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Mirota Beach....
A stay way away!
About 50km's down the highway after bridge one you'll come across bridge five. We think bridge five hasthe nicest outlook. From any of the bridges you'll be able to see the swirling currents created by the great tidal pull between the South China and Java Sea's as they compete for water! Swimming in this area is for the competent only. Otherwise find a more tranquil beach like Mirota.
Batam is well known for its industry but not often thought of as a 'beach' place! There are nice beaches around. Turi Beach, Nongsa are the big foreign tourist areas but if you want to take a nice drive of about an hour through the countryside, head south over the Barelang Bridges and you can find some nice spots. Locals also know about this so they head there on weekends to get away from the crowds and malls of Batam. So unless you hike and 'find' your own beach, you will have to share it with others.
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Mirota Beach is actually a private beach but on weekends they chargea per head entry fee of IDR 10,000. Not it's popular as it is one of th enicest beach settings along the Galang coast. That limits the numbers visiting the beach but still it attracts a crowd.
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Weekdays, you'll have it all to your self!
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Wind sport freaks... This beach gets two diagonal winds. The SW Monsoon is diagonal onshore and just the reverse for the NE Monsoon. Winds during the seasons average 12-15 knots in the SW and 15-20 during the short NE.
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As long as you don't swim outside of the headland you won't feel the tidal rip that flows around all these parts. I.e. it's safe to swim here and the water is clean.
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ROOM RATES: Very simple Small Cottage IDR 500,000 (about $50) Large Cottage IDR 700,000 (about $ 70).
Mirota Beach is nestled on the western side of Galang Island and faces the island of Sumatra some 40nm's in the distance.
This is the sunset side of the island so the resort is protected from the morning rays until about 11am. That keeps it relatively cool!
We say relatively cool as the whole region is tropical - hot and humid after all, it is less than One Degree from the Equator!
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There are cottages available for rent and these are tucked nicely under the large shade trees that also provide shade in the water. Take a dip without frying, that's a big plus!
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As long as you don't swim outside of the headland you won't feel the tidal rip that flows around all these parts. I.e. it's safe to swim here and the water is clean.
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Best season for clear water is during the NE Monsoon (December-March). The offshore breeze doesn't stir up the water too much.
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During the SW Monsoon (June-August) it can get choppy and that stirs up the sand. 'Luckily' the Monsoons here are not to long lasting as we usually get 2 week periods when it howls and then fades away. The waters around the Equator are shallow and so settle down rather rapidly.
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There are good dive spots around and these can be organised through a few operators. But with the strong currents, it's only for the experienced.
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The best bit about Mirota Beach... I keep an ocean kayak there. It's a nice hours drive down to the beach from Batam. Once there, throw the kayak in the water and enjoy playing in the currents. A nice paddle is about 2nm north, up under bridge 5 and around the button island in the middle of the channel. Occasionally there's a small standing wave just beyond bridge 5, but you have to get the timing right on the tide to find it. Most times the rip is about 5-6 knots so it's easy to make distance and with some rather large whirlpools - it's a bit of fun. Head slightly offshore (2nm) and you can visit Pulau Panjang and explore the cliffs on the western side. Totally alone! Awesome - Ed.