Batam Info / Interest / Help Thread

[blk437]

Looks good your new discovery Nono bro. I am always staying at Harmonie One Hotel. Its cheap and good.

Any bros here wanna go drink together? I am free anytime to go.
I usually drink myself alone at those pubs at Kampong Bule. Or i will go to KTV myself, get a girl and drink.

Is there any shop selling Tongkat ali?

[ndnd]

Originally Posted by nono1973

I do have a handful of friends who rent studio apartment in Batam and the monthly electricity were about similar to yours.

I believed the studio apartment you are saying is actually kost or so call kost executive. Example like lai lai apartment. Those electricity is definitely low cost. If compare with those high rise apartment is great different.

My personal exprience:
Lai Lai Apartment average about 600k a month.

Big landed house about 1.6juta a month. (Didnt tried to save. Just used as i like)

High rise apartment about 1.9juta a month. (after i tried to save on electricity, sometime hit 2.1juta).
Maintence fee at 1juta a month.

You see the different?

[retirebatam]

Originally Posted by nono1973

Thank you for reminding me to ask them,hehehe...i completely forget about it. But base on what i am looking, it probably wont cost much since there are so many units in one single floors and they have such high storey condos. Then again, i still need to ask as i need to know too.

For maintenance in Sillypore condos, the lesser the total number of units in a block, the higher the amount. Which is why i guessed it wont cost more than S$480/month comparing it with a 33 units in a single block condominium,hehehe...HDB 3 room flat is about S$45/month tho.

Originally Posted by ndnd

Maintenance fee for apartment in batam is from 1juta to 2.5juta a month. Depend on which apartment. So far there is only one apartment in batam worth buying.
Apartment electricity charges is almost 3 times of normal landed house.

Actually the maintenance fee of a condo/apartment unit is determined by the following factors:

1) The share value of the unit.
Different size of apartment unit has different share values. Example : a studio apartment may have 3 share values, a 2 bedroom unit has 5 share values, 3 bedroom unit have 6 share values while a penthouse unit may have 8 share values. Each share value is calculated based on the total annual budgeted expenditure divided by the total share values of the condo. The difference in share value of the unit is not directly proportional to the difference in floor area. Therefore the condo owner pay maintenance fee base on the share value of his unit

2) The number of units.
This is what bro Nono has mentioned. More units - less maintenance fee per unit

3) The type of facilities the condo/apartment provides.
Whether any swimming pool, gym, tennis court, BBQ pits, function room,water features, etc as these facilities will incur maintenance costs especially swimming pool.

4) The number of M&E services provided by the development.
Whether high rise with many passenger lifts or low rise with fewer lifts. Also whether there are many pumps to maintain or not, intercom system, access card system, cctv system, escalator, no. of aircon to be serviced, etc. Also more lightings in the estate incurred higher utility bill. Maintenance of lift is one of the highest expenditure..

5) Type and class of condo/apartment.
Example : high end condo normally have concierge staff to open door for you when you arrive at the car porch, carry your barang barang to the lift. But for low end condo, occasionally can only see maid opening the door for their employer's car…

6) Number of term contractors and site workers working in the condo
The nos. of security guards, cleaners, gardeners, pest control worker, electrician, plumber, etc hired will affect the total expenditure and thus the maintenance fee of a unit.

[ndnd]

Originally Posted by nono1973

Mind if i ask, how much roughly is electricity charges in landed house? Hehehe...i ask cos i never stayed in Batam landed house before.

Normal local household usually pay 400k to 800k per month.
Mine high becoz of 2-3 aircon + TV on whole day.
Especially my hall aircon, due to high ceiling. Heavy duty aircon running 24hours.

[ndnd]

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Actually the maintenance fee of a condo/apartment unit is determined by the following factors:

Yes and new high rise apartment in batam for sure more then 1juta a month.

[cleyeo]

Originally Posted by ndnd

High rise apartment about 1.9juta a month. (after i tried to save on electricity, sometime hit 2.1juta).
Maintence fee at 1juta a month.

You see the different?

Electicity bill more than 1 juta is crazy, more exp than Singapore.. Here, I am paying $160 for Singapore Power (electric, water and gas).

[ndnd]

Originally Posted by cleyeo

Electicity bill more than 1 juta is crazy, more exp than Singapore.. Here, I am paying $160 for Singapore Power (electric, water and gas).

Yes, but if want to stay in high rise apartment in batam be prepared.
Local always find it stupid to buy and stay in apartment, and i happened to be one of the stupid one

[cleyeo]

Originally Posted by ndnd

Yes, but if want to stay in high rise apartment in batam be prepared.
Local always find it stupid to buy and stay in apartment, and i happened to be one of the stupid one

I tot now the local like to stay in apartment,, they like "status". I do have ton of Indonesian friends and they all said staying in highrise apt have a different status..

[ndnd]

Originally Posted by cleyeo

I tot now the local like to stay in apartment,, they like "status". I do have ton of Indonesian friends and they all said staying in highrise apt have a different status..

