When we think of beachy getaways near Singapore, we often default to places like Bali or Phuket. But here’s your reminder that Batam is only 45 minutes away, with luxe resorts that are practically a one-stop spot for you to get everything you’d want out of a tropical vacay.
For full princess treatment – in the form of a personal villa and private pool – we decided to go on a 3D2N stay at Montigo Resorts in Nongsa and try out as many facilities as we could. Read on for our full experience:
Montigo Resorts is a 5-star resort located in Nongsa, Batam. To get there from Singapore, take a 45-minute ferry ride (~$43/pax for a one-way ticket) from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Nongsapura. From there, the resort is only a 10-minute taxi ride away.
Villas at Montigo Resorts start at ~IDR 2,052,000 (~S$146.12)/night, for the Standard 1-Bedroom Villa that sleeps 2. If you’re travelling with a bigger group, large villas can go up to over S$1,000 per night. Refer to our pricing list below for more details.
One of Montigo Resorts’ best-selling points is its gorgeous private villas. Every single accommodation here is a villa, so whether you’re staying solo or with your friend group, you’ll have an entire house to yourself, with amenities like a personal pool attached.
There are a range of villas to choose from, depending on how many people you’re travelling with. Here’s a rough breakdown of some of the standard rooms:
More options are available on their site as well, including seafront, hilltop, and spa-side accommodations.
We stayed in the Premier 1-Bedroom Villa (From IDR 2,592,000, ~S$184.56/night), which came with a king-sized bed, private pool, mini-bar, smart TV, and spacious living area. There are 2 air-cons – one by the bed and one in the living area – so that the entire place stays cool regardless of where you’re chilling at.
Compared to the standard 1-bedder, ours had a separate bathtub and shower area, plus a nightly turndown service.
The private pool was the highlight of the villa. Take some sea view pics by the pool, or soak up some Vitamin D on the tanning chairs. The Batam sun was pretty strong when we visited, even in comparison to Singapore’s heat, but that’s a win for those of us who wanna get a good tan.
Don’t worry about creating a mess after your swim either, as the resort is equipped with floor towels and rubber slippers so you won’t leave a wet trail OTW back inside.
Toilets are another thing that makes or breaks a hotel stay. Thankfully, this one checked all our boxes, with 2 sinks and a separate shower and toilet area so you won’t have to fight over who uses the loo first.
While the standard 1-bedder is perfect for those travelling solo or in pairs, the larger villas for bigger groups are where the peak resort vibes are at. Here’s a sneak peek of the most extravagant 5-bedroom residence that we’re convinced can fit your entire kampung with room to spare.
Luxurious is almost an understatement for this giant residence. In fact, it can’t even be called a 5-room, ’cause each bedroom is practically its own villa.
This spacious living area is the first thing you’ll see upon entering the residence. It’s basically the common area servicing all 5 accoms; perfect for dinner gatherings or a nighttime movie screening with the fam.
But step outside, and the aesthetic swimming pool is what justifies your $1k/night. There’s room for the entire gang to gather for a poolside party, with semi-sheltered daybeds and tanning chairs.
Of course, each suite is as fancy as you’d expect. Different rooms cater to different sleeping arrangements; some come with a singular king bed, while others are furnished with 2 queen-sized ones.
The regal toilets are another thing to shout about. In particular, the one pictured above is huge – like, larger than our bedrooms at home huge – and comes with a medium-sized jacuzzi and long sink area to get ready alongside your pals.
Now that you’re acquainted with the accommodation options, let’s dive straight into Montigo Resort’s facilities. P.S. Don’t worry about having to navigate the entire resort on foot; there are buggies available on-call 24/7.
At the top of our favourites list is definitely Montigo Wellness spa. A resort trip isn’t complete without some R&R, and this spa offers everything from a classic Thai massage (IDR 756,000, ~S$54.09) to body scrubs (IDR 569,000, ~S$40.71), facials (IDR 756,000, ~S$54.09), and even wellness rituals (IDR 1,187,000, ~S$84.92).
Beauty services like a blow dry (IDR 460,000, ~S$32.91) and classic manicure (IDR 345,000, ~S$24.68) are available too, so you’ll leave the spa looking ultra refreshed.
We opted for the classic Thai massage, and it was a certified shiok experience. Our room even had a sea view!
A resort stay is only worth it if you can try out all the activities you want within its comfy grounds, so we were stoked to see Montigo Resorts’ variety of water sports offerings.
Some stand-outs include jet skiing (from IDR 800,000, ~S$57.23), paddleboarding (from IDR 250,000, ~S$17.89), and wakeboarding (from IDR 400,000, ~S$28.62), amongst others.
Since everything’s done on resort premises, you’re a 5-minute buggy ride away from your villa, which is truly a lifesaver if you want to wash up ASAP after a day of activities in the sun.
If you’d rather stay out of the water, there are land activities to busy yourself with too.
For starters, clock in your morning workout at daily 10am Yoga classes (IDR 242,000, ~S$17.30), or reconnect with nature on a 3-hour guided hike (IDR 350,000, ~S$25.02).
For something rowdier, go ATV riding (IDR 607,500, ~S$43.46), or test your aiming skills at an archery course (IDR 250,000, ~S$17.87).
Not all activities are suitable for kiddos, but your youngins have their own Tilo Kids Club (IDR 150,000, ~S$10.72) to enjoy, where they’ll get to befriend fellow tots and keep busy with wholesome activities.
A good meal is an absolute need to start and end a jam-packed day of resort activities. Luckily, there are 4 restaurants and 1 poolside bar within Montigo Resorts itself, so you won’t have to travel far for quality food.
Each restaurant specialises in a different cuisine. Head to Warung Montigo for local Indonesian specialties, Pantai for Chinese dishes, Hinotori for Japanese food, and TADDS for Western.
Of these, our favourite was Warung Montigo, where we got to enjoy a variety of Indonesian dishes. Side note: The keropok dipped in their sambal is *chef’s kiss*!
If you’re craving a hearty meal to share with the fam, Pantai is a great option too. Order their sharing plates for a filling dinner. Some of our picks include their generously portioned prawn bee hoon, tender steamed fish, and black pepper beef.
In between meals, you can also visit TIIGO Nongsa for a light snack or cocktail. TIIGO is Montigo’s in-house poolside bar that doubles as a small beach club. We recommend visiting in the evening for stunning sunset views.
Brekkie features a delicious spread as well, with a mix of both local and Western dishes to fuel up with.
If you’re looking for a weekend getaway that’s almost as near as JB, but with a completely different landscape, consider pampering yourself with a stay at Montigo Resorts.
With atas restaurants for foodies, water and land activities for thrill-seekers, and most important of all, a swanky villa to catch up on lost sleep, this getaway’s one the entire family can get in on.
More things to do in Batam:
Cover image adapted from: Montigo Resorts Batam
This tropical getaway is less than an hour away from Singapore!
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