Like the title suggest, it’s a quarterly date to Batam! However, due to our busy schedule, we only made it happen three times since it first started two years back! WAHAHAHA!
Most of our QBRs are day trip hence what we do are pretty standard! Marketing, Massage, Seafood & Groceries shopping! If this is your kinda retreat, read on!
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Let’s start with MASSAGE! Who doesn’t love a good press on their shoulder/back! We’ve been to different Spa Center to try out their service and below are my thoughts
First Trip: SPA SECRET
According to locals, this is their number 1 Spa in Batam! True enough, their massage was really good and spot on for me! They have many different kinda of spa service and is almost like a one stop place for you – from foot to body to hair! I had my first V Ratus treatment here tooo!
Oh best of all, they serve complimentary snack! Free flow some more! Call me cheapo but I’m always hungry after a massage and having a snack (or two) definitely help me pull through my next meal time!! ❤
Second Trip: ESKA SPA
If you’re a regular, you will know that ESKA is everywhere! They have 8 Spa outlets (at various mall) and they have a Spa hotel too – ok, maybe two hotel. If i didn’t remember wrongly, their prices are very competitive to Spa Secret and like any other Spa, they got you covered from head to toe!
However, between the above two, i wouldn’t recommend the latter as i had unpleasant experience there and i actually left the place (after my hair spa) feeling grouchy. My recommendation, just still to massage and you’ll be fine. My massage was heavenly awesome but the hair spa spoil the whole experience.
Third Trip: SPA SECRET & SPA CENTRAL (i extended my trip hence the extra massage session)
Spa Secret is nothing new now that it’s my third! However, i chance upon Spa Central and decided to give it a try since i saw quite a few positive review. I recall reading somewhere it’s actually own by a Singapore but that doesn’t really matter i guess.
The good thing about booking a spa with them is that they provide complimentary pick up service (around Nagoya area) and have transport to drop your off too (at a fee, RP50.000 to Batam Harbour Bay Ferry Terminal).
The holding area, at Nagoya Hill outlet, made me feel quite at ease – bright and clean. I love the ambiance when you enter your treatment room. Dim lights (like any other places) and there’s a magnet chart on the wall where you can pin the area you want your masseur to focus on or the strength you want them to use! I enjoyed my session totally as the masseur paid attention to every details and i was kinda pleased when she massaged my knee cap! I mean, i haven’t met any masseur who massage my knee cap for me before until i came here. It didn’t even came to me that knee can be massaged! LOL!! But good treatment comes with a higher price. I compared the price a little and find that it’s slightly pricer over here – prices/package can be found on their website.
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After a good massage, let’s talk about Seafood! Who wouldn’t do seafood lunch/dinner when they’re in Batam?! Out of the 3 times we went, twice were at Wey Wey!
First Trip: Wey Wey Seafood
We kept seafood for dinner and it was bad choice!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!! We were so overrun on schedule and we had to keep rushing the kitchen to quickly get our food done! The only SEAFOOD we had was seafood fried rice maybe? & a sambal prawn petai! We had to do take away and RANNNN all the way to catch our ferry before it leaves! Yes we were the last to board and we had PETAI! hahahaha!!!! It was too memorable!!
On my subsequent personal trip, i did get a chance to enjoy Wey Wey Seafood at my own pace and I’m loving it! Not only they have fresh seafood, they are very cost effective tooo! I can’t find a reason not to dine there!!!?
Second Trip: Love Seafood Restoran
This place is kinda out of town for me but the scenery is so beautiful! You are really like so out of town until all you can see is green. Green sea water and green forest and because it has nothing blocking, the restoran is sooooo breezy i need to tie up my hair!! LOL!
If you have a driver or you’re driving, make a visit! the location is really nice! Very chillax place for lunch and drink!
(I do apologies for the lack of picture but it looks like we always forgot about photo taking when it comes to food!! I promise to take more for future trips ok!!)
Third Trip: Wey Wey Seafood
Yeap we returned to Wey Wey again! It was, apparently, everyone’s favourite! However, this time round their prices seems to have increase a lil bit and they now have a second outlet within the same area but more atas (maybe because it has aircon? IDK)..
Taste wise, it has never failed me that’s why we keep coming back! Just that some dishes seems to have changed recipe, a lil disappointed but it’s okay! Other dishes has compensated that emotion! LOL! (you’ll see the food pictures at the end of the post!)
Another thing we observed is that coming in group may be more cost effective! You get to order more variety of food and then cost (per pax) is cheaper than if you come in 2-3 pax.
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Massage done! Tummy filled! What’s next?! SHOPPING!!!!! but hold it hold it!!! I’m not going to factory outlet or exclusive premium store! As i aged, i learned to appreciate supermarket so much more than any other shop and hence here’s my shopping heaven!!
First/Second Trip: Hypermart at Nagoya Hill Shopping Centre
This is the hypermart where we got over excited and lost track of time! That’s why ended up having to rush for dinner and run for ferry!! Per the name suggest it’s a hyper market! It has all your groceries and household needs!
Third Trip: TOP 100 Supermarket at Grand Batam Mall
This is the local go-to supermarket in Batam. The price is consider cheapest among other competitor. Smaller than Hypermart but I still manage to get what I need/want!
Now you must be thinking, what’s so attractive there that we want to go every quarterly?! Everything is attractive! Fresh seafood! Wallet-friendly massage! Great saving household products!
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Some ideas on what to get when you’re in Batam, or rather what we usually loot home! Here goes nothing!
Layer Cake – if you don’t how expensive kueh lapis is in SG, tying waking into B*Solo! I will never buy one in SG! In Batam, even the most popular brand (Batam Layer Cake, the one we always go to) is selling half the price we have in SG. Based on my poor memory, maybe S$25 for a whole cake (original). Depending on the store, some have more Creative flavours, some stick to the usual one. The flavours I came across are original, prune, raisin, cheese, coffee, pandan, durian, chempedak, mocha (different from coffee), nutella and chocolate.
Sanitary Pad – Ladies, you can get a whole year supply at a friction of the price in SG! Charm is their local favourite I believe. Cheap and so many variant! Laurier user, they got you covered too!
Laundry detergent/softener – Most of the time the only thing I won’t give it a miss is Downy! No matter how many time I said “I’m not buying anything this time”! Downy is so expensive in SG and I had to resort to buying from Batam! Yes, I am totally fine with looting my 6-8 refill pack back to SG! Heavy die me but save my wallet!stick up my Downy softener when I’m there!
Personal care – Toothbrush, toothpaste, shower gel (I recall Ginvera Spa collection are worth buying too!), body scrub (must buy!!), shampoo, hair mask (Samantha, Eclipse, Dove, so many brand to choose from), face wash and deo. Your name it, we bought it!
Instant Noodle – Instant noodle came individually packed! You choose your own bundle and they just 20-30 cents per packet! Why cannot buy?? Remember the hot favourite salted egg indomie? Yeap! Can be found there at less than a dollar!
All in all, just remember to bring along a shopping/trolley bag or whichever bag that u find most convenient for u! No need to feel paiseh because when u realised u don’t have a bag, u will blame yourself for not bringing one along! Ehem, that’s a friendly reminder! #dontsayinoshare
Always the most anticipated trip!!! ❤
Tempted To Love 