International ferry guide
Batam or Bintan? Which Singapore island ferry to take
Both are short ferry rides from Singapore to an Indonesian island, and there the resemblance ends. The choice is really between a cheap, quick city break and a resort weekend — and once you have chosen, it decides which terminal you leave from and which ferry you take.
Overview
Batam is the closest island, about fifty minutes from HarbourFront, and it is the value option: spas, seafood, outlet shopping and golf, done in a day or a cheap weekend, with all-in fares around S$43 one-way. Bintan is the resort island, about seventy minutes from Tanah Merah to Lagoi, built around beaches, golf and resorts like Banyan Tree and Club Med, with all-in fares from around S$62 one-way.
The practical trap is the terminal. Batam boats leave HarbourFront; Bintan boats leave Tanah Merah, clear across Singapore near Changi. Pick the island first, then the guide below sends you to the right terminal, the right operator and the real price.
Batam — the cheap, quick day-trip
Go to Batam for a low-cost, low-effort break: a spa day, a seafood lunch, shopping, or a round of golf, without committing a whole weekend. It is the closest and cheapest crossing, from HarbourFront, with four operators competing on all-in fares of roughly S$43 one-way.
Bintan — the resort weekend
Go to Bintan for the resorts and the beach: Lagoi’s Banyan Tree, Club Med, Nirwana and Cassia, the golf, Treasure Bay and ANMON. The ferry leaves from Tanah Merah, not HarbourFront, and the resort crossing to Bandar Bentan Telani runs about an hour and ten minutes, from around S$62 one-way, all-in.
Questions travellers ask
Is Batam or Bintan better for a weekend?
Bintan for a resort-and-beach weekend; Batam for a cheaper, quicker city or spa trip. Bintan costs more and takes a little longer, and it leaves from a different Singapore terminal.
Do Batam and Bintan ferries leave from the same place?
No. Batam ferries leave from HarbourFront; Bintan ferries leave from Tanah Merah, near Changi on the east of Singapore. Going to the wrong terminal means missing the sailing.