The 'Wavemaster' ferry from Singapore's Harbour Front took exactly an hour to Batam Centre. As Canadian, I paid visa fee of US$ 25.00 and took cab (30,000 Rupiah) to Royal Hotel (240,000 Rupiah/day, w/breakfast) in Nagoya City , the main business district.

Batam, Rempang and Galang are three of the Riau archepelago, connected by almost empty and scenic highway and bridges, the most impressive of which is the Barelang bridge, the name coined from the three names. I hired a cab for 8 hours for 200,000 Rupiah and 60,000 RP for gas to span the three islands. Batam is a thriving island with ever-changing landscape of housing and commercial ventures and inviting capital from Singaporeans and Japanese who have bought homes there. Nongsa beach is awesome for sunset photography. Galang's former Vietnamese Camp has a forest setting with winding roads - an interesting photo location.