Montigo Resort, A Short Getaway Day 1
Saturday, August 22, 2015 | 0 Comment |
Monday, 17 Aug. I met up with some friends because it would have been the last night that I would be available to meet before embarking on my Bkk, USA x Vancouver student exchange.
After months of anticipation and much preparations, I was so ready to go!! The countdown began as it was only 12 hours before my flight to bkk!
As my friends and I were about to head home, one of them showed me the worst news possible. A bomb blast occurred in the center of bkk's busiest districts, a sacred shrine visited by hundreds of buddist locals and foreigners daily, was instantly defaced by an act of terror. Once I learnt the news, it was not long before reality set in. Knowing my parents, they would definitely disallow me to go.
Not that they could stop me, but I wouldn't want to be selfish and keep them worrying about my safety if my bf and I had proceeded with the long awaited trip. We had a full 5 day 4 night itinerary planned, to make sure we visited all our favourite places such as Caturday Cat Cafe and unexplored territory like Union Mall.
We were both so disappointed.
I made some calls to Jetstar and AIG to see if our flight would be available for claim. Both companies asked me to call each other -.- but, the Jetstar customer service officer was really nice and understanding and surpassed my expectations. Thankfully, Jetstar is reported to waive rebooking fees for flights on 18 Aug. I have yet to call because I am still in Montigo but hopefully they will give me good news.
So, desperate for a getaway, Darren and I made last minute arrangements to Montigo Resort, Batam. Never have we made decisions faster. LOL. We didn't want to be stuck in Singapore days leading up to our 4 month physical separation. Dramatic, I know.
Day 1, 18 Aug.
My sis dropped us off at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal which is super ulu and she offered to be our ride back too! Yay!!
on the ferry
Agoda had the best offer for Montigo's Hilltop Villa, with last minute hot deal discounts and free breakfast. The total came to be about $630 for 2 nights. The other webpages such as booking.com were at least $670 or more.
We spent another $110 for a ferry ride both ways and it includes travel insurance as well.
Changed another $300 to rupiah at 9600 rp to 1 SGD. (which we have spent mostly on the expensive resort food, nice nonetheless)
TOTAL DAMAGE: $1080, $540 each. (BKK would have been $386+$330+$1.2k = $1.9k)
The resort is really beautiful and quiet. It is very clean and spacious too. We didn't do any beach activities cos only 2 people, play banana boat also not fun.. (plus, its quite expensive to get a taxi to bring us to Turi beach about 150k per way.)
So we just ate a lot, I look at you, you look at me lor.. what else?? haha.
Montigo provides a free pick up and drop off service from the ferry terminal at Nongsa. Although we made a last minute booking in the middle of the night, they managed to arrange pick up for us along with other Singaporeans. I must say, their service is really excellent.
Although its just the two of us, the entire villa was at our disposal.
We had a spacious living room and a well equipped kitchen area with stoves, sink, microwave and fridge. All the utensils were also provided but we didn't use them. Both bed rooms are on the second floor a the pool/sea view, one with double bed and the other with king bed. Both have their own toilets. The roof top is also available for bbqs etc (but damn hot lah in the afternoon).
Also to get around the entire resort, there are buggy services which you can call as and when you need for free. We didn't really tip (except for housekeeping) because you will always need a buggy.. too hilly and far to walk.
At Tadd's Restaurant - All Day Dining for a late lunch
Food at the resort is of comparable standards to Singapore and isn't cheap but still cheaper even after a 20% tax.
Montigo provides a free pick up and drop off service from the ferry terminal at Nongsa. Although we made a last minute booking in the middle of the night, they managed to arrange pick up for us along with other Singaporeans. I must say, their service is really excellent.
at the reception waiting to check in
They greeted us with an iced lemon grassy drink and a cold towel. One thing to note is the entire resort is not airconditioned except for your rooms and perhaps the gym and business meeting room facilities. There are 2 dining areas, one below the reception and one on the other side of the resort. They aren't hot if there is a fan above you, but there are mosquitos and sparrows who target your food when the chance arises.
the view from the living room/private pool
Although its just the two of us, the entire villa was at our disposal.
We had a spacious living room and a well equipped kitchen area with stoves, sink, microwave and fridge. All the utensils were also provided but we didn't use them. Both bed rooms are on the second floor a the pool/sea view, one with double bed and the other with king bed. Both have their own toilets. The roof top is also available for bbqs etc (but damn hot lah in the afternoon).
Also to get around the entire resort, there are buggy services which you can call as and when you need for free. We didn't really tip (except for housekeeping) because you will always need a buggy.. too hilly and far to walk.
At Tadd's Restaurant - All Day Dining for a late lunch
Food at the resort is of comparable standards to Singapore and isn't cheap but still cheaper even after a 20% tax.
complementary bread
these mango and strawberry yogurt smoothies are perfect for the hot afternoon
Montigo's Signature Nasi Goreng
MUST TRY! Daaaamn nice. came with beef skewers, chicken wing and a fresh grilled prawn.
