for you. You just need to climb the banana-shaped inflatable boat and holding on to handles that are available. The boat will be pulled by a speedboat at high speed, until you will feel the sensation of high speed at sea. For those of you, who cannot swim, do not worry. Usually there will be officers who participated in the banana boat that you are riding so that your safety will be maintained.

Attention: When the Banana Boat slammed hard and feels impossible to hold on, do not force you to hold on. You will actually dragged by a speedboat speed. Remove your hands from the handle and feel the freshness of the sea water after you've slammed into it.

Body Boarding

By using a board for putting the body and floats on water, you can start doing Body Boarding. By directing these boards, various tricks can be done. Body Boarding can be done in waters that have big waves. You must be a good swimmer and have good health anyway to do Body Boarding. You should be able to swim well without the help of these boards. It should be studied in order to perform Body Boarding is the correct way of pedaling, until not draining when done. Notice that there are currents, so you know the rhythm of paddling you have to do. Combine strokes using the hands and feet, or do both simultaneously to move quickly.

Attention: Do not go too far from shore. It will facilitate the coastguard to help you when you're having trouble. Body Boarding Do not does it alone. Do not jump to Body Boarding after eating or after drinking alcoholic beverages. Check the board that you will use before making Body Boarding. Consider the situation around. Make sure you will not collide with others.

Jet-skiing

Crashing waves by driving a jet-ski will give you a shot of adrenaline rush that is very exciting. Sea water splashing on your face and your body adds to the pleasure gained. Riding Jet-ski not something too difficult to do. Once you climb the jet-ski, attach a bracelet linked by a cable to your left hand. Bracelets associated with this cable will immediately turn off the engine Jet-ski when startled. This Jet Ski is not intended to continue to drive in any direction when the rider fell. Light Jet-ski machine by pressing the green button located on the left handlebar. After the engine running, you just press the gas was in the right handlebar to start across the sea using a jet-ski! Do the various maneuvers are easy to get used to you riding a jet-ski. After more master control, try to perform various more difficult maneuvers.

Attention: Do not play too far out to sea, because the fuel available on a jet-ski is not too much. Always keep your body balance while maneuvering. Always look around your area. Do not until you hit a reef or others. When going back to the beach, turn off the engine Jet-ski you drive a little distance from the beach. This is done so you do not hit the beach jet-ski.

Scuba Diving

To be able to go scuba diving, it takes a special skill. For those of you who want to do are required to do the exercises in advance in order to master everything about this sport. In the area of ​​Batam - Bintan, many diving locations that offer an enjoyable underwater experience. This was caused by diving locations are still very clean and natural, so full of coral reefs and amazing fish to see.

Attention: Do scuba diving accompanied by experienced instructors. Consider the state of the equipment you use for diving. Breathe through the mouth. Note the safety stop must be obeyed. When headed to the surface, do not stop breathing. With stops breathing, can cause damage to the blood stream and cause blood out of the ears and nose.

Snorkeling

Things that make snorkeling a very fun thing to do are easy to do by everyone, regardless of age, can do it. It could be said that the snorkeling is the easiest and most fun for families to enjoy the beauty of the underwater world. However there are many things that must be considered in order to perform well snorkeling. Make sure you use the equipment in good condition and fit your size. The main equipment used to conduct snorkeling is a mask, snorkel, fins. Additional equipment that can be used is a mesh bag, sun protection suit, waterproof sunscreen, fish identification book, underwater camera.

Attention: Use tools that do not fit can cause discomfort when snorkeling. Mask and snorkel vest that greatness will certainly make anyone become lazy for snorkeling.

Wakeboarding

Wakeboarding is a water sport which has the same concept as snowboarding. By standing parallel to the board (board), various tricks can be done.

Although this has similarities with water skiing, that you are also drawn with a speed boat at high speed in order to keep sliding on the surface of the water. Various tricks can be done very similar to skateboarding, like 180 ˚ turn, slide and various other tricks.

Attention: Keep your balance when the speed boat began to pull you out of the water. If not careful, you can fall and be dragged by a speed boat.

Windsurfing

Windsurfing using a windsurf board, also commonly called a sailboard, usually two to five meter-sized and moved by the wind that hit the screen mounted on the boards. The screen is connected to the board by the U-joint that can move freely. Control is by moving and rotating the pole by hand, also by directing the board with his feet. This sport combines sailing and surfing sports, as well as some aspects of other sports such as skate boarding, snowboarding, waterskiing and wakeboarding.

Attention: Know in advance the direction and strength of the wind, because basically, windsurfing is a sport that uses wind as its driving force. Master the control windsurf board, either by moving the board or sail.

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What to Do at Batam for One Day Leisure/Short Trip?

Where to Go ?

Visit Barelang Bridge, the Icon of Batam. Don’t say you’ve ever traveled to Batam if you did not visit Barelang yet. This bridge called Barelang because it connects Batam island (BA), Rempang island (RE), Galang island (LANG), and others small islands in the path.

Batam was a great place to spend on massage due to their low cost (about S$15 for a 1.5 hour) for full body massage.

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I believe i was in Batam

Last week i SMSed him and asked how about we spontaneously ride down to KL for the weekend. He was apprehensive as we had no accomodation booked and i retorted with "I thought you're the one who love going places unplanned!"

