5 Spots Outside Batam City Centre That Are Worth the Drive
Photo Source : @UiHua Cheah
Most visitors to Batam tend to stay around Nagoya, Batam Centre, or Harbour Bay… which completely makes sense. That’s where the malls, cafes, massages, and seafood are concentrated.
But Batam gets surprisingly different once you leave the city behind.
Drive far enough out, and the beeps and honks of the city give way to coastal roads, giant bridges stretching across the sea, and memorable beaches. Because some of Batam’s best experiences aren’t actually in the city centre at all.
If you don’t mind spending a little extra time on the road, here are five spots outside Batam’s busy centre that are absolutely worth the drive.
1. Mirota Beach
Photo source: Google Maps
If you’ve ever wondered where all those beautiful “Welcome to Batam” beach photos come from, chances are it’s Mirota Beach.
Located on Galang Island about 55km from Batam’s city centre, this beach is one of Batam’s prettiest coastal escapes. It’s the whole package, complete with powdery white sand, calm turquoise waters, and rows of beachside gazebos.
Getting there is part of the experience itself. The drive takes you across several of Batam’s famous Barelang bridges, with long stretches of ocean views and smaller fishing villages along the way.
Water sports here are surprisingly affordable, but If adrenaline isn’t your thing, you can simply rent a private gazebo by the beach, order coconuts with cocktail umbrellas, and spend the afternoon doing absolutely nothing.
2. Pulau Abang
Photo source: Google Maps
If you love snorkeling, then Abang Island will totally feel like a hidden gem.
Located near the southernmost end of the Barelang highway, getting to Pulau Abang requires by land and by sea. After the drive south, you’ll hop onto a small boat for a scenic ride across clear blue waters before arriving at the island.
Far from Batam’s urban development boom, the waters around Abang Island remain relatively untouched. Coral reefs here are still vibrant and marine life is abundant. Because getting there requires a proper day-trip commitment, it naturally makes Pulau Abang far less crowded than many mainstream island destinations.
3. Taman Rusa Sekupang
Photo source: Google Maps
After all the shopping, seafood, and massages, sometimes you just want somewhere quiet.
Taman Rusa Sekupang offers exactly that. This beautifully upgraded park is one of Batam’s more relaxing outdoor escapes.
The area features jogging tracks, landscaped gardens (complete with Batam’s own Stonehenge), open green spaces, and a large lake that centres the entire park. The titular deer roam around designated areas, while other wildlife shares the tranquil space with locals on their early morning walks.
So if you ever wake up thinking “Oh dear, I need to take a break from all this fun”, a visit to Taman Rusa Sekupang will have you exclaiming “Oh, deer!”
4. Galang Refugee Camp
Photo source: Google Maps
Deep in the southern reaches of Galang Island lies one of Batam’s most unexpected attractions - the former Galang Refugee Camp, known locally as Kampung Vietnam.
Between 1979 and 1996, this quiet corner of Batam became a temporary sanctuary for more than 250,000 Vietnamese and Indochinese refugees. Today, much of the 80-hectare site has been preserved as a historical memorial.
The Camp Vietnam Museum houses photographs, personal belongings, and artifacts. Around the grounds, you’ll also find reconstructed refugee boats, former UNHCR facilities, old places of worship, schools, and hospitals.
A refugee camp is not the kind of attraction people usually associate with Batam - and that’s exactly what makes it one memorable.
5. Nara Singa Kelongs
Photo source: Google Maps
Imagine this - Sea breeze. Wooden decks. Open ocean views. Fresh seafood straight from the nets below. The iconic Barelang Bridge in the background.
Kelongs are traditional wooden platforms built over the sea that function as floating seafood restaurants, and many can be found along the Barelang Bridge network. Dining at a kelong is a uniquely local experience, where the catch comes straight from the sea to your plate. You can literally point to a fish, gonggong (sea snails), or crab swimming in a net and have it served on your table minutes later.
Fun fact - the ‘Barelang Bridge’ is actually a series of 6 bridges that connect the islands of Batam, Rempang, and Galang. The best kelongs are located along Nara Singa, the second bridge. The 25km journey isn’t too far, yet puts enough distance in between that it feels like a purposeful drive.
The right transportation makes your travel plans a lot easier
Photo Source : @UiHua Cheah
While Grab or GoCar are great options to get around in Batam, it can get pretty pricey over long distances. For day trips, car rentals with a driver are a much more flexible option - and they aren’t as expensive as you might think!
Budget and flexibility opens up a lot more options for you to fully explore and enjoy your holiday - and that also extends to getting to Batam. From Berjaya Waterfront, ferries to Batam depart almost every hour, every day of the week - making spontaneous getaways and flexible travel plans much easier. Better yet, open-return tickets give you the freedom to head back whenever you’re ready.
Because sometimes, the best holidays start with how you get there.