Holiday Ayo - There’s a place approximately 45 minutes away from Singapore that is perfect for a weekend getaway, where one can indulge in delicious seafood, affordable massages, and lazy days spent lounging on the beach. This is Batam, found in the Riau Islands, a province of Indonesia.

Once you set foot on the island, you will be amazed at this little slice of heaven that is just minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Singapore. There are so many things to do here that you might just be tempted to come back every weekend just to experience them all.

The Batam Centre is a town part of Batam Island targeted to become the center of business and commerce in the whole Batam Island. In the area, you’ll find mosques, interesting architecture, and one of the biggest malls on the island.

The Batam Centre is far from being the hub and the heart of trading in Batam Island.

There is a lot of planned building construction and development in Batam Centre such as the building of more shopping malls, commercial spaces, and business offices.

There is a ferry terminal located in the Centre just across Mega Mall, the biggest mall in the area. The terminal is where visitors coming from Singapore and other surrounding islands dock, which makes Batam Centre a very ideal and convenient place for shopping indeed.


Additionally, the Batam Centre is worth going to if you love traditional houses. There are quite a number of beautiful houses in the Centre that are also billed as some of the attractions in the area. So, depending on your purpose for visiting Batam Island, here are some of the establishments you’ll find in Batam Centre that might interest you:

1. MALLS

Connected by a footbridge from the International Ferry Terminal, the Mega Mall is one of the most frequented shopping malls in Batam Island. The mall has five floors packed with stores selling fashion clothes, electronics and gadgets, furniture and handicraft, and all kinds of knick-knacks.
If you’re looking for imitations, this mall is a good place to start your shopping with. Copy goods made from Bandung, a city in Southern Indonesia, are available.
At the ground level, there is a supermarket with a fresh supply of baked bread straight from the bakery.
On the second floor, you’ll also find a movie theatre, and throughout all the floors you’ll find restaurants and fast food stores serving Indonesian as well as Western cuisines.

2. TEMPLE
The Masjid Raya, also called Grand Mosque, gets its fair share of Batam Island visitors. It has a pyramid-shaped architecture that most find very interesting. A trip to the temple could be planned together with a day of shopping in Mega Mall as it is located just nearby.

3. OTHER STRUCTURES
This building, which is also known as the Batam Development Board Building, was said to have a remarkable design. The “terrace” roof of the building is one of the things that draws the attention of its visitors.
Or you try to come to PEMDA Building. The PEMDA Building is actually a local government building that proudly uses Indonesia’s traditional architecture.