Batam Info / Interest / Help Thread

[Black Page]

Originally Posted by H0pe1100

For foreigners coming to singapore, i think they are required to purchase covid insurance from selected companies from ICA site (maybe as proof before arriving).

Any idea if overseas tourists similarly need to buy covid insurance from insurance companies in batam? Any idea of which are the approved companies and what is their website ?

I have always bought a health insurance before any travel overseas. I think it is, or should be, a normal practice for any mindful traveller. Any global major insurance company is ok, if they cover emergencies including COVID assistance. It should not bought in Batam, but before travelling in the home country.

[Black Page]

What happened to Harbour Bay? Is it still active? But for what? No ferries to Singapore now, right?

[kbt7046]

Deluxe Plan from NTUC Income only cost $49.80, 8 days coverage for travelling to Indonesia excluding coverage of pre-existing conditions. This plan meet the entry requirement of any country.

[deca]

Is quarantine still required?

[H0pe1100]

So far, haven't read any official news from indonesia on relaxation of borders (e.g free quarantine, no covid test, etc.) like Malaysia and Singapore. Mostly only reported in Singapore and other foreign news outlet. Better wait.

[kbt7046]

Originally Posted by deca

Is quarantine still required?

Pay kopi money, no quarantine, not paying, sure kena quarantine. Prepare to pay at least RP1 million. They need to find money to celebrate Hari Raya. So better to go on May. Since ferry operators do not increase ferry service frequency until now, can't be quarantine free. Don't want to be quarantine, pay kopi money.

[deca]

Originally Posted by kbt7046

Pay kopi money, no quarantine, not paying, sure kena quarantine. Prepare to pay at least RP1 million. They need to find money to celebrate Hari Raya. So better to go on May. Since ferry operators do not increase ferry service frequency until now, can't be quarantine free. Don't want to be quarantine, pay kopi money.

Not only that. Apparently 2 PCR tests required. One on our end, one on arrival. You are right. Best wait until May to see if they lift these requirements.

[Scalper]

I also ask this question. It seems that cita tritrunas is also Harbor Bay.

https://www.instagram.com/explore/lo...atam-indonesia

https://www.google.com/maps/place/In...!4d103.9972818

[Scalper]

[QUOTE=Black Page;21185197]Do I understand correctly that tourist VoA is possible for citizens of the countries in that list, BUT ONLY if they are Singapore Permanent Residents?

That is also my understanding.

[Dazza4]

@Black Page: Looks like it. VoA for Singapore citizens and Singapore PR's from listed countries. But looks like things are changing quickly. If you had VoA to Batam from your country prior to COVID, chances are the country will get added to the list soon.

[Scalper]

Originally Posted by Black Page

What happened to Harbour Bay? Is it still active? But for what? No ferries to Singapore now, right?

To answer your questions completely:
Harbour Bay is one of the 5 ports listed in the article I posted. It was called Citra Tritunas in the article.
https://batam.tribunnews.com/2022/03...ports-in-batam

Harbour Bay seems to be active. Currently, there seems to be only 2 trips per day.
https://horizonfastferry.com.sg/

But things are picking up. Look at the article:
https://batam.tribunnews.com/2022/03...r-sejak-corona

After google translation-

BATAM, TRIBUNBATAM.id - Harbor Bay Batam Harbor is starting to stir again.

Had ' suspended animation ' due to being hit by Covid-19, today a number of porters and taxi drivers began to be seen around the port area which is located in downtown Batam .

Especially after a number of entrances in the Riau Islands (Kepri) began to be relaxed for Foreign Travel Actors (PPLN).

Port authority data recorded that 94 people came from Singapore on the Horizon Fast Ferry.

This ship carries passengers from the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, and arrives at Harbor Bay Harbor at around 14.30 WIB, Wednesday (23/3/2022).


Not all of these passengers are Singaporean citizens .

There were 26 foreign nationals who came, among them, 22 Singaporeans , 2 Indian nationals, 1 Canadian national, and 1 Australian national.

Meanwhile, the other 68 passengers were Indonesian citizens who had just returned from Singapore .

The manager of Harbor Bay Port, Welfizon, admitted that the arrival of passengers from Singapore this time was the highest since COVID-19.

Previously, the number of international passengers who came could be counted on the fingers.

He revealed that the opening of the Harbor Bay Harbor for foreign tourists has been in effect since March 21 yesterday.

However, there has been no significant increase in the arrival of foreign tourists, until today.

"It hasn't worked out significantly. Now, most of them are Indonesians who are returning from Singapore. Others are also going back and forth, but they work here," explained Welfizon, Wednesday (23/3/2022).


To date, cruises to and from Singapore through this port are only served once a day.

This cruise is also run every day with a boat capacity of about 232 people.

Facilities and officers for document checking and PCR inspection are available at Harbor Bay Harbor.

So, new arrivals can directly collect data.

Before undergoing PCR swab sampling, then moving on to immigration checks.

He hoped that the government would immediately enact rules for opening the entrance for foreign tourists (tourists).

Especially, he hopes the guest is not burdened with complicated conditions or procedures.


"We hope that the regulations that have been planned will be implemented soon. If we can just open them all, so that Batam will be bustling again," hoped Welfizon.

As a result of the arrival of dozens of people from Singapore , the atmosphere of the Harbor Bay Batam terminal was crowded, not only by passengers, but also by pickers.

A number of pickers, porters, and taxi drivers have arrived waiting for passengers to leave the arrival gate.

