Montigo Bay introduces its new luxury villas and puts forward its plan to change the image of Indonesian island Batam

By Deborah Goldman
Issue 86 - September 2009

What springs to mind when you think of Batam? Gambling dens? Seedy bars? The Indonesian island of Batam, just a forty-minute ferry-ride away from Singapore, often gets a bad rap, but KOP Properties is set to change this negative image with the construction of a five-star luxury private resort.

You might be wondering why Batam was chosen as the location for the 12-hectare Montigo Resorts, which is being constructed at Nongsa Beach on Batam’s northeast coast – also the locale of several rather long-in-the-tooth resort hotels. The answer is twofold. First, Batam has huge potential. Unlike its neighbour Bintan, it remains largely undeveloped as a high-end resort destination, which means that everything is much cheaper. It is also unspoilt by tourism – there are no highrise hotels or tourist traps, and the island is steeped in local culture.

Bookings for Montigo Resorts opened earlier this year during the Boat Asia 2009 exhibition, and 56 villas, which make up phase one of the three-phase project, were snapped up immediately. And people aren’t just buying to rent: it seems the buyers will be using their villas as weekend getaways for themselves and their families. There is also the option for residents to live in Batam and commute to Singapore by boat.

It might sound decadent, but consider this: A 3,300 square foot two-storey villa with sea views in a resort that contains a private beach, spa, tennis courts, specialty restaurant, two swimming pools (plus the option to install your own villa pool), and two bars, costs a fraction of the price that you would pay for an equivalent property in Singapore, and there is the added advantage of making a grand saving on what you spend on holidays.

When island fever sets in, people often pay over the odds for a trip to Phuket, Bali or even Bintan. At Montigo Resorts you get the quality service of a five-star hotel with professional management provided by an international hospitality group.

Nongsa itself is located 45 minutes from the centre of Batam, far from any unsavoury establishments, and the resort is just over the road from the popular Palm Springs Golf Course. KOP believes it will attract largely the golfing and boating community. This is good news for long-suffering spouses who can now join their golf-mad partners on the island.

Although Batam has long suffered from a negative reputation, this free-trade zone actually has a lot more to offer than it’s given credit for. Montigo Resorts will raise the profile of Batam, which is a good thing for the local community and visitors alike.

KOP Properties is located at 2 Shenton Way, #12-02 SGX Centre 1.

Prospective buyers can call (+65) 6533 7337.