Thursday, June 23, 2016

6 Fun Things To Do On A Vacation To Harris Waterfront Resort Batam (Giveaway!)

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I know that the June holidays are coming to an end, but you know what keeps you going? Planning for your next holiday! =P
Want to bring your family for a vacation but cannot afford to spend too much time and too much money?? I’ve got just the solution for you – Plan a getaway to somewhere nearby so that you don’t have to burn a hole in your pocket, yet enjoy the feeling of being overseas and on a relaxing vacation! Frequent travelers would know that one of the best ways to go on an affordable holiday is to skip the flights because they often form a huge portion of your expenses. Take the ferry instead to Batam and you can also have a memorable vacation with your loved ones. :)
 
During the recent long weekend in May, we brought the kids and my mother-in-law to Batam and stayed at Harris Waterfront Resort who hosted us. It was a short 3D2N trip but good enough to rejuvenate every one of us in the midst of our busy lives. I’ll be upfront to say that the resort is not exactly a five-star luxurious hotel or resort, but it is a comfortable beachfront resort where you can chill and relax without a care in the world (for that 3 days). It may be a short 3-day stay for us, but we made the best of it. Here’s sharing the 5 fun things we did in those 3 days!
 
1. Take The Ferry!
 
Yes, the holiday begun at the moment we took the ferry because that was fun too! We don’t take the ferry often (In fact, my pampered kids fly by plane more than ride the ferry in a year!), so it becomes an exciting thing to do for the kids. It’s funny how kids don’t really get affected by sea sickness – In fact, they think it’s funny to have the ‘floating feeling’ when we go onboard. Getting to Harris Waterfront Resort Batam is easy – Book your Sindo ferry tickets online here, and alight at Waterfront Ferry Terminal. Two-way tickets are $34/adult and $24/child, and you board from Harbourfront.
 
 
Upon reaching Waterfront Ferry Terminal, the friendly staff from Harris Waterfront Resort all dressed in orange tees will welcome you with a complimentary transfer to the resort, which is a mere 2-minute drive away. The moment you arrive at the resort, this happy dino mascot awaits the excited kids!
 
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2. Enjoy The Family Room!
 
Big love for resorts that offer family room options because sometimes, it’s just more fun when we all bunk in together in one big room! The family room at Harris Waterfront Resort is spacious with a bunk bed for the kids and a king-sized bed for us. They also added in an additional bed for my mother-in-law, and there was still abundant walking space. The swimming pool’s right outside our room as well, so that was just thrilling for the kids!
 
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3. Have Fun At The Kids’ Club!
My kids look forward to the Kids’ Club whenever we stay at a family-friendly resort. For the parents, it also means that we get some time to do what we like (such as doing street photography) while the kids are in safe hands and doing things they enjoy more than walking on busy streets under the hot sun.
 
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As always, the Kids’ Club staff are friendly and warm, and connect with the kids easily. The Kids’ Club at Harris Waterfront Resort is very friendly for young toddlers as well, with toys suitable for their age group. Older kids like Joey and Jayne can enjoy coloring, watching movies or participate in the activities planned for them such as fishing, pool games and even making their own pizzas!
 
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So we signed the kids up for the pizza-making workshop and that became their lunch for that day as well. :)
 
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The workshop was held at the alfresco area outside the main restaurant, and they got their pizzas baked in a traditional mud and brick oven!
 
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The Kids’ Club brought the kids fishing the next day, and even though there were mosquitoes everywhere, the kids managed to catch many fishes with a simple bait-and-rod setup. Reminder to spam mosquito repellent when you are there!
 
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4. Enjoy The Hotel’s Facilities!
The hotel has a well-equipped gym, swimming pool and outdoor activities such as sea sports and ATV riding, etc.
 
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Since the swimming pool was right outside our room, you bet the girls did a lot of swimming in those 3 days. One of the pools had jacuzzi and was under a shade, so even when it rained, they could still inside that pool. :)
 
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5. Fly Down On The Flying Fox!
That was one of the first things I wanted to do when I arrived at the resort! This flying fox flies you from the rooftop of one block of the resort, over the swimming pool to a wooden platform at the other end. Just a short flight and not very high too, so Jayne and I did it together! Paid about $9/pax, if I don’t remember wrongly.
 
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Indeed, it was not scary at all and was one of the highlights of our trip. :)
 
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6. Feast, Feast & Feast!
When in Indonesia, make sure you enjoy their delicious cuisines! Spicy food are right up my alley! This was our first meal at the resort and the food was delicious! The adults had authentic Indonesian dishes while the kids  went for western dishes as usual. Their Grilled Salmon is yummy to the max, with a little Indonesian twist to it as well – grilled with sweet dark sauce. Love it!
 
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Breakfast at the hotel was a happy affair every morning because of the wide variety offered!
 
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There you have it, 6 fun things you can do while on a vacation to Harris Waterfront Resort Batam – And not have to break your bank account either! I came back to Singapore feeling all recharged to work hard again.
 
LIMITED PERIOD DISCOUNT CODE
For those of you planning for a short getaway very soon, I’ve got a discount code for you to get a 15% discount from their published Room Rate on the website – Simply key in XCLUSIVE as promo code when making your booking! Do note that this discount is only available for bookings and stay on weekdays (Sunday to Friday) till 30 July 2016 (The stay must be completed by 30 July 2016 as well). Book your stay online now! Find out more about them at https://www.facebook.com/HARRISWaterfrontBatam/?fref=ts
 
 
GIVEAWAY!
The kind folks at Harris Waterfront Resort Batam would like to invite one reader of The J Babies to experience a fun holiday for themselves! Join via Rafflecopter to win a 2D1N stay at their Family Room (for 4 pax) with breakfast included.
Terms & Conditions:
1. Ferry tickets are not included in this giveaway.
2. Giveaway is for 2 adults & 2 children (Total 4 pax).
3. Booking subject to room availability at resort.
4. All judges’ decisions are final.
5. Prizes cannot be converted to cash and are non-transferable.
6. Closing Date: Sat, 2 July 2016.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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