Batam: the vibe
Videos from people who went, played right here, with what viewers said underneath. Not part of the score.
The verdict
Mixed · 52Batam draws mostly neutral-to-positive tourist comments about friendliness, food and cheap hotels, but locals and a few visitors flag underdevelopment, industrial character and seedy reputation, so opinion is genuinely mixed.
- friendly locals
- affordable accommodation
- local food
- nearby Nongsa leisure spots
- proximity to Singapore
- growing digital sector
- underdeveloped areas
- industrial feel over tourism
- seedy nightlife reputation
- unclear transport and SIM options
- scam warnings
- trash concerns
- Batam suits short trips better than long-term living for most visitors
- Nongsa is the better area for leisure than downtown
- Locals say the island is still developing and industry-focused
- Cheap hotels and food stand out for budget travelers
- Commentary on digital hub plans relies on infrastructure like power and water
Read from 8 videos, 31 comments and 0 posts on 2026-11-07; the summary is written by a language model and can misread sarcasm.
BATAM ISLAND, INDONESIA - Popular with Asians but not Western tourists!
Hussmeister · 125K views · 2024
What viewers said
“❤Thank you for watching my Batam, Indonesia video. ❤Please subscribe to my channel for exciting adventures and travel tips 👉 Watch all my Batam, Indonesia videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLydUeQuo9GNolvyaFesTWVyVapbe6_BP7&si=ZdPf”
♥ 34 likes
“Hi Sir, thank you for visiting our beautiful city! I’m the digital marketing agent for Pacific Palace Hotel. We really appreciate you choosing our hotel for your stay. Looking forward to welcoming you back to the Riau Islands to explore mor”
♥ 12 likes
“I must admit that I never heard of Batam until today. This has been one big education piece! People look cool! 😄”
♥ 43 likes
“im forgeiner in batam and it is really cool that people starting to go to batam”
♥ 1 likes
“Fun fact: Batam City used to be an industrial island and also gambling hub near Singapore until the Indonesian government decided to completely ban all gambling activities. Only locals and Singaporean/Malaysian tourists knew Batam well, but”
♥ 5 likes
“Thank you for showing us around! I love how you really show everyday life here and not just the touristy spots. Really brings it to life!”
“He’s back - you always entertain us with places unseen - Batam looks cool - the Hotel is very Majestic - a good video my friend ✔️👌👍👋🙏”
♥ 14 likes
“Thanks for showing Batam. The hotel looks nice . Look forward to the next video”
♥ 16 likes
“Thank you so much for showing the batam culture to the World. 🇮🇩 terima kasih!”
♥ 1 likes
“Welcome to Nagoya Thamrin City, Batam Islands 🏝, Kepri”
♥ 1 likes
Found with a YouTube search for the city and “digital nomad”, fetched 2026-11-07; titles, descriptions and comments belong to their authors and link to the originals.