Batik Air is opening a direct flight to Batam — the easy Indonesian island getaway — from Penang and from Kuala Lumpur, starting 18 October. Here is what Batam has for a long weekend, the new route and fares, and why the smart way to book it is with us, not a browser tab.
Here is a getaway that has been hiding in plain sight. Batam — the Indonesian island just across the water, long a favourite quick escape for Singaporeans — is about to get a great deal easier to reach from Malaysia. From 18 October 2026, Batik Air flies direct to Batam from Penang, and from Kuala Lumpur too. No ferry, no connection, no detour through Singapore: just a short hop to an island built for a long weekend.
Batam — the quick island escape next door
Batam is the kind of place you go to slow down and spend a little. It is the main island of Indonesia's Riau Archipelago, a short strait south of Singapore, and it has quietly become one of the region's best-value weekend escapes. The north coast around Nongsa is lined with proper beach resorts — pools, spas, golf and a quiet stretch of sand — at prices that make two nights feel like a steal. In town, Nagoya is the buzzing heart for shopping and street food; out on the water, the famous seafood restaurants serve chilli crab and grilled fish straight off the boat; and threading it all together is the Barelang Bridge, the island's landmark chain of cable-stayed spans that is worth the drive for the view alone. Add cheap, excellent massages and you have a weekend that resets you without emptying your wallet.
Direct from Penang — and Kuala Lumpur
The news for Malaysian travellers is the direct flight. From 18 October 2026, Batik Air flies Penang–Batam three times a week — departing Penang at 10:10 and landing in Batam at 10:50, then heading back at 11:30 (flights OD358 and OD359) — with all-in launch fares from around RM259 one-way in Economy and RM869 in Business. From Kuala Lumpur, the same island is open too, with Economy fares from around RM259 and Business from RM819. For anyone in Penang especially, this is the kind of route that changes what a long weekend can be: a morning flight out, and you are on the beach by lunch.
Book it with us, not a browser tab
A launch fare looks simple online, but the cheapest seats on a brand-new three-times-a-week route are the first to go, and a one-way fare is rarely the whole trip. This is where a travel agent earns its keep. Book your Batik Air flights to Batam through Five A and we will find the right fare on the right dates, add the bags and seats, and — if you want the whole weekend handled — pair the flight with the right Nongsa resort, the airport transfers, and a seafood dinner or an island tour. One message to us, and the getaway is sorted.
Tell us your dates — from Penang or Kuala Lumpur — and we will hold the seats and build the long weekend around them. Batam is closer than you think.
