Kiki Beach Resort Batam By Zuzu

The tidal walk was a highlight. It was fascinating to walk among live creatures at low tide, and the friendly, hospitable guides got me paying real attention to nature. The resort's hospitality overall left us with good memories, and I'm grateful they understood and waived some charges when we chose to leave a day early, even though we'd booked longer. Thanks to all the Kiki resort staff, you were amazing from day one. We did leave early because meals took a long time. I understand they had a lot of guests and some items were out of stock, but waiting 1hr-1.5hr for food was painful. Since the resort is secluded, there's nowhere nearby to get snacks or instant noodles. I hadn't prepared for that. It's not the staff's fault, but management could consider a small minimart for guests stuck waiting. A few days before we left, I got an email with the Kiki resort logo saying my room was on hold and asking me to enter my booking credit card details again. It looked convincing enough that I nearly clicked the link. The sign-off name seemed wrong, thankfully, and I checked with the official resort on WhatsApp. Even someone young and tech savvy could nearly fall for it, so please be careful.

Ikki, Aan, and Iwan were warm, attentive, and ready to help, which made us feel cared for throughout our lovely stay at Kiki Beach Resort. The massage was soooo good, one of the most relaxing parts of our trip after a day of activities. We enjoyed the jungle trekking and hermit crab hunting too. A cooking class or pilates sessions would be nice additions, and having a mini mart for snacks, drinks, or small necessities would be convenient. We really enjoyed our time and would love to come back.

The remote location means food choices are limited, and don't expect 5 star meals. The staff were very friendly and did what they could, though the pizza on the menu wasn't available because the cheese hadn't arrived with the supplies. Water was limited to 1 250ml per person per day, so bring your own drinks. The massage was good, but there was only one masseur on duty, so book ahead. The ATV outing was a letdown. Five ATVs went out and three broke down, including the guides' vehicles, so we had to piggyback the rest of the way back. Still, it was a great getaway. We stayed five days in room 113, the outermost of the sea viewing rooms, and it was fantastic as advertised. On a clear night you can see stars and enjoy the waves, away from busy, over-touristed places. The sea can be choppy, but we were never in danger. It was fun and adventurous.

We had room 103, but it wasn't quite ready when we checked in. The extra beds had no sheets, and the pillows were on the floor. The fresh tamarind welcome drink was so refreshing that I ended up chatting with the staff in the pantry, and they kept offering more. I stopped counting after five glasses. The staff stayed warm and helpful throughout. Things to do are simple and relaxed: fishing, swimming, and hunting for hermit crabs at low tide, with quiet time between. Each room has one fishing rod, and bait costs extra. Breakfast can be delivered to the room for an extra charge, but ours arrived very late and cold, so keep expectations modest. One night was enough for us to reset.