So he dampened my spontaneity but we still went to Golden Mile anyway. Reaching there, i became the one who was apprehensive because this was all so last minute, and i didn't want to "rush" to anywhere. But then he became enthusiastic and really wanted to go somewhere.

So upon the woman's recommendation, we took up the package for 2D1N Batam. We thought it was a really good deal. $95 each with a night's stay at a 4 star hotel, ferry return, land transfers, breakfast & dinner & a 90 MINUTE MASSAGE. The massage was really the deal breaker, we're both suckers for massages.

However, when it comes to making payment, we're already a little disgruntled because we had to pay an additional $20 per person for some tax. Although she stressed that tax doesn't go to her company but to the governement. But as the consumer, we only focused on it being $115 for the package!

When we asked her how much it was for a return ferry ticket on its own, she said it costs $45, so we thought ok, for an extra $50 we get massage, hotel & meals it's not a bad deal. We usually pay $50 for a one hour massage in Singapore anyway.

Guess what was the price of the ferry tickets when we reached Harbourfront on Sat morning? It was $34.

Upon arrival at Batam, we had to pay ANOTHER $7 per person for Batam's tax.By this time, we were really unhappy about all the "hidden" charges and felt we're "cheated" of the notion of a cheap weekend getaway. Although frankly we weren't reeeeeally cheated, its just all these frill costs that made the trip not THAT worthwhile anymore! Seeing that whatever we have to pay times two= quite a large sum to spend for one weekend. We could have just stayed in Singapore and saved the money.

But ok, enough griping. Once it's spent, it's spent. So ok, the hotel lobby was rather impressive.

and i thought i would have a posh place to stay in. I thought 4 stars is only 1 star away from 5 stars so it shouldn't be far off from the Intercontinental that i stayed in Bali right? It pales in comparision. The room was dingy, the carpet was stained, the lamp shades were yellow.

Buuuuuut..........its ok. I got over my disappointment rather quickly after entering. Afterall, it's not like i'm a princess who's used to living in posh hotels.

The nicest spot of the hotel, our free dinner atop a roof top. The hotel has free shuttle to Nongoya Hills, the largest shopping mall in Batam (to avoid disappointment,don't compare it with Singapore's malls) so we milled around the mall and walked the streets of Batam for some hours.

Then we took the scheduled shuttle back to the hotel and spent time in the gym and the professional table tennis player taught me some ping pong tricks. Me with my complete collection of watermelon pouches.

Holidays are always spent eating and sleeping. With nothing to do, we had our feed hourly. I was estatic to see the defunct A&W. Alas, they don't have the hotdogs (halal country). But they do have the curly fries (1SGD) and waffle with ice-cream (3SGD)!

The Ayam Penyet that we always have in Singapore costs $7 while here it costs (same brand, same outlet) $2. But before you go "cheap cheap" like a Singaporean, the serving size here is 3 times smaller. Measely tiny peice of chicken that you can barely call meat with no kangkong. But it's good for me! Like this i can stomach more variety and keep things bite sized. A man will get grumpy though..because he didn't eat enough. So we had to have Pizza Hut next (SGD 5 for 6 slices).

I try to stay away from fried food and soft drinks (unless on a holiday) but i just realised i have been taking way to much sugar (especially being an Office Lady, you eat alot of sweets and junk food at the desk). Although i am happy with my size and weight, my fat percentage is rather high. I wished they would go to my boobs but it doesn't seem to work that way.Sugar is the cause of cancer. Time to detox sugar.

Indonesia is full of slums. Sometimes i wonder how amazing life is. You may be born a Japanese, you may be born an American, you may be born a Chinese, what made you the way you are today? What gave you life? We are really fortunate to be born in Singapore, i am very blessed to be born with four limbs and in a happy family. Should you be born any less fortunate, do you give up on life or stay angry with the world? Do you take revenge by bombing locations that the rich hang out?

Maybe i can say it that way because i am not born any less fortunate. Maybe i will feel differently if i was. And so just because we are more fortunate, we should make a difference in the lives of those who have less means.

My best friend made some new friends while clubbing one night. He was then invited to hang out somemore after the clubs closed. They took him to their homes and he saw 5 people squeezing in a "house" with no walls. Their siblings slept on the wet cardboard floor. The homeless, young and old slept outside in the rain on the streets. He sat on the wet cardboard floor and hung out with them. I wish i had the privilege of having a personal account like he did.
We all need reminders to appreciate life more.

From the agent's recommendation, we were expecting a spa with candle light and romantic atmosphere. So we were disappointed yet again to enter a no-frills massage center (although its within the hotel). But the massage was SO GOOD, it didn't matter.

I gave the masseurs a 100,000 rupiah tip for giving us both such great massages. I admit i wasn't all that willing to because i kept thinking i have already paid for their service and i owe them no tip(besides, that's my 1 week's lunch). But i remembered how elated i was to receive tips when i waitressing (even though i wasn't that poor to need the tip that desperately). For all i know, maybe their families are living in povety.

It's a blessing to be able to give.

What you can do in Batam: ATV bike ride, cable skiing, massage, food and SHOPPING (alot of fake goods if that's what you're into. Bags cost around $45 (after bargaining), pouches and key chains costs around $10, wallets costs around $20. I didn't buy any, no design appealed.)
Food is relatively cheap, although i can't quite figure out how i spent $100 in the 2 days after paying upfront for hotel & ferry etc AND having bought NOTHING material.

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