Karimun Island

[mike hussey]

Karimun 1

I am starting a thread on Karimun, one of the islands in the Riau province of Indonesia frequented by mongers from neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore.

It is not as well-known as Batam, its more glamorous sister island of the Riau archipelago.

Geographical location of Karimun:

[mike hussey]

Karimun 2

The island's capital town is Tanjung Balai.

Within a population of over 150000, surprisingly there are a sizeable number of sex workers in Karimun – over 3,000 women working as prostitutes.

Map of Karimun:

[mike hussey]

Karimun 3

The island is known to offer even teenage sex workers from Java and Sumatra. Their services are charged for between Rp150000 (US$15) and Rp250000 (US$25) in Karimun’s numerous cheap and mid-range hotels.

Recommended hotels :

Maximillian Hotel
Jalan Nusantara No. 54, Tanjung Balai Karimun 29161, Riau
Tel: 00162-777-328028
Email: maximillian@telkom.net

Padi Mas Hotel
Jalan Pertambangan P.O. Box 73, Tanjung Balai Karimun
Tel: (0777) 325555 (8 lines)

Palapa Hotel
Jalan Ampera No. 12, Tanjung Balai Karimun
Tel: (0777) 326868, 326898

Holiday Karimun Hotel
No. 1 Jalan Trikora Laut, Tanjung Balai Karimun, Indonesia
Tel: 62-777-21165

Paragon Hotel
No. 38D Jalan Trikora, Tanjung Balai Karimun, Indonesia
Tel: 62-777-31488

Satria Hotel
No. 1A Jalan Jend A Yani, Tanjung Balai Karimun, Indonesia
Tel: 62-777-32 5888

[mike hussey]

Karimun 4

How to get there

From Singapore

Karimun Island is located 35 kilometres southwest of Singapore.
From World Trade Centre in Singapore, take a ferry to Tanjung Balai. The journey takes about 70 minutes. The ferry operates daily to and from Tanjung Balai

From Malaysia

From Kukup, the southernmost town of Johor in Peninsular Malaysia, at the jetty a ferry journey normally takes about 45 minutes across the Straits of Malacca. The ferry service in Kukup also operates daily to and from Tanjung Balai from 08:30 to 17:30.

A ferry ride:

[mike hussey]

Karimun 5

Tanjung Balai

The ferry ride takes you directly to Tanjung Balai which is a medium-sized town with a large Chinese community.

Upon disembarkation, go to the taxi counter and hire a car to get to the hotel; avoid the ojek (motorcyclists) or other vehicles if this happens to be your first visit. From the jetty to your destination in town will cost Rp10000-20000. Frequent travelers normally ride ojek and pay only Rp10000.

The arrival jetty at Tanjung Balai:

[mike hussey]

Karimun 6

This island is much under-rated, but we will be mesmerized by the beauty of its natural sandy beaches and surrounding jungles.

[mike hussey]

Karimun 7

Paya Labu - village of joy

Although Karimun offers various kinds of night entertainment as its main industry, it has one of the distinctive features of the Riau Archipelago – the existence of villages of joy which are found in many islands. Karimun is no exception.

While the village of Samyong in Batam is known to be crime-infested, Paya Labu village situated about 7km from Tanjung Balai Karimun is considered relatively safe and visitor-friendly. In the village, there are 60 houses where one can make “arrangement” with any of the girls mostly Javanese. Each house may have 15-20 girls.

In order to go to Paya Labu, you may do so by making arrangement with your hotel driver. A frequent traveler normally hires an ojek to reach Paya Labu and pays Rp20000 for a return trip from the hotel.

My parting words - for all purpose and intent, be well-equipped with your own condoms to Karimun because many of the girls do not have condoms.

[mike hussey]

Karimun 8

For First time Traveler from Kuala Lumpur

1) Drive along North-South Highway, exit through Simpang Renggam toll and head directly to the jetty at Kukup. Private parking charged on daily basis is just nearby; or

2) Ride an express coach (RM20 one way) from Puduraya Kuala Lumpur to Pontian for a 5-hour journey; on arrival take a taxi (RM2.50) which will take you on a half-hour journey directly to Kukup jetty.

Plan your schedule

You must arrive at Kukup jetty before 4:30pm. The ferry service operates daily on an hourly basis from 8:00am until 5:00pm. On Friday, the service has a different schedule due to the Friday prayer.

At Kukup jetty

1) Buy a return ticket boat ride (RM70) at the counter
2) Clear with the Malaysian Immigration counter

Arriving at Tanjung Balai

1) Clear with the Indonesian Immigration
2) Pay for a fixed taxi fare (Rp25000) at the taxi booth

Do let taxi drivers bother you!

