Trip - Staying at Montigo Resort Batam

Hi Blog,

This year, I didn't go to Halloween night at USS, and I also wanted to visit some resorts in Bintan or other places with D. However, I can't forget that I spoiled D's mood during the trip. I think not just him; I also nearly spoiled HD before, too. So I decided to go on a solo staycation, but for this trip, I wanted to give one more chance to test other people's patience with me, so I got SKK to accompany me.

Anyway, I should stay focused on the topic. Today, I will be going to a resort in Batam, where I always ask my friends or colleagues why staycations in Batam don't have nice beaches.

Until I came to a website that always has special offers for civil servants, I found that this resort would be my first staycation, which I decided to try: Montigo Resort at Batam.

First time going to Batam, an unknown area; I'm kind of nervous.

Getting ready for the day, not sure whether I should bring extra things... Anyway, my bag has limited space.

Honestly, I love checking out places that make me feel alive and happy. I guess I just don’t like being 'meh'!

Ooh, dark clouds... And it was drizzling. I hope it doesn't rain at the resort.

Take bus 35/35M from Tanah Merah station to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. It was not a crowded bus on Friday morning.

This is my second time at this port. Somehow, the first one to Bintan (blog link) triggered some bad memories...

Just in time. Hope no bad memory...

The first thing was to collect our tickets at the counter.

Departure and return tickets were collected! Time to go!

Not waiting too long, our gate opened for entry.

I was unable to see what type of ferry it was because I couldn't stop for a good shot.

There are many decks in this ferry - top, middle, and bottom. I tried the bottom and realised we were very close to the water level. Interesting!

I could feel the movement of the ferry, especially on the bottom deck. The splashing of waves was noticeable, and as you can see, the water level was higher than my usual shot.

Not long after, we had arrived at the Batam jetty.

Beautiful Star on the ground

Hmm, it looks like a mangrove spawn. It's kind of worrying... Why does it bother me? You might ask... I will explain later.

Nongsapura ferry terminal

It appears that SKK encountered issues at customs due to not saving or receiving any email notification regarding the completion of the arrival card. Please note that any tourist visiting Batam should take a screenshot of their arrival card after completing it.

Ah, I found the Montigo counter just outside the entrance, and the uncle knew that I was taking their photos. Haha

According to the counter staff, we will need to wait for additional visitors to arrive before they summon the chartered vehicle to transport us to the resort.

Here came the chartered vehicle!

Who do you know? It's only the two of us today! We had the whole car to ourselves.

We are the boss!

It's about a five-minute ride on a road that looks like a countryside road to Montigo Resort.

Montigo Resort! Can't wait to explore this area!

The entrance to the grand opening, which faces the sea before the lobby, presents a serene atmosphere.

It seemed like we were the only guests who checked in on Friday morning.

Here is the map of Montigo Resort. I wondered where our room would be.

The friendly staff came to our table to attend to us, since there was no one around. He explained our check-in would be around 3+, and we needed to place a 3,000,000 rupiah deposit.

Since we were early, we decided to travel to the city for some shopping. I heard from the crew that Montigo has a free shuttle service, but only on weekdays, and Friday to them is considered a weekend...

Thanks, SKK, for getting a Grab/Gojek to the city. Thank goodness for its affordable transportation fee here.

With such a distance in Singapore, it will easily be three to four times the price. I never like taking Grab in Singapore...

I was thinking about what I need to get in Batam City... Hmm... Roughly, I know what I need to purchase.

Familiar place - Grand Batam Mall.

I will try to have milk tea and Llaollao, as I don't purchase them in Singapore. Haha

SKK wanted to have lunch, and luckily, there was a vegetarian option for me. It was nice and spicy!

Like my Batam trip previously, at the same spot where I took a selfie. Now getting fatter...

