Riau Province Travel Forum

Hello.
Can anyone help me?
Is the trip from Batam to Pekanbaru a non stop ferry trip??
Is it easy to Get from Pekanbaru to the westcoast(How long by bus or taxi)
Are there any train routes from east to west or north to south?

Sekupang Port (Batam) - Pekanbaru (Riau) there are some ferry schedule
Where is your destination from Pekanbaru? If to Padang you can go by Aircon Buss

Have a nice trip,
Rini

Hi,
The trip is a long one by ferry and bus and sometimes travellers can take the wrong ferry and it takes twice as long.
Buses to Bukittinggi are hot and take something like 10 hrs.
If you are going to be in Singapore why don't you fly with TigerAirways from Singapore to Padang in West Sumatra- fares are so..so.. cheap.
You buy over the internet with your credit card and print off the schedule.
I flew with TigerAirways in August 2006 from Padang to Singapore( booked over the internet in the April as I needed a ticket out of Indonesia on 60th day- my main ticket back to Oz was for quite a few months later.)
Padang is only one hour by bus from Bukittinggi and you can get the Damri bus from the airport, tell the driver you want to go to Bukittinggi and he will let you off about 15 minutes into the journey and you will catch a travel car up to Bukittinggi. Price in 2006 was only 35,000 rupiah and the car should take you to the door of your hotel.
If you need any other details just ask here and I will endeavour to help you.
I spent 5.5 months in Indonesia in 2006 mainly Sumatra 3.5 months, Java 35 days, Aceh 18 days, 5 days in Kuta Lombok and 6 days in south Sulawesi.
How long are you staying in Indonesia?
Pamela.

Thank you.
Maybe we will go for the Tiger airways to Padang.
We do not have many days for this vacation and are thinking of flying to
Jakarta after a few days. Is it possible to get recomendations on things to do/see in the Padang area? Mountains,volcanoes , animal parks etc..?
We will also try to find a nice beach around there.

Hi,
From the airport you should be able to catch a DAMRI bus and tell them you want to go to Bukittinggi. They will drop you off at a point where a travel car wil take you the rest of the way to Bukittinggi because the DAMRI will be heading into Padang city centre.
In Bukittinggi and Lake Maninjau there are lots ot see and do.
Read this blog from a traveller I helped with information in Dec 2006.
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/hongkongclauses/sumatra-2006/1198469580/tpod.html
and a wonderful report from an Australian woman I helped to get a social visa to stay in the Bukittinggi and Lake Maninjau area for 3 months from March 2006.
http://forum.indahnesia.com/topic/3985/0/recent_trip_report_from_west_sumatra.php

There are beaches north of Padang, but they are not fantastic. My suggestion would be to see Bukittinggi and Lake Maninjau first and then organise some transport from Bukittinggi to one of those beaches north of Padang that will not be too far from the airport. Stay a day or two and get transport directly to the airport.
If you email Hendri at hen_westsumatra@yahoo.com he could help with taking you on that 2 day trek mentioned in the reports if you are interested ( I did the trek and loved it) and after he would be the best person I know of, to help you with the right info' to get to one of those beaches before you head back to Padang for your flight.
PM me if you need anymore info'. Always happy to help.
Pamela.