Panbil Nature Reserve — Local services in Batam City

A thrilling adventure into the heart of Batam that is sure to be the main attraction of any trip to the island.

We arrived a bit earlier than the official opening hour of 10am and there was nobody. Apparently, we could inform the park in advance if we intended to hike earlier in the day, say 7am. Andika, our guide, even suggested we can arrange for a night walk to see the herps and flying squirrels.

The forest is quite pristine, and despite the lack of large dipterocarps, the understorey is somewhat open. There were few birds, probably due to the midday heat. Insects were abundant.

Andika was our assigned guide. He was enthusiastic in his role and shared a lot about the forest and its denizens. As we came with children, we were initially offered the Semar route. But the children insisted on seeing the 'waterfall', and it proved to be the best decision for us. The hike was tough but a great experience which the kids thoroughly enjoy. You can expect stream-crossing (and soaked shoes), slipping and falling on muddy terrain (and soiled clothes).

As the weather turned gloomy halfway, a decision was made to cut back to the main track and expedited our journey to our objective - the pool and 'waterfall'. Once we reached the destination, the children had nearly an hour at there. Andika offered to prepare some hot coffee but we declined.

We then made our way back and dropped by the deer farm before ending the whole thing with a meal at the restaurant. The children really enjoyed themselves and requested to come back for more next time. And Andika really made their day, helping to rescue and carry them out of the water on more than a few occasions. And entertained them with interesting aspects of the forest every now and then.

As of the date of this review, entrance is 390k per foreigner for the Pelawan route. Do arrange with your taxi driver to pick you up from the ticket...

My friend and I attempted Palawan Hiking on 29/8/2023. Kudos to our assigned tour guide, Lee, who had ensured our safety as we trudged through the tricky terrain in the jungle. His service would’ve surpassed a porter’s, for he’d insistently offered to carry both of our bags as soon as we were seen struggling to press on with our baggage, to which I kindly declined. Since there was no signal to keep us entertained with music, Lee did his best in entertaining us with his extensive knowledge about the creatures/plants we sighted and with his occasional roasts along the way. We were led to a tranquil pond, where we were encouraged to make the most out of it with a swim and by hydrating ourselves with a handful of its water. We could see the tiger fishes surrounding our legs in its translucence while we scoured for rare crystals on the rockbed. A pursuit which seemed effortless for our guide as he casually picked one out without submerging himself in the water. Also, the coffee he had prepared for us was warm and delightful, it was a shame we couldn’t get the product brand out of him. We finally concluded our hike with an interactive visit to the Sambar Deer Sanctuary, where we got the opportunity to feed the deers with a bucket of carrots as Lee detailed their characteristics. I redeemed the chicken and roast potatoes with my complimentary food voucher; it was promptly served with cling wrap along with a glass of coconut water. The chicken was dry and could be improved with a drizzle of sauce, hence my empty plate had been solely out of hunger and not a commendation. Overall, it was a memorable and fun hiking experience for the both of us, with a good-humoured forest ranger...

Our trip here unexpectedly turned out to be an entire half day of non-stop fun and entertainment!! We got the (1) edupark multi pass and (2) the semar hiking package. Here’s how they both went: Semar hiking: this was the highlight of our trip!!! Our very passionate and funny guide Lee brought us through a “treacherous”(not really, it’s kid-friendly) jungle trail where we learnt so much about the plants(pitcher plants, rattan trees, jungle vines, giant pandan!!! Etc.) and creatures native to the region. Be sure to wear proper hiking shoes and long pants/sleeves as the mosquitoes there are a different breed!! Not to worry if you’re ill prepared because Lee kindly helped me cut a hiking stick and provided us with mosquito repellent :’) Keep your eyes peeled for pieces of quartz along the way, our guide had a little container of his epic finds!! At the end of the hike you get to visit the very serene and quiet deer sanctuary (by appointment only). I loved how vast their enclosure was and it was heartening to see them so well taken care of. You’ll get to feed them a bucket of carrots! Edupark: this is definitely something to go for if you have kids. It’s not very educational but you do get the amazing experience of getting up close and personal at the adorable petting zoo and the aviary. We liked the random snakes and mouse deer hanging around! The lunch included in the hiking package was simple but filling after the tiring hike!! There’s also a small archery area that we had a lot of fun with. All in all...