Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in eastern Singapore runs international ferries to Batam, Bintan and Desaru, and it sits 10 to 15 minutes from Changi Airport, so a weekend with the guys in Singapore can add an island beach without a flight. Crossings run from about 30 minutes to about 2 hours depending on the destination, and every one is an international departure that needs your passport.
A ferry weekend stalls on the small decisions nobody owns until the morning of the trip. These five cover most of them. The Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal is at 50 Tanah Merah Ferry Road, Singapore 498833. Its ferries reach Nongsa and Batam Centre in Batam, Indonesia, Bandar Bentan Telani and Tanjung Pinang in Bintan, Indonesia, and Desaru Coast and Tanjung Pengelih in Johor, Malaysia. Crossings range from about 30 minutes to Nongsa up to about 2 hours to Tanjung Pinang, and the exact time depends on the operator and sea conditions. Sindo Ferry, Majestic Fast Ferry and Batam Fast serve Batam Centre, while Bintan Resort Ferries and Sindo Ferry cover Bintan. Operators and schedules change by route and date. Men who appreciate a perfect balance of adrenaline-pumping activities, premium dining experiences, and sophisticated nightlife options will find MSC World America to be the ultimate floating playground for their next guy's getaway. What to expect when on an Alaska cruise with Norwegian Cruise Lines, based on our sailing on NCL Jewel. Experience the breathtaking beauty of Alaska on this 7-night cruise, featuring stunning glaciers and coastal views. Enjoy unique onboard experiences and explore charming ports along the way. Customizable private guided Istanbul tour over 1, 2 or 3 days, ideal for travelers wanting flexible itineraries and hotel pickup. Promoted by FlowAds Batam Centre and Nongsa sit in different parts of the island, so the terminal you book decides how long the taxi ride to your hotel takes. Batam Centre crossings run about an hour, and Batam Fast runs the shorter Nongsa service. Batam has several ferry terminals, so look up your hotel's location before choosing a sailing. Bintan has two ferry destinations, the Bintan Resorts pier at Bandar Bentan Telani in the north and the city pier at Tanjung Pinang farther south, and the two are not interchangeable. Why we picked it: a grill you can actually carry to the campsite, the tailgate or the cabin without borrowing a truck. Stainless, no propane tank to wrestle, and hot enough to cook for four guys rather than reheat for one. Promoted by FlowAds Bintan Resort Ferries sails between Tanah Merah and Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal, the gateway to the Bintan Resorts area. The crossing takes roughly 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, and the terminal's own listing shows weekday departures at 8:10 am, 11:10 am, 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm. If you are staying in the main resort area, this is the pier to book. Sindo Ferry runs to Tanjung Pinang, and the crossing is closer to 2 hours than 1. Book this one only if your accommodation is nearer the city than the resorts. The direct ferry to Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. Batam Fast currently lists a 10:10 am departure from Tanah Merah on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, with the return leaving Desaru Coast at 5:30 pm Malaysia time on the same days. The company can change timings without notice, so settle the date with the timetable before booking the hotel. A separate service reaches Tanjung Pengelih Ferry Terminal on selected weekend days in about 45 to 50 minutes. From there a road transfer of around 35 minutes leads toward Desaru Coast, and no free shuttle is included, so arrange the transfer yourself. Tanjung Pengelih can also take over when weather affects direct sailings, but a diverted service is not guaranteed to continue to Desaru, so ask which terminal your ticket arrives at and whether an onward transfer comes with it. Guys planning a longer Malaysian visit can pair the roughly 45-minute Tanjung Pengelih crossing into Johor with suggestions from our Malaysian mancation ideas in Kuala Lumpur article. Bintan is the golf pick. The Bintan Resorts area around Bandar Bentan Telani has Ria Bintan Golf Club, a Gary Player design, plus Laguna Golf Bintan and the two 18-hole courses at Bintan Lagoon Resort, so a group can play four different courses in one resort district. Book the tee times alongside the ferry so an early round doesn't collide with a sailing. Desaru Coast suits a guys trip that mixes golf with resort days. The Els Club Desaru Coast has the 27-hole Ocean Course by Ernie Els and the 18-hole Valley Course, and Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast fills the day off the course. The ferry currently runs five days a week, so choose your dates around the timetable. Batam is the shortest hop. Nongsa takes 30 to 50 minutes, which leaves a group of buddies most of a Saturday for seafood and beers after landing. The terminal has no MRT station of its own, so you reach it by bus, airport shuttle, taxi, private-hire car or your own vehicle. Take the East-West Line to Bedok or Tanah Merah MRT Station, then board SBS Transit Bus 35, or Bus 35M in the evenings and at off-peak weekend hours. The terminal stop sits beside the main gate with bus-stop code 96219, and the ride from Tanah Merah MRT takes about 20 to 22 minutes. Find the current bus schedule before an early ferry, and leave time to carry bags between the MRT and the stop. A taxi or private-hire car takes 10 to 15 minutes from Changi Airport and 20 to 30 minutes from central Singapore, and it can drop you at the terminal