Forty-five minutes by ferry from Singapore, Batam has long been a quick-hit destination: a seafood lunch, a cheap massage, some shopping, home. That script is being rewritten. A rebuilt ferry terminal, a wave of new resorts and a surprisingly interesting independent dining scene are turning the Riau island into a proper weekend escape.

Start with the journey itself. In July 2026, Singapore opened a new ferry terminal beside HarbourFront Centre with self-service check-in, automated baggage handling and a much larger waiting area. It serves Batam Centre, Harbour Bay and Sekupang; travellers bound for the resort zone of Nongsa can sail from Tanah Merah to Nongsapura instead.

The flagship stay remains Montigo Resorts Nongsa, opened in 2012 and since refreshed. Its whitewashed villas step down a hillside above the Singapore Strait, from studios up to five-bedroom layouts, every one with a private pool. Groups can book linked compounds that share a dining room and pool, with staff arranging alfresco dinners under string lights. Eating options span Indonesian food at Warung Montigo, Chinese cuisine and seafood at Pantai, and the Hinotori izakaya, plus tennis, padel and spa huts on site.

Bigger things are coming. Opus Bay, a self-contained waterfront district with its own ferry terminal from Singapore, welcomes its first guests in December 2026. The opening phase includes the 35-storey Balmoral Tower, 493 rooms and billed as Batam's largest hotel, with kitchenette-equipped suites and an AI concierge.

Wellness is levelling up too. Sidjih Wellness Village at Batam View Beach Resort soft-opened in February 2026 with seven garden spa villas featuring hot tubs and rain showers, plus yoga, sound healing and cooking classes built around an organic farm. Prefer the city? The 168-room Grand Swiss-Belhotel Harbour Bay, soft-opened April 2026, sits a short walk from the ferry terminal and Bayfront Mall, built around an indoor garden atrium.

Food is the quieter story. Melawa Paragon Hill, opened in April 2026, showcases traditional Malay cooking from the Riau Islands with communal makan berhidang feasting. Baseline House at TAO Padel pairs courts with a brunch-friendly café in Taman Baloi. Garam & Madu does reservation-only sourdough Neapolitan pizza from tiny premises, and Sreg Coffee Roasters in Baloi Permai pours serious Indonesian beans – its barista Andika Pratama won the 2022 Indonesia AeroPress Championship.

For Singapore-based travellers, Batam now offers resort luxury and genuine dining without a flight. For everyone else, it's an easy add-on: an hour by boat from HarbourFront or Tanah Merah, with operators like BatamFast and Majestic Fast Ferry running frequent sailings.