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 raining lightly. 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 as I could not 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.

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.

While shopping, 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 for using the private pool. This is a compact pool, ideally suited for young children and family use.

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!

Beautiful place.

Looking out

This is what our resort looks like.

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.

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, 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 were they 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.

The night falls very early, like Singapore time at 6 plus, similar to Bintan. However that didn't stop SKK and I to explore 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?

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 it after a while.

I guess I can only soak.

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.

The infinity pool edge ends here.

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

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

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 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

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

Later in the afternoon, 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.

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.

Then we returned to the resort for a last swim. I would spend my remaining time at the private pool. I will surely miss this place.

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 mangrove tour.

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

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