Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Barelang Bridge

No visit to Batam Island will be complete without stopping and admire the magnificient Barelang Bridge. It is the pride and an iconic landmark for the island.

The bridge is actually a chain of 6 bridges connecting the islands of Batam, Rempang and Galang. The bridge construction was conceptualized in the effort to transform Rempang and Galang Islands into industrial sites.

The construction of the bridges began in 1992 and traveling from the first bridge to the last is about 50km.

The first bridge, Tengku Fisabilillah Bridge is the most recognized of all, connects Batam and Tonton Island. The cabled-stayed bridge with two 118m high pylons and main span of 350m stretches for 642m.

Now, the bridge has turned to be a tourist attraction with proper viewing area and recreational facilities. Getting here from Nagoya area is around 40 minutes. There is no public transport to get here and the best way to reach here is by taking a taxi or rented car which might cost around IDR 450, 000.

Also, there is no proper parking to reach the viewing area and the improvised parking space is basically at the road side, manned by the locals who will collect IDR 10,000 for each vehicle.