Indonesia: Karimun and Batam trip...

"Take vacations, go as many places as you can. You can always make money, you can't always make memories..."

(Rumah Makan Selero Bersamo, Batam)

Tanjung Balai, Karimun
8 - 9 August, 2016
Hotel Lovina Inn

(Ferries from Kukup to Karimun and Batam)

(Return ferry tickets to Tg Balai, Karimun)

Karimun is one of the islands in the Riau Islands province of Indonesia, 37 km southwest of Singapore. The island's main city is Tanjung Balai. Notable landmarks on the island include Mount Jantan, the beaches of Pelawan and Pongkar, and the Pongkar Waterfall.

Tanjung Balai is a bustling port town with a lot of commerce, boosted by tourists from Singapore and Malaysia. Like Batam, Karimun is also listed as a Free Trade Zone area.

Return ferry tickets from Kukup, Johor cost RM95, excluding RM10 port tax/boarding fee.

Kotamadya, Batam
9 - 10 August, 2016

Holiday Karimun Hotel

(DAHP Program Amal gang)

Located only 25km from Johor in Malaysia, Batam is Indonesia's equivalent to China's Special Economic Zones. The island is an industrial hub with electronics factories, a large and growing ship repair industry and an even larger oil service sector. Quite a few expats head there for work, and pubs and golf courses have sprung up to serve them.

Most tourists, come from Singapore and Malaysia. While there is a smattering of family resorts, the main lure on Batam is the discounted shopping and the nightlife. The new governor of the province has shut down casinos and taken steps to curb prostitution.

Regular ferries operate between Tanjung Balai, Karimun or direct from Kukup, Johor.

My Overseas Travelogue: munmus.blogspot.com