SKK and I saw a shirt outside a Batik Keris shop. Both of us were eyeing it and agreed that the brown batik (left) looked great, so we went in to check it out. Honestly, I have never owned a batik shirt (patterned texture shirt), especially as it is usually seen worn by Indonesians or older people, and the pattern is rather too loud for my taste. After trying it on, I found that the brown shirt suited me well, as it was rather acceptable. So, in the end, I got myself two batik shirts. Haha.

From what I understand, there aren't any vegetarian options in the resort, so I will have to stock up at their grocery shop. I saw these large yellow and red dragon fruits, and they are affordable.

Too bad I don't have every single note collected, but they are beautiful to look at. I am also learning to convert to SGD currency for a rough estimate. Personally, I will just remove the last four zeros or four decimal places, like 10,000 rupiah will be around SGD $1.

I got a message telling us that our room was ready. It's time to return to the resort. I'm yawning... It's my power nap moment...

Check in!

The Montigo resort map will be prominently displayed to assist new guests who may find it confusing.

Ooo, they deployed a buggy to bring us to our resort. This is useful, especially if there are older people around, as this place is quite large.

Wouldn't it be beneficial if everyone had access to a buggy for transportation, as they are slow, safe, and effective?

The day along the pavement at Montigo Resort was notably quiet, possibly due to it being Friday, as weekends typically see a higher influx of guests.

Our accommodation was Resort 67. In front of me stood the dream house I had always desired—simple yet spacious. I intend to make it my own during my stay.

Welcome to my 'home 67'!

The first floor will serve as my living room, with the store and toilet located in that corner.

Clean toilet here.

The living room is spacious!

The private pool will be located outside the living room.

My ideal residence would feature a swimming pool that is easily accessible from the house. I couldn't wait to undress and jump right in...

However, there are other areas to explore before I proceed with swimming.

Let's go up to the second floor!

A long corridor leading towards two rooms.

My friend will crash in the side room, which looks just like a regular hotel room.

This is a nice, clean toilet.

WOOoooW! This is a master bedroom, and it is so spacious!

I've never slept on a king-size bed like this before; it's awesome!

It's so big that even when I stretch out, there's still space around me. Maybe I'm just too short! That's how rich people live, right?

Behind the bed, there is a larger toilet equipped with a bathtub and an open sky window above. I have exclusive access to it for the next two days. Wahahaha!

There’s a balcony on the third floor where you can throw a party!

Or treat it as a suntan area.

You can totally see the sea perfectly from up here!

Looked like it was low tide, so I could get closer to the beach.

They supplied a pair of slippers that are comfortable for walking, but I find the plastic material between the toes to be rather rough.

Now it's time to use the private pool!

But somehow, my joy didn't last long...

This is a compact pool, ideally suited for young children and family use.

The private pool will be perfect for untoned people like me, so that I won't be an eyesore to anyone, and I will have a little bit of space for photo taking.

No one will judge me here except my friend because I had to trouble him to take pictures of this noob.

Anyway, this staycation is an awesome experience!

I anticipated that having two adults in the pool might create an awkward situation, so we chose to relax and appreciate the tranquility instead.

In my opinion, we were awaiting a more favourable opportunity to sunbathe.

I was just sunbathing on the table; they should provide a beach chair.

It feels awesome to just walk around the house freely without anyone judging me, and I understand that I'm not the perfect example of this, but I'm just trying it out.

I doubt that as an eyesore, could do this at my house window...

Because anyone can see you.

Not on the same level...

But guests who happened to walk under your resort.

Anyway, we tried to sort out our luggage, had our packed dinner, and now it's time to step out to explore other areas.

The pavement was quiet, perhaps because it was Friday.

A shiny metallic bear sculpture alongside a chubby grey bear.

We strolled to the north side to check out the TIIGO Beach Club, which is where we’ll be having breakfast.

The club's swimming pool is currently occupied by families and couples.

I guess it will be best not to make the families and couples feel awkward because of my 'white' presence.

Montigo Resort @ Batam, thanks for this awesome place.

