“Selamat Datang!”
The friendly staff at Batam View Beach Resort greeted us with a welcome dance. They also served us ice teas the moment we arrived at the resort. I was there for Canon Photo Fiesta’18 event in Batam which was organised by Topliners Club in collaboration with Canon Imaging Academy, Wonderful Indonesia and Julian W.Photography and Batam View Beach Resort. It was an intensive 2 Day 1 Night Photography trip where we got to attend photography workshops and take part in a photo competition to win prizes.
It was my first photography trip with a group of hobbyist photographers along with experiences photography instructors like Julian W. and Lance Leong. During this precious weekend, it had got me thinking about how I could hone my photography skills further and how I could eventually develop my photography style. All in all, it was an enriching experience for me as it broadens my idea of photography. And during this trip, we spent most of our time learning from the photography experts at Batam View Beach Resort.
It is an idyllic resort along the coastline of Nongsa Beach. We took a 45-minute ferry ride from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Nongsa Ferry Terminal. From there, it is about another 10-minute drive to the resort. If you’re planning a short getaway, this would be a good option for you to consider. I did not expect much as it is probably one of the older resorts in Batam which have yet to undergo a major facelift. However, there are some interesting aspects of the resort which are worth mentioning.
The Rooms
I stayed one night in one of their superior rooms on the second floor. The room itself has connecting doors and is very spacious. It even has a balcony which is facing the resort’s carpark. The essential hotel amenities like television, mini bar, bathtub, air-conditioning, Wifi and hair dryer were all provided. Everything seemed pretty alright except for the worn-out furniture. Otherwise, everything else is clean and tidy. The bedding and the mattress were very comfortable to sleep on.
They also provide shampoo, bath gel, toothbrushes and shower caps in the bathroom which comes with a bathtub.
Wangi Melati Coffee House
We had our lunch and breakfast at this restaurant which serves decent Indonesian food. Lunch was a simple affair for us, but when it comes to breakfast, it was quite a spread. I would be stereotyping if I say that Indonesians are good cooks but it is somewhat true! I love the spicy kick in Indonesian dishes and sauces. Their sambal goes well with every savoury dishes, even with crackers too.
Islander Lounge
They’ve got a spacious bar area near their lobby area where you can enjoy a game of pool or have some drinks at the bar where listening to some live music by their resident band. That weekend, there were also quite some Koreans staying in the same resort as us. We saw a group of Korean aunties grooving to the music with the band at the bar till late! Yes, I got to admit that the band has got good vocals, to begin with. No wonder these ladies were dancing to the beat of the music and singing along to their favourite tunes from the sixties.
Open Air Massage
Their in-house spa is located on the fifth level. There also have a massage area near the swimming pool if you prefer to have an open-air massage. I am not too sure if this area is still being used though.
Swimming Pool
Their pool area is lovely and not to mention that there’s also a bar by the pool as well as a playground and a couple of photo spots like the one shown below.
BBQ Poolside Dinner
One of the highlights of this trip is the BBQ Buffet dinner which was specially organised for us. As a foodie myself, I was excited to try all the various local Indonesian delights served during dinner. The staff there were also very pleasant and helpful as they helped to serve and prepare the food for us.
Sports and Adventure Centre
Beside the swimming pool area is their Sports and Adventure Centre where you can rent water sports and fishing equipment. Going for a canoe ride or Jet Ski Tour sounds like a good idea if you have some hours to spare.
Nongsa Beach
From the resort, you can take a short walk down the steps from the swimming pool to the seaside. There’s a volleyball court as well as some deck chairs and covered pavilions where you can laze around and sunbathe. If you are expecting clear azure sea waters, you might be disappointed as the beaches along Batam are pristine.
Pets Corner
On hindsight, I still felt that the resort itself is rather charming on its own as it has this Pets corner where you can find cute furry cats, chicken, blue-eyed cockatoo and some other small animals. It looked pretty much like a mini zoo and personally, I enjoy looking at these animals and taking photos of them as they stare intensely at me.
Gym
I discovered that they have a gym next to the spa on the fifth floor. It’s a small gym with a few gym machines. Overall, the resort itself does have a lot of amenities to offer. It will have been an attractive short getaway destination resort if they have gone through some revamp.
Meeting Rooms
Also, they also have meeting rooms were located on the second floor. Our photography workshops were conducted there. We actually spent most of our time in the resort. We only headed out of the resort once to visit our mystery location for our photo competition. Guess where we went?
Stay tuned for the next blog post!
