QUICK OUTINGS WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF NAGOYA
Tj Sengkuang - Batu Merah
Best time to visit this area is from 4pm to 6pm (depart from Nagoya at 3.30pm.)
Fitness Level: Moderate to fit: You can see this area either on foot or bicycle.
By foot: Must be able walk in hilly terrain for about an hour.
By bicycle: Must be able to push or carry the bike up and down long stairways. For an example of bicyle unfriendly terrain, look carefully at the photo below: "kampung batu merah6.jpg"
To reach Batu Merah, drive all the way past McDermott's yard, passing Profab's yard on your left and HEI's factory on your right. Just before the road enters Batu Merah village entranceway (see photo below), turn right on the narrow ashpalt road leading up the hill past the waiting taxis and ojek drivers. About 30 metres after the right turn, turn left and get out of the car. Start walking. Make your way on foot through the Batu Merah's village houses, staying on the hill and parallel to the sea, keep heading west towards Tanjung Sengkuang. Send the driver to wait at Barelang (ex-Lestari Seafood) Restaurant carpark (or flag down another taxi when you have walked far enough, and return to town - there are plenty of taxis.)
This is where the main road past McDemott and Profab ends and Kampung Batu Merah begins. Turn right through this entranceway, go 30m up the hill, turn left and start walking west through village houses, staying parallel to the coast on your left.
To see an image full sized, click on it and press [F11].
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General Area Map. The roads and trails mentioned on this page are not shown on this map. |
About 300 metres from starting to walk, the pathway should descend down some steps to cross this stream.
To see an image full sized, click on it and press [F11].
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After crossing the steep and narrow stream, shown in the photo next to the map, start heading away from the coast and up the hill. You should find yourself in an area where there are sea views over your left shoulder. Continue over the top of the hill until you come out at the main Tj Sengkuang road. Fiond your way to the three way Sengkunag-Batu Merah intersection (see photo) and follow the asphalt road which heads left back downhill to Barelang Restaurant. You will see the rubber trees getting bigger as you head towards the sea. Turn right off the asphalt road into the dirt road which passes though the rubber trees. (See photo.) Follow this short road through the rubber, you will get to the village on the coast and you will have bypassed your waiting car at the Barelang Seafood, which will be to your left.
If you are worried about about getting lost, check out the area by car before starting your walk. Pick up a namecard of the Barelang Restaurant, in case you need to show it to the locals.
After crossing the stream, veer to the right and head up the hill. You should find yourself in the area pictured in this and the next photo.. |
Houses on the way to the hilltop. |
The stream crossing, looking back the way we just came. |
ASKING DIRECTIONS:
When deep in the kampung, villagers may try to be helpful and want to direct you back towards a main road. Ignore them, as your objective is to enjoy seeing some Indonesian village life and the views of the Straits and Johore. If they ask where you are going, just say "jalan jalan" (walking around). There is really no point asking directions of the locals except if you are hopelessly lost (which should be almost impossible in such a small area) and you need help to find a main road. If that is the case, just say you need a "taxi". It is polite to remove your shoes before entering someone's house.
A couple of hundred metres after crossing the stream, the trail reaches the top of the hill from where there are nice views over Tering Bay to Nongsa and over the Straits to Johore. |
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The view across to Johore. |
Houses on the Batu Merah - Tanjung Sengkuang hill.
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From Tj Sengkuang hill looking over Tering Bay to Batam View and Purajaya Resorts. |
Barelang Seafood kelong restaurant through the trees. Singapore in the background. |
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The Sengkuang to Batu Merah junction is about 600m from the start of the walk. Turn left here and head back downhill towards the sea. There is a rubber plantation behind the fence (on your right). |
Turn right into this rubber plantation. |
Through the rubber plantation to Kg Batu Merah seafront. |
Sengkuang Junction to Batu Merah road. (Just before the rubber plantation turnoff.) |
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