Karimun taxi drivers seem to know why you’re coming. They may suggest such and such hotels or brothels and will be a nuisance if you comply. Play your game to cut them out of the picture. Make sure, you have a hotel in mind.

Use your hotel driver to travel a distance. It’s free, anyway. But the norm is tipping them Rp25000 for any journey including going hunting [I mean, mongering].

Currency exchange

No need to change all your money at Kukup – at times you get a better deal in Tanjung Balai, Karimun.

After check-in, approach any hotel staff to get you to a money changer in Tanjung Balai. The best rate in town is available at a Chinese goldsmith at Jalan Pasar. The hotel driver should know him well. And take note that his shop closes at 10pm.

However, bring along sufficient Indonesian currency to pay for a fixed taxi fare (Rp25000) from the jetty to your hotel, your first day hotel room rate (that’s your call) and tipping (Rp25000) to the hotel driver for the currency exchange ride.

[mike hussey]

Karimun 9

Mongering Tracks

Villa complex

There is a mongering complex in the city of Tanjung Balai known to locals as Villa which has numerous brothels with many beautiful and clean girls.

Each brothel accommodates 20 to 25 girls mainly from Java, Bali and Sumatra.

These girls are available at a minimum LT price of Rp200000 and maximum of Rp400000.

Negotiation for booking any girls is done through “Mami”, a local slang for mamasan.

Villa opens business from 10am to 7pm. It is not a walking distance from the hotels, so it’s more convenient to ride the hotel cab and tip the driver Rp20000 because you need to bring along your picking back to the hotel. Otherwise, you may hire an ojek (motorcyclist).

Rukko complex

It is almost the first point of destination for mongers. There are more than 10 shops with each having more than 20 girls. The price range is similar to Villa - Rp200000 to Rp400000.

Paya Labu

This “village of joy”, located 7km out of Tanjung Balai, is a mongering settlement with a few small karaoke joints and 60 brothels, each having about 20 girls.

The asking price for ST is Rp100000 (US10.89) with the service done in the cubicles inside the brothel. The average price for LT is Rp150000 (US16.34) but there will be an extra charge for the police.

You can reach Paya Labu by arranging with the hotel cab normally charged at Rp40000 (US4.36) per hour.

You may need to spend more than than an hour because the hundreds of girls there may drive you crazy.

It’s better to go there at night (7pm onwards). The village business ends normally at 2am. Business is also available during the day, but then the girls might still be sleeping or resting themselves in the cubicles.

The main drawback of this village is that it caters more to serve local mongers.

[mike hussey]

Karimun 10

Enticing non-pros

You can hit them easily at two main spots – the discos and the city supermarket.

The two discos in Tanjung Balai Karimun – Santana and Bravo – operate from 10pm to 6am.

In my earlier posting, I have particularly mentioned about two additional hotels (Padi Mas and Paradise) as recommended places to stay in Tanjung Balai.

Padi Mas Hotel is strategically located near the city supermarket [see image] and also the popular seafood stalls behind it. Trust me; there are lots and lots of girls in Tanjung Balai.

The bright spot about Paradise Hotel is that Santana disco is just in front of it.

[mike hussey]

Karimun 11

Additional notes

For those mongers who consume Jamu, an Indonesian herbal remedies (for additional energy and sexual prowess), I have this information to share. I come to know about this Chinese male plying his Jamu stall at Tanjung Balai beach until 10pm daily. His “mixture” is considered the best in the whole of Karimun. Just tell your hotel cab to drive you to him at “toko dekat seafood tepi pantai”. The driver should know exactly what you mean.

I have to emphasize about bringing your own condoms. Though condoms are available in the city supermarket, but I have considerable doubt about its quality.

[mike hussey]

I guess, I have provided sufficient information on Karimun Island. I rest my case on it. Over to you, guys.

[Gladiator]

Excellent report Mike!

I have a couple of questions:

1. Do the girls and other locals speak any English at all?

2. What's the girls attitude like? Are they business-like or can you find GFE too? Is BBBJ usually on the menu?

Thanks in advance,

[mike hussey]

Karimun 12

Language

Unfortunately in my experience with more than 30 girls there, none spoke English. These girls came all the way from the impoverished villages, mostly uneducated and forced into the trade. But some locals do pick up “broken” English and Dutch (Indonesia was formerly a Dutch colony].

Sex transcends any language barrier. But it proves useful [for logistics] if you pick up the local language. I don’t need to remind you further on that.

Attitude and Service

This is the inner secrets of Karimun! The girls are never known to be impetuous and impertinent. Their BJ and for that matter, the sex service of these cute pussies are impeccable and imperturbable.

My other mongering friends swore that Indonesian girls provide better service than their Thai counterparts.

I never argue on that.

[cwchang]

mike, thanx for sharing the info.........i'm going to check it out...