Okay, I have to take my word back at a discount... Remember that I mentioned I love the beach and wanted to go there? Just look at the 'beach'... It is not just a beach; It is the 'black sand' beach, also known as the mangrove swamp beach, which only appears near the swamp zone, where the sand is rather dirty and sticky. Personally, it was quite disappointing, to be honest.

Fortunately, Mr Sun was there to recreate and present a different scene that I don't get to see regularly: the sunset over the swamp. Last time I visited Taiwan (blog link), I didn't have a wonderful view of it, so perhaps this is repayment for the past.

I was trying to snap some photos here, especially when there was no one around, in all kinds of ridiculous poses that I can't pull off well. Haha

An overview of the beach during low tide.

Regarding the beach, how can this compare to a white sandy beach? It's a different feel... I can't even get down there. The funny thing was, when I asked the staff at the reception about getting down to the beach, the staff told me it was not advisable because of coral reefs... Now that I think back, she must have been joking...

Some shots of Montigo Resorts.

As we walked to the end of the deck, we saw a table for a loving couple to have their dinner without any disturbance and enjoy the sunset.

Luckily, that couple has not arrived yet, so we could snap some photos here.

I wondered what they were trying to farm here? Mussel?

Can you see it from afar? Singapore!

Honestly, I want to walk onto the swamp beach during low tide to get a closer look.

I practiced my jump shot here before the sun went down, but after too many attempts, I still couldn’t get it just right.

I think I’ll just settle in with a cool pose.

What a gorgeous sunset to kick off my first day! Thanks, Mr Sun!

We stopped at the TIIGO club to find out about obtaining our free high tea meal, and high tea is supposed to be consumed in the afternoon, but we came in late for it.

Thank you to the TIIGO staff who agreed to make it happen for us!

I am familiar with the term 'high tea,' but I have yet to experience it personally. I find the concept somewhat unclear. It appears to be merely a sweet treat served on a tiered stand between lunch and dinner...

Our high dinner for us.

Great resort so far!

The night falls very early, like Singapore time at 6 plus, similar to Bintan. However, that didn't stop SKK and me from exploring the resort.

The illumination in this area is limited, creating a small zone that resembles a sanctuary from the darkness. Perhaps it represents a securely lit space within my heart.

We came to the spot named 'Panoramic' on the map. Oh my! The spot was well-lit. Do you see what I see?

Feeling like a spotlight beamed down to abduct this noob from this earth. Come on, alien! I am waiting!

The night vibe in Montigo is totally different from the day, and the lights here make it feel calm and peaceful, though some might find it a bit creepy. Haha

Since the night was still young and we couldn't hit the shops again, I just hung out by our private pool. The wet, cold trunks felt a bit odd at first, but I got used to them after a while.

I was trying to capture a clear shot, but my camera can't take good pictures at night...

If it is a bigger pool, it will be great where I could swim, suntan, and soak (the three S) all day!

I guess I can only soak.

If I can throw a chair into the water, I will sit there for hours. Too bad there is no seat, so I can't soak for too long; otherwise, SKK will comment.

I just realised... My white trunk has blue stains... I guess it might have been thrown in the washing machine somehow without me knowing... So sad to see my favourite one damaged... Time to get a newer and bigger size since I have gotten fat...

Gotta wash up, feeling a bit sticky! Time to get fresh and clean!

I was looking at my stash for the day..

Got myself with these too. Best for hiking!

I tried out some dragon fruits, then slept tight for the night.

It's the 2nd day at Montigo Resort. Perfect weather for the day.

SKK and I prepared ourselves for a complimentary breakfast. The clear blue sky contributed to the calm and serene atmosphere of the location.

We were early for breakfast.

The high tide covered the black sands and my disappointment.

My standard breakfast - eggs and beans with tomatoes. I wouldn't complain much; I've got something to eat, and I am content.

After breakfast, the swimming pool seemed welcoming!

No one is here! It is my time!

Untoned and sore eye taking over!

I could hear the guests who were having breakfast vomiting.

Thanks, SKK, for helping with the photos of me that made other people who had breakfast vomit even more.

The infinity pool edge ends here.