(115k rp)
Jetty at Montigo.
Watching the sunset while soaking in our private pool
Sunset view from bedroom!
At the dinner restaurant below the reception which serves chinese food and sea food.
The giant fan behind us seems to be wireless and portable. Damn ups. They also lit mosquito coils but Darren didn't spray insect repellent and still ended up getting lots of bites.
I don't have food photos here cos its super dim (and romantic) but we ordered
Asparagus and crab soup
Cuttlefish deep fried with 3 flours (DAMN SHIOK THIS ONE)
Braised home made tofu with vegetables
Dry chicken mee sua
Ate till I had a food baby, the food was all very delicious.
Each dish was less than SG$10.
Cheap and really good.
Sun still setting while at dinner
Labels: batam, montigo, montigo resort, review, short getaway
Remembering LKY
Sunday, March 29, 2015 | 0 Comment |
I knew we were fortunate to be in this bustling city that is clean and safe but I did not have a real sense of appreciation till this week. I have been to third world countries to volunteer and I would be reminded of how fortunate I am to be Singaporean but it fades as quickly as it comes. Every time I returned with excitement while in the plane as it soared over the island. A sense of familiarity and relief would overcome me as I knew I would be returning to a home with clean water, hot showers, even flooring, tar roads and the most important of all, the peace that transcends the busy city state.
What I love most about Singapore, other than the amazing food we have, is really how safe it is. I don't have to care if I will be mugged on the street, I can chope a seat with my bag and lap top in it, I can go to a toilet and not worry if I will be drugged, kidnapped and sold and I can walk on the streets in the wee hours if I wanted to and no one would bother me. If it was not for Mr Lee's revolutionary ideas, this safety and order would not be possible and perhaps, I would not be able to write this as a female. I would be 24, a wife and a mother with 3 kids or something, fussing over household chores and the children and my main concern would not be completing my university education.
Today, we bid farewell to Mr Lee Kuan Yew but it's also today that I welcome a new meaning to being a Singaporean. I am proud to be one and I thank Mr Lee for his vision and foresight which has provided equal opportunities for all, regardless of race, language or religion and not forgetting gender. This city in a garden has never looked more beautiful.
Labels: lky, remeberinglky, singaporean
The More You Want The Less You May Get
Monday, August 04, 2014 | 0 Comment |
1. Acceptance
Since we are considered social beings, it is natural to only want to be accepted.
You want your parent's to accept your bf/gf/husband/wife.
You want your friends to accept your weirdness.
You want people to love you yet you love to hate too.
Stop seeking it. It is only when you accept that acceptance will never come as you want, which is when acceptance will come as you want, but you don't need it anymore.
2. Youth
No man can turn back time. Time awaits no man.
Cherish your youth and not waste it on petty matters like shitty friends or partying. Haha. Call me a square but I like to chill in my own little corner. Pun totally intended.
3. Perfection
This is something I've really learnt to let go off over the years. I think I was brought up in an environment where mistakes would not be tolerated and I felt that anything short of an A was failure. Or not getting chosen or representing some thing really was something unacceptable. With time, and more exposure to different people, cultures, issues and situations, I really have grown so so so much!
But there are things that the more you crave, the more you are likely to change and be better.
I won't number this because, I believe that happiness is the true root of success. If you are happy, you will find that success will couple this feeling of euphoria. It is the reward of a positive mind set and the driving force for anything good. Positivity attracts more positivity; negativity attracts more negativity.
Success alone does not make you happy too. A king may be lonely, a rich man can also be poor.
Success isn't everything. Happiness is.
Day Trip to JB
Monday, July 14, 2014 | 0 Comment |
Running out of places to go in Singapore, so JB is the next destination to visit!Woke up bright and early to get to Kranji MRT so we could board the public buses (170 or 160) to JB. Later I discovered through my colleague that you can take CW2 at Bugis. -.-
We crossed the border and walked around City Square Mall for a bit. There were many big brands there like Nike / Esprit / Starbucks.
Later we went to Taman Sri Tevrau by the yellow cabs. (The blue ones cost about double. Yellow cabs go by estimated distances and a sum agreed upon before you board the taxi. We spent about 8RM for the whole cab.)
Steaming hot Ah Soon Bak Kut Teh in a clay pot. Sorry for the blur pic but we all couldn't wait to eat!
These you tiao were very fluffy, chewy and crispy on the outside.
THE TAU POK. I don't understand why the tau pok is not sold in Singapore except at the Outram Park Bak Kut Teh store cos it is the BEST tasting thing ever!!!!
Spent 13RM on this meal including drinks! It is really a very affordable travel destination
Later we cabbed to KSL! We tried to walk there but I think we weren't that near. KSL has lots of nail and hair shops and female clothing stores. And a ton of mobile phone accessory push carts!!! At least 10 - 20 and they all differ slightly but sell pretty much the same things. Apparently a lot of Johorians go to KSL to get their phone accessories cos there are so many, prices are rly competitive too!