entrance. Peak-hour or location surcharges may apply to the fare. The terminal also advertises a shuttle from Changi Airport Terminals 1, 2 and 4, though its timetable, fare and booking rules decide whether it fits your ferry. Bus 35 also reaches the terminal from the airport, but it takes longer and involves more transfers, so a car suits a group with bags better. Passenger parking is available. The 2026 rate is S$1.80 per hour or part thereof, capped at S$33.76 per 24-hour block, GST included. Tariffs can change, so check the current rate before leaving a car for several days. The terminal's upgrade was completed in March 2025 and added self-service check-in kiosks and unmanned bag-drop machines. Facilities for departing passengers include: Outlet hours vary, so don't count on every cafe or money changer being open for the earliest or latest sailings. The Bintan Resort Ferries Emerald Lounge is limited to eligible Emerald Class passengers heading to Bintan and is not open to Desaru passengers. If you need left luggage or terminal-wide Wi-Fi, ask the terminal first. Book a Ferry Ticket online and you can compare destinations, operators, departure times and fares before you travel. The process runs like this: A S$10 Singapore Passenger Departure Fee applies to departures from Tanah Merah, and a Batam Terminal Fee of IDR 100,000 applies to trips leaving Batam terminals. Some operators build these into the fare and others list them separately, so read the fare breakdown for which charges are included and whether the return leg carries different ones. Before paying, also compare the departure time, journey duration, operator, luggage allowance, check-in cut-off and the cancellation or rescheduling conditions. If you are booking a resort, ask whether it offers transfers from your ferry terminal. You complete check-in and Singapore departure procedures at the terminal, then immigration and customs on arrival in Indonesia or Malaysia. Keep your passport, ferry ticket, booking confirmation and any required visa or entry documents somewhere easy to reach. Passport-validity, visa and arrival-document rules depend on your nationality and destination. Read the current Indonesian requirements for Batam and Bintan, and the Malaysian ones for Desaru and Tanjung Pengelih, close to your travel date because the rules change. Check-in cut-offs vary by operator and route, so follow the instructions attached to your booking and arrive early enough to clear check-in and immigration without rushing. These short answers cover the questions travelers ask most before a Tanah Merah crossing. At 50 Tanah Merah Ferry Road, Singapore 498833, in eastern Singapore. Batam takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the terminal. Bintan takes roughly 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes to Bandar Bentan Telani and about 2 hours to Tanjung Pinang. Desaru takes about 1 hour 30 minutes on the direct ferry, or about 45 to 50 minutes to Tanjung Pengelih plus a road transfer. Yes. All the routes covered here are international, and the passport, visa and entry rules depend on your destination and nationality. Follow the cut-off in your operator's booking instructions, since it varies by route, and add a buffer for check-in and immigration instead of aiming for the minimum. Of the three destinations, Bintan is the one a group can build around a Changi arrival, because its resort ferry runs several times a day on weekdays. Bintan Resort Ferries lists weekday departures at 8:10 am, 11:10 am, 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm, and with Changi only 10 to 15 minutes from the terminal, a group landing by mid-morning can aim for the 2:00 pm sailing and reach the resort pier by mid-afternoon if bags and immigration go smoothly. Look at that day's timetable before locking in a flight. Promoted by FlowAdsWhat Do You Call Your "Guys Trips"?
Ferry Routes From Tanah Merah and How Long Each Crossing Takes
Route Destination Indicative Journey Time Tanah Merah to Batam Centre Batam Centre, Batam About 50 minutes to 1 hour Tanah Merah to Nongsa Nongsa, Batam About 30 to 50 minutes Tanah Merah to Bandar Bentan Telani Bintan Resorts, Bintan About 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes Tanah Merah to Tanjung Pinang Tanjung Pinang, Bintan About 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours Tanah Merah to Desaru Coast Desaru Coast, Johor About 1 hour 30 minutes Tanah Merah to Tanjung Pengelih Johor About 45 to 50 minutes 
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Bandar Bentan Telani for the Resort Area
Tanjung Pinang for the City Pier
Desaru Ferries From Tanah Merah and the Days They Sail
Which Island Fits the Trip: Bintan for Golf, Desaru for Resort Days, Batam for a Food Weekend
How to Get to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal by Bus, Car or Airport Shuttle
MRT and Bus From Bedok or Tanah Merah Station
Taxi, Private-Hire Car or Airport Shuttle From Changi and the City
Driving and Parking at S$1.80 an Hour
What You Can Buy and Do Inside the Terminal Before Boarding
How to Book a Ferry Ticket Online and Compare Sailings in Ten Steps
Fares and Fees to Read Before You Pay So the Final Price Holds
Check-In, Immigration and Passport Rules to Sort Before Departure Day
Quick Answers on Routes, Passports and Arrival Times Before You Leave
Where Is Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal?
How Long Is the Ferry From Tanah Merah to Batam, Bintan and Desaru?
Do I Need a Passport at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal?
How Early Should I Arrive at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal?
A Mid-Morning Landing at Changi Can Still Make a Same-Day Bintan Sailing
