Staying at Tempat Senang - General Questions - Batam Forum

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Irishluck

Belfast

posts: 18

reviews: 6

Staying at Tempat Senang - General Questions

Jan 31, 2013, 10:50 PM

Hi all,

Sorry if some of this has been asked before and maybe repeating questions. I did look at the forum but didn't find definitive answers.

The pregnant wife and I are staying at Tempat Senang for 4 days over CNY. We would like to know the following:

1) We're not expecting to do very much on Batam given my wife's condition but just in case we do head around the island do we really need to bring IDR for taxis/purchasing things outside the hotel?

2) We would like to experience food outsite the hotel so are there any eating places near us? We don't want to travel big distances but although the food in the hotel is meant to be nice, I would like to eat more locally/cheaply. Shame we can't have any seafood though (not recommended for pregancy), going by some of the posts we're missing out!

3) We're both on British passports so we need the VOA. Does this have to be paid in USD or can we use SGD?

Thanks for your help!

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7 replies to this topic

Irishluck

Belfast

posts: 18

reviews: 6

1. Re: Staying at Tempat Senang - General Questions

Jan 31, 2013, 11:21 PM

Sorry guys, I just found a couple of older posts regarding the currency thing. Seems like the advice is that SGD isn't really usable if you want a decent rate. We'll be getting IDR just in case we decide to head out of the hotel.

I'll try to get some USD for the VOA as well.

We've got breakfast and spa included in our hotel deal and we're shopped out from living in S'pore. So we'd only be venturing out for meals.

I'd still appreciate some advice on eating places near our hotel.

Cheers

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andyfzr

Batam, Indonesia

posts: 8

2. Re: Staying at Tempat Senang - General Questions

Jan 31, 2013, 11:26 PM

Hi Irishluck,

(1) For taxi , yes you need to pay in IDR.

For puchasing, it is depend on where will you buy the things.

If you shop in big mall, there are a lot of money changer.

If you bu things at local shop, you need to pay in IDR.

(2) No.

(3) You can pay in US or Sin $ (both are accepted)

Regards,

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Irishluck

Belfast

posts: 18

reviews: 6

3. Re: Staying at Tempat Senang - General Questions

Feb 01, 2013, 2:19 AM

Thanks for the reply.

Shame there isn't any other food places around the hotel.

How far (i.e. taxi time + cost) do you think we'd have to go to get to another decent/cheap food offering?

FYI the hotel menu, while it looks good, is pretty expensive for dishes I'm sure we could get cheaper elsewhere perhaps even factoring in the travel cost e.g. Beef Rendang Sgd$15 or GadoGado Sgd$12!

Cheers

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andyfzr

Batam, Indonesia

posts: 8

4. Re: Staying at Tempat Senang - General Questions

Feb 01, 2013, 3:17 AM

I think you go to Nagoya while also for shopping.

(approx 40 minute by taxi ; IDR 90,000)

Beef rendang : Puti Bungsu restaurant (taxi driver know this place)

Gado gado : Nagoya Hill food court.

The price will be not so expensive.

Cheers...

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Yihanz

Singapore, Singapore

posts: 331

reviews: 6

5. Re: Staying at Tempat Senang - General Questions

Feb 01, 2013, 7:32 AM

Hi Irishluck,

If you have SGD with you and you are intending to change to IDR, i'd recommend you to change it at batam shopping centres. Their exchange rates are much better compared to singapore.

And yes, you might wanna consider to visit nagoya Hills shopping centre and check out their local food there too.

Cheers!

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Mutiara_Toby

Bintan

posts: 9

6. Re: Staying at Tempat Senang - General Questions

Feb 03, 2013, 2:52 AM

bring US dollars cash for your visa-on-arrival

otherwise you will get a lousy exchange rate

for info, there is short stay VOA at US$10.- per person

this gives you 7 days / 6 nights

you do not have to take the 30 days visa for a short stay

but both entry and exit points must be in the Riau Islands

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Chandrana

Batam, Indonesia

Destination Expert

for Batam

posts: 1,155

reviews: 12

7. Re: Staying at Tempat Senang - General Questions

Feb 05, 2013, 12:26 AM

sorry for the late reply... been sick and busy..

anyway, it seems like your questions have been answered so I will just comment on the food. The price is such a ripoff! hahaha... you can get damn good rendang and gado gado for SGD$ 2 in the city area. Even the malls only selling it for no more than $2.5. But such is the price for staying in the resort... especially a solitude one =)

Well i would at least suggest you to go to city at least twice. It's less than 30 mins =)

cheeersss

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