haha Yihanz , spot on all the answers .

1. the malls here are not as crowded as you get in Singapore malls during the weekends . it is even much more crowded at Orchard road that it is here . visit Nagoya Hill .

2. nothing really interesting around the area , only that at night there might be a lott of gays walking around .

3. barelang is only as good as sight seeing , nothing much . they have great sandy beach but it is like an hour ride from barelang , further down . taxis will cost you a bomb for two ways . Rp250.000 , that is only stop by the first bridge . further down , i think you'll have to pay more .

4. i have one driver i can recommend , if you want me to drive you , intro me chio bu . hehe , peace and just joking .

5. hmm , $30 ?

6. golden prawn is ok ok la , not that bad not that good .

7. 35 - 45 minutes on rough traffic . not really worth the visit tho , if you are into outdoor sport activities , then your best bet is golden kompleks .

8. nothing much at kepri mall , nagoya hill and bcs mall is better .

batam is safee , one of the safest destinations in indonesia . i believe .

just answering a little , to add up post counts , haha , but yihanz got the answers correct .

Yes batam is really safe. The locals wont really rob you la. You are their "income" through tourism. why would they even risk their reputation for their rice bowl? (:

First, for some really good information about Batam, you might want to go to www.smilinghillbatam.com/FAQ and click on the link for the FAQ document.

Re: your questions:

1) Since is holiday, how will the crowd be like in the malls etc? (especially Safety since is only 2 of us)

Malls are always crowded on weekends and holidays but they are very safe.

2) We are staying at Swiss Belhotel, may I know what are the places of interest around this area? Is it very far from the Harbourbay Terminal?

Your hotel is a quick taxi ride, maybe Rp40,000 if you negotiate. The taxi drivers will first ask for Rp50000-60000 but tell them Rp 35,000.

3) Are the Barelang Bridges worth a visit? Any beach to recommend? Cabbing back from here is it easy/safe? I read that only try yellow plates...

I can recommend two drivers who will not cheat you. Barelang Bridge is interesting but is a long ride. There are some very good, inexpensive kelong restaurants near there where you can have an excellent lunch or dinner, and a little further down is the Vietnam regugee camp and museum, if you're interested. There is also a local beach in this area that is not too bad.

4) Is there any recommendation on English/Mandarin speaking drivers for my stay?

The drivers I know understand English but this is often a problem with Batam taxis.

5) For spas & jacuzzis, which are the affordable but good ones? Budget: abt SGD $30..

There are numerous spas. Massages are about Rp80,000 for a one-hour massage. You can get three hours for SGD$30.

6) Has Golden Prawn really deproved? I see bloggers are trying out Wey Wey instead...

Can't answer this one but the similar kelongs at the Barelang Bridge are better, and the Batam food courts offer very good seafood at low prices and are worth a visit.

7) How far is Waterfront City from Swiss Belhotel?

About 45 minutes. Not much to see there.

8) Is Kepri mall worth a visit or is it very Singapore-like? I always see it when I pass by Muka Kuning for work trip at Industrial area

All the Batam malls are about the same, with the newer ones offering more upscale (and more expensive) items. For lower prices, try DC Mall. Nagoya Hill mall is the best stocked and your hotel is nearby.

Thanks Aimlink for providing a more detailed answer.

Cheers!