I was trying to prepare my blog while getting a suntan.

The morning sun was so gentle with me, and I wished to be a beautiful person by the pool. I know I am not...

I know I can't, but I can enjoy the moment like anyone else.

I really wish this moment were happening at the beach!

A chill pool is just as nice as a white beach!

I have been wanting to try out a float for a long time, since not many people are using it. Cheers!

I asked SKK to help me take more pics with the sun, but I think I'm just annoying him now.

We got a lot of stares from people while two guys were snapping pics of each other, especially since I am not a demigod and just an eye sore.

It is now appropriate to leave the pool to give other families the opportunity to use it, as they may prefer not to have their children share the water while I am present.

I guess I will just air-tan myself.

If they placed this chair in our resort's private pool, that would be great.

But to be honest, some kids were honest. I overheard that they told their parents that this weirdo was wearing undies to swim, and the parents replied that it was disgusting...

Then they proceeded to leave the pool and would come when I was gone... I guess they were right after all, so I just left that place early so that others could use the pool.

Back to my room...

Feeling sore... And the voice is still stuck in my head... The triggers in the past started to spin...

Oh well, I decided to do something.

Looking down from my window.

I have this private pool!

Let's go! My own private space, just like my blog.

No one to judge me

I can suntan as much as I like, and become an eyesore as long as I can.

But honestly, I can't really suntan for too long... I can feel the stings on my skin.

So, to avoid being an eyesore for SKK, I went to my room and rested with the air conditioning to chill my oily and fat body.

Did you see the redness on my shoulder? Luckily, I applied cream on it, so it won't get worse.

I really wanted to eat dragon fruits right now, but then I thought about how they’d stain my white clothes and trunk.

Why don't I go and wash up immediately? You may ask.

Because I want to go and swim or suntan again.

Honestly, I was super comfy on that soft bed in the cool room. And don’t worry about my trunk; it dried ages ago while I was catching some sun. I could sleep all day...

But SKK felt that I should just put on proper attire and that I should, since my skin wasn't stinging anymore.

We ventured out once more to retrieve the fresh Indonesian layer cake (kue lapis) from a mall and enjoyed a substantial meal for the day.

The Montigo Resort entrance was dark, even though it was around 6 PM; evenings end early.

So I went back to my trunk and became a public nuisance, where most visitors could shut their eyes and draw their curtains! Haha!

Hmm, alright, it's time for a good bath and to pack up; my trunk has already had enough of me.

I spent my nighttime editing and renaming every single photo and preparing my blog posts—it was not an easy task. Then I spent some time clearing some mobile games and preparing a slide presentation for next week. What a night!

Gloomy morning, I guessed it's due to it being the last day at the resort...

For breakfast here, I don't have much to eat other than a lot of these eggs.

Gloomy sky and judgmental surroundings. Even SKK doesn't want to swim too.

So I swam alone.

Had the whole swimming pool for myself.

A gloomy sky versus a blue sky really does change how you feel.

I guess I will just end my swim here. Thank you for embracing me.

I would spend my remaining time at the private pool.

I will surely miss this place.

Until now, I have not utilised this bathtub, but I prioritised the pool higher than the bathtub.

Okay, time to power nap a bit...

I don't know when I will sleep on a king-size bed again... I miss this bed.

We had returned the key at the lobby before 12:30 PM; if not, it will incur an extra charge.

Since our ferry timing is 3 PM, we just sat back, chilled, and had lunch together.

Looking at this activity list... I should go for a mangrove tour.

But whatever, the best part of my trip is just figuring out how a resort runs and chilling out!

I felt so sleepy... Thank goodness, I didn't break the nnn chain during my stay.

Overall, Montigo Resort offers an exceptional stay with a relaxed and tranquil atmosphere. The property is clean and spacious, creating a comfortable and welcoming environment. Highlights include a private pool and a luxurious king-size bed, both of which enhance the experience. While the beach was somewhat underwhelming, the trip still provided the opportunity to enjoy a pleasant suntan.

Jeff