HARRIS Resort Waterfront Batam: Budget Seaside Staycation

Looking for a cheap seaside staycation in Batam? HARRIS Resort Waterfront Batam at Waterfront City, Sekupang, has red- and green-roofed blocks stepping down the hill to the sea, with the Barelang Bridge in the distance. In our video, nightly rates ranged from RM164 to RM603.

One of the more affordable options is the roughly 32-square-metre HARRIS Room. It's bright, with wooden floors, a TV, an orange desk that doubles as a small pantry, and a large balcony facing the sea. For families there's a Family Room with a bunk bed and direct pool access, plus the larger HARRIS Suite.

Breakfast is at HARRIS Cafe, which has halal options, overlooking the pool. The resort also has a kids' pool, a free kids' club, mini golf, a spa, a gym, its own beach, kayaks and seaside BBQs. The grounds are big, so a shuttle service runs between buildings.

From Johor Bahru, take the ferry from Stulang Laut Ferry Terminal to Batam Centre International Ferry Terminal, then about 20 kilometres by Grab or taxi to the resort. Batam runs on WIB time, an hour behind Malaysia, so keep that in mind when checking ferry schedules.

HARRIS Resort Waterfront Batam suits families who want an overseas holiday on a small budget, as it's far cheaper than many beach resorts in Malaysia. It opened in 2002 and was renovated in 2018. Your passport should be valid for at least six months, and you can change money for Rupiah at the ferry terminal or use the ATM inside the resort. Other facilities include a gym, a convenience store, billiards and a paid airport transfer.