Question:
My first trip to batam was the most unforgettable and scariest experience. I was only 14 then...we travelled from harbour front all the way to batam. Upon reaching their shores, we were clouded with corrupted immigration officers who wouldn't let us pass until we sorta "pay" them to get thru.
Finally we got out of that shabby lil building, guess what, once we stepped out of immigration, we were greeted with not 1 or 2, but almost a hundred of taxi drivers dying to get our business. some seemed friendly, some were very fierce, my dad picked this guy who appeared humble and gentle. We were led to his taxi and he helped us with our stuffs to the boot. As we were travelling about...say...500m from the depot, the driver halted. The initial agreement was only SGD$20 to travel for the whole day, which he now demanded SGD$100 or else he will leave us stranded in the middle.
It sucks big time as there were no other taxi drivers. My dad went out of the car quarrelled with him and finally, after a while later, the final price i heard was SGD$50. But the driver seemed very unhappy still. Half the day was over after visiting the temple my dad wanted to go. Later, we went to the seafood house. along the way, we noticed some taxis behind us. they were tailgating us. then the driver again halted.
He demanded about $50 from my dad to "go pass the way" of the taxis who's tailgating us. There were about say, 10+ taxis behind us and they alighted and went up to our vehicle. After much disruptions, my dad finally gave them $20 and said that's the last we have, if they do not want to go, there's nothing else we can do. My mom also intervened saying we're travelling as a family hoping to enjoy the trip to batam, please don't make it so difficult for us.
alas, we reached the seafood house, guess what...those tailgating us sat down on the other table and started eating. they left before we did and the owner asked us to foot their bill instead as they said we owed them money. it totalled to about $45. the whole day was very shaggy and sucky, we were stopped so many times and a couple of it was life endangering.
we decided to go back to the depot and wait for the earliest ship and get outta batam as soon as possible. as we arrived there about 9+ the immigration officers said that there's no other boats and we have to stay till tomorrow unless we can pay a certain amount of money per person. ok, so my dad was reluctant, then my mom just went ahead with it, we had to run to the boat and jumped to it as it was in the process of loosening its dock.
after a hard day....we finally got home. swore never to go there again...batam, it sucks.

Answer:

My first trip to batam was the most unforgettable and scariest experience. I was only 14 then...we travelled from harbour front all the way to batam. Upon reaching their shores, we were clouded with corrupted immigration officers who wouldn't let us pass until we sorta "pay" them to get thru.
Finally we got out of that shabby lil building, guess what, once we stepped out of immigration, we were greeted with not 1 or 2, but almost a hundred of taxi drivers dying to get our business. some seemed friendly, some were very fierce, my dad picked this guy who appeared humble and gentle. We were led to his taxi and he helped us with our stuffs to the boot. As we were travelling about...say...500m from the depot, the driver halted. The initial agreement was only SGD$20 to travel for the whole day, which he now demanded SGD$100 or else he will leave us stranded in the middle.
It sucks big time as there were no other taxi drivers. My dad went out of the car quarrelled with him and finally, after a while later, the final price i heard was SGD$50. But the driver seemed very unhappy still. Half the day was over after visiting the temple my dad wanted to go. Later, we went to the seafood house. along the way, we noticed some taxis behind us. they were tailgating us. then the driver again halted.
He demanded about $50 from my dad to "go pass the way" of the taxis who's tailgating us. There were about say, 10+ taxis behind us and they alighted and went up to our vehicle. After much disruptions, my dad finally gave them $20 and said that's the last we have, if they do not want to go, there's nothing else we can do. My mom also intervened saying we're travelling as a family hoping to enjoy the trip to batam, please don't make it so difficult for us.
alas, we reached the seafood house, guess what...those tailgating us sat down on the other table and started eating. they left before we did and the owner asked us to foot their bill instead as they said we owed them money. it totalled to about $45. the whole day was very shaggy and sucky, we were stopped so many times and a couple of it was life endangering.
we decided to go back to the depot and wait for the earliest ship and get outta batam as soon as possible. as we arrived there about 9+ the immigration officers said that there's no other boats and we have to stay till tomorrow unless we can pay a certain amount of money per person. ok, so my dad was reluctant, then my mom just went ahead with it, we had to run to the boat and jumped to it as it was in the process of loosening its dock.
after a hard day....we finally got home. swore never to go there again...batam, it sucks.

Answer:

money makes BATAM goes round..
the new ferry terminal now,
has a new rule for taxi driver..
they have to queue up for customers..
per trip they pay 5000rupiah thats SGD$1 for queue fee,
then try to negotiate with them before the trip starts..
it should be any where below 25000 rupiah
thats $5.. more then that , then sorry dun take his cab..

Answer:

wah...now so much better ?! but my bad experience still lingers

Answer:

haha indonesia wanna open up to tourist..
batam now open alot of resorts liaoz..
then security wise.. hmm.. not that bad like last time..
find one day we all go laR!