EastCoastLife's Day Trip to Batam

One early Saturday morning, my hubby and I took a ferry (the journey takes 45 minutes) with a group of friends for a day trip to nearby Indonesian island, Batam.  It's been 13 years since I last step foot on Batam which has transformed into an interesting tourist destination.

We were greeted by our tour guide Kristy who brought us shopping in retail shops selling branded T-shirts, Batik, dry products etc and a factory outlet. We watched a cultural show and also visited Taman Mini Indonesia.

I was thrilled to visit a Kueh Lapis (Thousand Layer Cake) bakery where the aroma of Indonesia's famous cake made us salivate. We tried their original Kueh Lapis cake before placing our orders. I like the cake for its softness, buttery taste (fattening!) and it is baked fresh daily. I ordered a Prune Kueh Lapis (S$26). Besides the original flavor (S$23), you can choose either durian (S$32), chocolate (S$26) or cheese (S$26). 

At Bengkong Dry Market, the Indonesian keropok (crackers) are great as snacks or gifts. There are many types of crackers to choose from – fish, prawn, vegetable and many other flavors. We were brought to this particular shop by our tour guide, so price is not cheap. *wink wink*

We had seafood lunch. Many in our group didn't have time to eat their breakfast so they were pretty hungry when we arrived at the restaurant. Except for the deep-fried squid, the dishes were nothing to rave about.



We spent an hour at a go-kart (S$15 for a 10-minute drive) circuit centre. I have no driving license, so I watched my friends have fun. :D

The Vihara Buddhi Bakti temple in Batam is also known as Tua Pek Kong Bio among locals. Nearby there is also a Confucius temple where students can pray for help in their studies. :D

Beside the Vihara Buddhi Bakti temple is a stall selling homemade snacks and kampong kueh (traditional cakes). The ladies were making ondeh-ondeh (snack with palm sugar filling) which we bought 4 for RP 8000 (S$1.20). Their traditional cakes are yummy.

My hubby and I abstained from shopping and chose to look for local food as our friends were brought to be 'slaughtered' in retail shops. :D We discover a stall selling delicious curry puffs. We bought one for RP3000 (S$0.45) and it was yummy. We informed our friends when they came out of a factory outlet. Turns out this curry puff stall is famous in Batam. :)

Some of us spent 2 hours chatting and sipping coffee in a coffee joint while the rest went for a relaxing massage (S$20 for one and a half hour). After seeing the glow on the faces of those who went for the massage, I regret not doing it. grrr...... 

My breakfast on a lazy Sunday morning. *burp*