Private Tour: Batam Day Trip from Singapore with Round-Trip Ferry and Lunch

This is a day tour ideal for travelers with limited time in Singapore, but still want to have a taste of a developing Indonesian town just 1 hour away from Singapore. Upon arrival at Batam, you will be greeted by your private tour guide. In your private minivan, you will get to visit the infamous Galang Refugee Camp, a local Chinese temple, 3D trick-eye museum, and several local shops selling quirky souvenirs, clothings and snacks. Feast over an included traditional Indonesian lunch with locals. You will also stop at a local bakery to sample freshly-made layer cakes, also known as Kueh Lapis. You will arrive back at Singapore at about 9:00pm.

Make your own way (unless hotel pickup option is selected) to Singapore Harbourfront Centre ferry terminal for your 9:20am (GMT+8) high-speed public ferry to the Indonesian town of Batam. Relax in cool air-conditioned comfort during the 1-hour journey across the Singapore/Indonesia border.

Upon clearing immigration in Batam, your private guide will pick you up and set off on a private tour of Batam, the largest city in the Riau Islands Province of Indonesia.

During the private tour, you will first visit the infamous

Galang Refugee Camp - which saw a total of 250,000 refugees passing through it from 1979 to 1996. Stop by for a photostop of the grand Barelang Bridge, sometimes called the Golden Gate Bridge of Batam, which is a piece of modern architecture seemingly ahead of time in this laid-back developing Indonesian town.

Next, visit the local

dragon fruit farm and the iconic

local Chinese temple practising Buddhism - a contrasting sight in a pre-dominantly Islamic country, before popping by a coffee processing facility to learn about Indonesian coffee. Sample the famous local layer cakes at a local bakery, also affectionately known to the locals as

Kueh Lapis. This fascinating Kueh Lapis is not difficult to make, but it requires time and a lot of patience. The bakers hover next to the oven for a couple of hours grilling each layer of batter. Kueh Lapis is typically served in small, thin, rich and fragrant slices.

At about noon, you will then tuck in to a

traditional Indonesian lunch with seafood (vegetarian options are available). Duly refreshed, your tour guide will bring you for clothing shopping, feel free to request to skip shopping it if you like to proceed directly to the

Batam 3D trick eye museum for an illusion experience, and finally a licensed massage centre, where you can de-stress over an optional relaxing 60-min traditional Indonesian massage (unless massage option is selected).

Exclusively as a bonus subject to weather conditions (check with guide before lunch), guests who booked this private tour through Viator can get to visit

Mini Indonesia Park replicating housing architecture across Indonesia’s 34 provinces for free.

Return to Batam Center Ferry Terminal in the evening for your 7:00pm (GMT+7) high-speed public ferry back to Singapore. You will arrive back in Singapore Harbourfront Centre ferry terminal at about 9:00pm (GMT+8) where your tour ends.

Please note: traditional Indonesian massage may not be suitable for children below 12 years of age. As such, children below 12 years of age who have purchased massage will be served a small cup of ginger tea as substitute.