In the early morning we docked in the Singapore cruise port. For me – with carry – on baggage only there was no need to wait for the call – at 9.30 am I was already ashore, to go through the immigration control and to walk thn to the subway station Marina South Pier… Ticket bought in the machine costme 2 SGD – to Harbourfront station. The te were one train change on the way. At Harbourfront shopping center it is not easy to find ferry terminal. Few different lines operates the route Singapore – Batam, you have to check on the monitor about next departure and than find the ticket office of the chosen company – they are on different levels! I paid 25 SGD for one – way trip.
So where I am going now? To Indonesia – using this back door. Most of the tourist are arrivig to Indonesia by air – to Jakarta or Denpasar on Bali. But the northernmost islands of Indonesia are already visible from Singapore – It is Riau Archipelago. And I am just taking this rarely used entry point to travel further island to island on domestic fares.
The trip to Indonesian Batam Island took us only an hour. In the Batam terminal I got without any fees a passport stamp: allowed to stay up to 30 days in Indonesia. Taxi to the hotel booked via booking.com cost me 80 000 INR – like 7 USD. And the a/c room with bathroom and TV – 9 USD per night. Funny, isn’t it?
Welcome in the cheap Indonesia!
Our ferry (see picture) it was surprisingly small catamaran
