Ah…. Batam. The place where a lot of Singaporeans like to go. Self drive car rental is not popular here, as most people will opt to book a driver instead. The market rate seems to be S$50/day if you book a driver, but I almost never do that. I don’t like people to drive me around; driving is the holiday, and I prefer it to do it myself. I used Willy’s Car Rental for a Daihatsu Alya 1.0A, which cost me about $95/4 days. That’s about the typical rate for Bali as well for a vehicle of a similar class. Indonesia is one of the cheaper countries to self drive in.
Driving in Batam is a fairly relaxed fair, and I choose to explore Nongsa (day 1), Nagoya (day 2) and another 2 nights in a container house (it’s actually really beautiful and relaxed) near Mall Botania 2. Accordingly to my friends who live in Batam, it’s a relatively secluded area that even they themselves have never been there. However, never once did I feel unsafe. I did notice that there was almost no Chinese around, but I felt very welcomed in the 2 nights that I was there.
People in Batam generally don’t drive very fast, with typical speeds around 50-60 km/h. On the larger and newer roads, you may see speeds around 90 km/h, but they don’t generally speed. There are many motorcycles around, and a lot of them do not have working rear brake lights, so you have to watch out for them at night. It is not surprisingly to see children riding motorcycles. Batam drivers feel a little less skilled than their Bali counterparts, but it is very Indonesian style. There’s a sort of chillness in it.
Drivers don’t really cut you in, and they do give way to each other. 4 days there and I didn’t notice any road rage. The lanes on the right are faster, and can be used for a more comfortable ride as well, however during junctions (not many though), you’ll need to shift back to the left if you wish to go straight. There are no lane markings in many places and based on driving culture, most roads are 2 lanes.
Parking is generally free in most areas, and if someone wants to charge you for it, when you back your car out they will direct you and stop the traffic behind you. The rate has increased to 4,000 rupiah (about $0.40) as of March 2024. It used to be 2,000. It’s alright if you have parked a whole day, but it’s expensive if you have only gone for a short while to use an ATM/buy food, or the like. Just wind down your window and pass it to them when you are about to go.
There is gantry parking available at certain places, and they will give you a coupon with a QR code. Autopay machines tyically don’t work and you just simply drive to the exit, and there will be an attendant at the end. Pass your ticket to them and it is usually around 5,000 rupiah for 2 hours, depending on where you park. Parking is cheap everywhere, even in malls. This is after all, Batam.
Petrol is also 10,000 rupiah/litre, and RON95 will do. Some kiosks will accept cards (mobile payment), though at my second pump they only took cash. A full tank over 4 days of driving 200+km cost me about S$20.
I opted for pickup at the outside of the ferry terminal, and return at Megamall, which is just opposite the ferry terminal. There were no additional costs. My rental company was straightforward, honest and only took $50 as a deposit. I give him about 15,000 rupiah for the parking. He told that is more than enough.
I was never stopped, and no one checked my license, even though I did brought my home and international licenses out. Wearing of seat belts at the front is mandantory and there are cameras in town that will take pictures. Whether they will enforce fines or not; I am not sure.
In short, though uncommon, driving in Batam is easy and an extremely convenient way to get around.
