Living in Batam

**Kenanderberg** · 03-08-12, 16:10

Just a heads up to anyone needing information about relocating to and living in Batam. Check our www.smilinghillbatam.com for useful information about Batam, as well as information about Smiling Hill, an expat community complete with a first-rate swimming pool and the #1-rated restaurant in Batam.

**monicaej** · 23-10-12, 16:09

Hi Kenanderberg,

I went through the Batam FAQ on your web, it is very helpful.
We plan to move to Indonesia soon. My husband will work near Pekanbaru, and the family in Batam. Flights are frequent and cheap, and there is international highschool there.

However I still have a doubts about how life in Batam could be for a Mum and a teenager girl. Most information of life in Batam stated that asian girls are happy to give company to westerns men. Is this aspect so strong that could affect us? the proportion of expat full families is big enough to live happily?

Sorry about that question.... I hope you or someone can give me a helpfull opinion.

**samboiss** · 25-11-12, 09:17

Hi Monica, My family moved to Batam in September and we are living in Villa Panbil, there are lots of other western families here. While it seems to be true that the local girls are happy to give company to the western men, it does not affect the way that we live. Vill Panbil, for us has been a great place to be, there are several other communities too.
There is also a Batam wives club which meets Tuesdays for lunch, we have a lot of different nationalities among us, we also have Zumba classes and another wife conducts a Pilates class, there is also a bible study group and some of the ladies are doing charity work with an orphanage, currently we are putting together a recipe book.

There are 2 international schools that I know of (my children are homeschooled so I do not know all the details), one is Global and the other Oasis (I am not sure of its official name, I know that it is located close to the Mcdermott Complex).

If you have any other questions please ask.

Samantha

**harupitari** · 24-12-12, 15:39

Originally Posted by samboiss

Hi Monica, My family moved to Batam in September and we are living in Villa Panbil, there are lots of other western families here. While it seems to be true that the local girls are happy to give company to the western men, it does not affect the way that we live. Vill Panbil, for us has been a great place to be, there are several other communities too.
There is also a Batam wives club which meets Tuesdays for lunch, we have a lot of different nationalities among us, we also have Zumba classes and another wife conducts a Pilates class, there is also a bible study group and some of the ladies are doing charity work with an orphanage, currently we are putting together a recipe book.

There are 2 international schools that I know of (my children are homeschooled so I do not know all the details), one is Global and the other Oasis (I am not sure of its official name, I know that it is located close to the Mcdermott Complex).

If you have any other questions please ask.

Samantha

Dear Samantha ,

Can you give me some information about living in Villa Panbil ? And about environment around villa panbil. And where you usually doing shopping ?

Thanks
Harupitari

**samboiss** · 02-01-13, 20:45

Dear Harupitari
We love living here, however that being said we do not rent through the Villa Panbil management, I have heard that they are not the best to deal with when things need to be repaired, there are several homes that are available for rent through private owners, typically the furniture is nicer through a private owner too, if you need some help let me know and I will be happy to get you a few phone numbers to call. We also used a local lady that we met and she was very helpful in showing my husband around as well as translating.
There is a nice pool here as well as a gym and nice restaraunt. The landscaping is nice and it is a gated community with good security.
We shop at several places, Kepri mall is just down the street and their is a decent grocery store (carrefour) there, we also get groceries at Hypermart in either Batam Center Mall or Nagoya Hill Mall, there is also Diamond grocery at DC Mall (good for Mozzarella cheese). There are quite a few malls with grocery stores and you can find almost everything you need at them (sometimes you have to go to several stores to shop though). We also shop at the traditional markets about once a week for te best prices on fresh fruit and veggies as well as seafood, there are a couple of good ones (Bhuja Bahari or Penuin) and the taxi drivers know where they are.

Hope this helps

Sam