In between we went to KBOX and karaoked for about 2.5 hours. Spent about 20ish RM came with 2 jugs of honey lemon and snacks.
Lastly, we went to Taman Sentosa to have a seafood feast!
Hai Kee Seafood. The store owner was really a very nice lady! It was pouring and I wanted to go to the toilet. She helped me get an umbrella and even gave me the 20 cents we had to pay to enter the toilet. She was rly nice and her cooking is fabulous!!
Check out the JUGS of Sugarcane and Fresh Coconut Juice. All under 3.50RM each and they are rly big in portion!
Cereal Chicken I think. THIS IS DAMN DELICIOUS!! I'm gona go back and eat this again.
The cereal alone was already very tasty! I really wanted to try the prawn cos it looked really good but I'm allergic so..
Sambal Sotong. Not bad too. The very sweet store aunty also came over to ask if it was spicy enough haha.
We also had man tou but my picture was blurry.
Man tou to accompany CHILLI CRAB! I didn't eat the crab but the sauce was rly good.
I really recommend Hai Kee Seafood cos the food and service was really excellent. It's also located in a hawker style area and you wouldn't expect any service there at all too. The drink stall aunty was also really nice. I WILL GO BACK!!!
We then went back to City Square Mall cos some of the group wanted to get a massage. They went to Thai Oddessy and most of them came out a little stoned. lol. Must have been really good. I didn't go for a massage cos I don't really like being touched by other people on my bodily areas.. hahaha.
Went to get my hair washed and blown for 55RM at REDS HAIRDRESSING. Not that cheap but I enjoyed it! Bf got a hair cut for 38RM his was pretty worth it cos I'd say the hair cut turned out really nice and you wouldn't expect it to cost $15.
hehe.
Road Trip Summary:
City Square Mall
KSL
Taman Sri Tevrau (Ah Soon Bak Kut Teh)
Taman Sentosa (Hai Kee Seafood)
Took cab from place to place. Each place was about 10 min drive from each other. Cab ride cost 8-10 RM per trip. Was quite hard to get a cab when it rained and we also needed 3 cabs so spent quite some time waiting.
On hind sight, we had 11 people and should have booked 2 large cars, probably would have been cheaper and would require less waiting.
I really enjoyed leaving Singapore for the day with my bf and his friends who were kind enough to bring us around. :)
POULET x SYMMETRY
Monday, June 30, 2014 | 0 Comment |
Went to Poulet about 2 weeks ago to celebrate bf's birthday. We're so old now..We decided to noms at Poulet cos they have amazing reviews and I've been seeing it on my instagram feed.
Don't know why I look so stiff here haha
Tried the French Onion Soup. About $5++.
It was quite delicious and the croutons had parmesan too.
I had the half roasted chicken. About $20++
I must say that their chicken is really soft and tender. It was easy to cut and separate from the bone but half a chicken was too much for me to finish. After about a quarter chicken I started to get really sick of it and the cream sauce was also very creamy which made everything a little hard to digest.
I'd say only eat this if you're a big eater!
Pork Belly. About $20++
Bf had the Pork Belly and what appears to be the yellow cream on the side is actually a buttery mashed potato. I preferred this dish to mine because it had an actual side dish to mix it up a little and the mashed potatoes were heavenly!!
The pork wasn't overly fat as well. It had the right balance of fats and meat and it was super super super delicious.
We had Tiramisu in a jar for dessert and it was delightful! About $9++
Rate: 3.5 / 5
Though, it is unlikely that I will return because it's a little pricey and though the food was good it wasn't very satisfying. You get what I mean.
Went to SYMMETRY today! I've been wanting to go there to try their truffle fries and we did have a bucket full!
Flat White - $5.50 ++
Truffle Fries - $15++
Mentaiko Pasta - $19 ++
A bit disapppointed cos it's almost as expensive as the one they had at TCC Salmon Mentaiko Pasta ( with poached egg and salmon slices ) @ $21 ++ and it really was just pasta and roe and sauce. On the menu it read as though there would be other things.. but it turned out it is cheese.
We didn't order anymore cos the fries was really one bucket full and we ate them all!!!! And we'd be broke too. The bill totalled about $46 for 3 items on the menu.
Rate: 3 / 5
This cafe is really pricier than the others I've been to. The truffle fries were good but too much for 2 people and like I said the pasta was roe and carbs. I didn't try the coffee but bf said it was quite acidic.
This place would be great if you went with 3 people or more to share their fries!
SYMMETRY
9 Jalan Kubor #01-01 S(199206)
Opening Hours
MON 1030 – 2100
TUE – THU 1030 – 2300
FRI 1030 – 0000
SAT 0900 – 0000
SUN 0900 – 1900