Yes status. The only good things about staying in apartment. Of coz security and privacy also. Human being all like to have or feel the status, but when come to reality of buying, many normal locals will think twice on that. Buy a apartment unit is not difficult, but to resell it is not easy, if want to earn from it, will be a challenge.

[sirbrian]

Thought of doing my first solo trip this weekend. Any snr bro will be kind enough to show me around if you are going?
My goal is very simple, I don't drink or ktv. Just wanna go there, relax with a nice LT around my arms...

[k3nz0_69]

Hi all,

saw a few bros maybe heading up this weekend.

I'm keen to meet up, should be going up friday evening, coming back sunday. Been a few times. I like to do the freelancers route, square club, pacific, no name, kampung bule area.

I'm ok to follow around. my plans, not much just relax, definitely not a super experience person. but if can meet would be awesome. i'm probably staying somewhere decent, maybe harmony, or nagoya hill.

If you guys are keen can let me know or look me up on WeChat: nnaaiirrddaa

[retirebatam]

Originally Posted by ndnd

I believed the studio apartment you are saying is actually kost or so call kost executive. Example like lai lai apartment. Those electricity is definitely low cost. If compare with those high rise apartment is great different.

My personal exprience:
Lai Lai Apartment average about 600k a month.

Talking about Lailai apartment reminds me of Lailai Mutiara Hotel boss.

He is a Medan Chinese hokkien who owns the hotel and the Lailai apartment. Those lady masseuses that massage the Lailai hotel guest in their room actually stay in the Lailai apartment. Similarly for those lailai hotel staff too. Lailai apartment also rented out their rooms as kost (boarding house) to outsider too.

Lailai hotel (2 star) have installed a passenger lift about few years ago, previously need to walk up the staircase to the room. This hotel used to be a favourite place for uncles to bring booking cewek back from goldbird/sedona or another neaby booking joint as the hotel room is not that expensive at twenty over sing dollars per nite only and is much spacious and nicer than hotel Batamstar and hotel bahari.(1 star)

Nearby also have a few massage joints like abi massage, bahari massage, etc which can be called to Lailai hotel room as they provide photo album unlike lailai massage is based on rotation basis, cannot choose. (giliran)

However ever since NagoyaOne hotel (2 star) was built few years ago, Lailai mutiara hotel business has been affected as both hotel room price is not much difference but the room in NagoyaOne hotel is much nicer, bigger and newer.

Ibu Joko restaurant is also nearby serving authentic sunda food, a favourite place for orang sunda. During lunch hours can see many sunda cewek there. Sunda cewek typically has fairer skin compared to their Javanese counterparts because many of their hometown are located on highland area like Bandung, Bogor,Puncak, cipanas, etc in West Java which is exposed to lesser heat and sunlight. They also look slightly like Chinese as their skin colour is between brown and yellow. Sunda cewek tend to be more religious than javanese and generally more demanding for tips for service delivered. (more ambitious)

[retirebatam]

Originally Posted by ndnd

I agreed that batam is a safer place compare to Johor Baru,
There a period when i need to walk pass Jodoh area evey nite between 12am to 2am and i walk alone, no problem encountered. I hang out every nite when im in batam for past 25 years and never have any issue before.
I always find batam very safe for me.

Bro ndnd, understand that you have migrated to Batam 25 years ago. I believe similarly for bro newyorker and bro BFOMF5...

Bro ndnd, since you have migrated or retired in batam, have you obtained indonesian Permanent Resident (PR) or Indonesia Citizenship.

Have you also obtained Batam Kartu Tanda Penduduk ?

Understand that singapore citizen can only renounce his/her Singapore citizenship if he/she has acquired citizenship of another country.

[blk437]

Originally Posted by k3nz0_69

Hi all,

saw a few bros maybe heading up this weekend.

I'm keen to meet up, should be going up friday evening, coming back sunday. Been a few times. I like to do the freelancers route, square club, pacific, no name, kampung bule area.

I'm ok to follow around. my plans, not much just relax, definitely not a super experience person. but if can meet would be awesome. i'm probably staying somewhere decent, maybe harmony, or nagoya hill.

If you guys are keen can let me know or look me up on WeChat: nnaaiirrddaa

I think we can meet up for a drink or so. I am a lone ranger there as well.

[cleyeo]

Originally Posted by retirebatam

Understand that singapore citizen can only renounce his/her Singapore citizenship if he/she has acquired citizenship of another country.

dropping your Singapore Citizenship depends on the country from which you are getting your new citizenship. Lets call it country X.

If country X doesnt recorgnize dual / multiple citizenships, then country X will ask you to denounce your Sing citizenship before they grant you the citizenship. In other word, your new citizenship is already approved, but subject to you denouncing your Sing citizenship.

If country X recorgnize dual/multiple citizenships, then you dont need denounce your Sing citizenship. Legally, Singapore government requires you to denounce it but, how would they know you are getting new citizenship from other country. you need to exercise your act well if you have obtained passport from your new country. Do not flaunt it (especially in front of ICA officers )