Batam

Batam sits just 20 kilometres south of Singapore across the Singapore Strait, and for decades it has been the Lion City's nearest weekend escape: a fast ferry from HarbourFront or Tanah Merah puts you in Batam Centre, Harbour Bay or Sekupang in under an hour. The island is part of Indonesia's Riau Islands province and one of the country's key free trade zones, which gives it a busier, more international hospitality scene than its size might suggest, driven by Singaporean day-trippers, weekenders and a steady flow of business visitors.

Craft beer in Batam is a small, still-emerging scene rather than a destination in its own right. A handful of venues pour imported craft beer or brew their own house beers on site, and they are spread across Batam Centre, the Nagoya entertainment district and the hotel strips in between. Expect restaurant-bars and hotel venues rather than dedicated taprooms, and check ahead before travelling specifically for a particular beer, as tap lists here can be limited. Use this directory to find the places in Batam where the beer is worth the ferry ride.