Some of the pickers are Batam residents who want to meet their family members, but there are also some hotel staff on duty.

These uniformed officers come from various hotels in Batam , such as Best Western Premier (BWP), Swiss Bell Inn, Pacific Hotel and other hotels.

They are assigned to pick up tourists who have already booked hotel rooms in their respective places.

"Indeed, the rule is that we are obliged to pick up at the hotel. Today we received 6 foreign tourists," said Bell Driver BWP Panbil, Perdi, when interviewed.

As a hotel worker, Perdi is very enthusiastic about the increasing number of people arriving from Singapore recently.

He revealed, towards the end of 2021, the occupancy of the hotel where he worked had started to increase.

Although, so far hotel guests are dominated by domestic tourists or foreign nationals who work in Batam .


Meanwhile, the presence of foreign tourists in Batam city hotels (city hotels) is still very rare.

"We are very enthusiastic, there is an increase. But for now there are no foreign tourists, only from workers," added Perdi.

The presence of ship passengers from Singapore is also good news for sustenance seekers around the port, such as porters and taxi drivers.

So far, too few passengers have come for them to reap the expected sustenance.

But now, since the ship docked, several porters and taxi drivers have come directly to the arrivals terminal to pick up passengers.

In front of the terminal door, dozens of suitcases and luggage had been collected and guarded by the porters.

"Now many people are coming, so we have more work to do," said one of the porters.

The Head of the Batam Special Port Sector Police (KKP) , AKP Yusriadi Yusuf, when met at the port location said that since the new 1x24 hour quarantine rules were put into effect, activities at the port began to look enthusiastic.

He revealed that currently there are three international ports in Batam that have been opened, namely Harborbay 1 trip, International Ferry Batam center 2 trips and Nongsapura 1 trip every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday only.

Currently, passengers are still dominated by Indonesian citizens and the rest are foreigners who come for work.

The number reaches an average of 85-90 passengers per day.

For the health protocol procedures, foreigners who enter Batam still show vaccine certificates 2 and 3 as well as negative PCR test results or are free from Covid-19 from their country of origin.

"Foreigners or Indonesian citizens who arrive in Batam will be re-PCRed, while waiting for the results and quarantine for 1 x 24 hours. For Indonesian citizens who live in Batam , quarantine at home," said Yusuf.

The Governor of the Riau Islands, Ansar Ahmad previously held a coordination meeting to determine the procedure for implementing the entry of foreign tourists through 8 port entrances in Batam , Bintan, Tanjungpinang and Karimun, one of which is the Harbor Bay Port.

In addition, the government is also seeking discretion on the entry and exit requirements of foreign tourists.

Such as adding visa-free countries to enter, cutting the flow of Covid-19 inspections.

As well as the proposed abolition of the entry quota rule in Singapore . (TRIBUNBATAM.id/Hening Sekar Utami)

[Black Page]

Originally Posted by Dazza4

@Black Page: Looks like it. VoA for Singapore citizens and Singapore PR's from listed countries. But looks like things are changing quickly. If you had VoA to Batam from your country prior to COVID, chances are the country will get added to the list soon.

That is my hope, and however I will not consider to travel to Malaysia, Singapore and Batam before, say, October. Things will change for sure by then, hopefully improve, unless Omega comes after Omicron.

My country, one of the EU countriues, had VoA for many years (I visited Batam for the first time some 10-12 years ago). That meant some 25 USD (USD!) to be paid, and one full page of my passport taken by the visa sticker.
Some years ago, they waived VoA to EU. Only one simple stamp at immigration. The only question was "why are you coming to Batam?" and my response has always been "to meet friends". I hope EU will be classified back to visa-free, sooner or later.

[Black Page]

Originally Posted by Scalper

To answer your questions completely:
(....)

Thank you so much for your very detailed response!! I really appreciate that.

I could not imagine that HB could be named "Citra Tritunas"
I have never heard that name before.

It was heart-taking to read that press article, reporting the people arriving to HB, the pickers,... I could really feel the atmosphere, like if I was there again after 2 years. I left HB for my last time on Jan 2020. On that day, leaving HB, I was thinking how to plan my schedules to be able to return in April or May

[kbt7046]

Originally Posted by Black Page

That is my hope, and however I will not consider to travel to Malaysia, Singapore and Batam before, say, October. Things will change for sure by then, hopefully improve, unless Omega comes after Omicron.

My country, one of the EU countriues, had VoA for many years (I visited Batam for the first time some 10-12 years ago). That meant some 25 USD (USD!) to be paid, and one full page of my passport taken by the visa sticker.
Some years ago, they waived VoA to EU. Only one simple stamp at immigration. The only question was "why are you coming to Batam?" and my response has always been "to meet friends". I hope EU will be classified back to visa-free, sooner or later.

Вы из ЕС, зачем ехать на Батам? Путин в Москве, а не на Батаме

[Scalper]

Originally Posted by Black Page

Thank you so much for your very detailed response!! I really appreciate that.

I could not imagine that HB could be named "Citra Tritunas"
I have never heard that name before.

It was heart-taking to read that press article, reporting the people arriving to HB, the pickers,... I could really feel the atmosphere, like if I was there again after 2 years. I left HB for my last time on Jan 2020. On that day, leaving HB, I was thinking how to plan my schedules to be able to return in April or May

I was puzzled too. . . even the locals don't use that name. It seems that PT Citra Tritunas is the company managing HB.

Yeah I hope Covid didn't change Batam too much. I do know businesses have been closing. Fyi, Bella Italia at HB is now closed.