Why do I like Batam's pubs?
Well, I like the people I get to meet in them, I like the female staff and I like the food , which is of a surprisingly high standard - certainly better than I can find back home in the UK.

Pubs are about people. I like to meet interesting people. I meet more people who are doing more interesting things in Batam, than anywhere else that I have ever been.

Batam's pub goers are dominated by older expats. Most have led very interesting lives. There are no aggressive male homones in Batam's pubs. Everybody is getting more than enough pussy. There is no need to start fights.

Then there is the food. Just in the strip from Lucy's to Bistro, you can find a big variety of cooking of excellent quality. Best of all, most places have no bullshit - what they offer is what you get. If someone screws up your order, (nobody is perfect) the staff in all places are only too obliging to fix the problem.

Finally, the staff. As a silly old guy, I am easily charmed by attractive young women who find me interesting. There is no greater pleasure in life than to waste a couple of lazy hours, joking around with the lovely girls in Lucys, Ethnic or Red Cock on a quiet afternoon, when there are few other customers. Bring some small gifts or order them a pizza and you will be a star for the afternoon.

There is then the Wallabies. Never be detered to go to the Wallabies for a meal. which are excellent. They have the best pizzas in town. I also like their goulash soup.

On the other side of Batam (the Puri Garden Side), the is the Honey Pot and Horse Shoe Pub. Both are nice decent Pubs and reasonably priced.

One of my favourite is definetely the Jungle Pub, which if you discuss with the pubbing committe in Batam, has a certain charm. Ani, its manageress is always willing to help. .... be it a matter of getting on a reliable taxi, or if you are feeling hungry, one of the girls would just run over to the nearby coffee-shop to buy you a meal. Unfortunately to say, most of the girls that work in the Jungle Bar are prostitutes, but sitting in this bar would make you consider that they are only human and it is their economic situation that has forced them to be so.

This bar would remain open even till 4 am if you are sitting and having a beer.(even till 6 am if you want to) Now that is what I call good service.

Cross the road and less than 30 seconds away is Lucy's Oarhouse. A good pub with the sweetest staff in town. Try their fish and chips, roast beef sandwich, sausage and mash and steak sandwich. They make their own pickles and you can eat as much as you like.

The quieter and more brightly lit Red Cock serves good English style food, not too spicey. Opposite is the Steps Music Lounge, which also serves a range of western dishes on the 3rd the floor. Steps has a good band. Beers costs Rp27,500.

Next to Steps is the Ice Pub, where you find a large number of Batam's English speaking freelance hookers.

Some may not call the PP Banana (upstairs from Lucys) a pub - more like a gogo bar. But they do sell beers for Rp20,000. I love this bar when I am the only customer and I have the full attention of a dozen or two absolutely gorgeous young women. Full marks to the management, as the girls here never hassle you for drinks or money. There are few places in the world where the girls can make an old guy like me can feel more like a king that an ATM machine.

Taxi-drivers would never recomend the above Pubs because they would never get a commission for taking you there. They would in fact try to disuade you from going there and recommend other places where they get a cut.(These places are expensive).

So the best place to go first is the strip containing the Jungle Bar, Lucys Red cock and Step Music Lounge (not a pub). they start opening from 10am.(Tell the Taxi driver "Jungle Bar, Behind Kedai Kopi Indah"). Once in a Bar, ask the Patrons or Bar Staff for directions to other bars. Basically, all the pubs lie in a 1 km radius, and most that are worth visiting are in this one street.

Prices:
The reason why these pubs do not give cab drivers commission is becauses their prices for drinks are cheap.
Beers Cost Rp 16000- Rp20,000 each (S$3 to S$4)
Mixed Drinks Rp 25,000 - 35,000 each (S$5-7)
Pools and Darts are available in most pubs.
Always remember that you have earned a living for yourself and you do not have to buy any drinks for anyone in the above joints. There would be some girls (freelances) who would ask you to buy them some drinks. If she has been nice or you fancy her then buy her a drink. Or else just politely turn down the honour of buying her a drink. If she continouly bothers you, inform the bar staff, who are always willing to help to hush such pests off. However, this is usually a rare situation.

I am not one of those interested in the flesh trade but I mainly go to Batam for the pub life, it is something you will enjoy.

As a matter of interest, the Jungle until 1997 used to be where the present Lucy is.