Duriangkang Dam

Duriankang Dam is Batam's main water supply. The dam was built about 20 years ago; it had filled to it present (maximum) water level by the late 90s. The dam waters cover quite a huge area - 60 sq km - much more than most Batam residents realise. See the satellite photo on this page. Duriangkang's rural foreshores are an excellent place to get away from Batam's madding crowds to enjoy some natural tranquility.

Duriangkang's foreshores consist of several peninsulars, intersected by deep inlets that penetrate as far as the main road that runs between the Simpang Kabil /Muka Kuning intersection and the Airport/Kabil roundabout. The water you see in this road's drainage culverts, is the actual water level of the dam. (Next time you are at the Simpang Kabil intersection, take note of the big canal there.)  

These foreshores used to be intensively, though illegally farmed. In 2002, a big local government campaign evicted thousands of small farms and farming households that made a living from the foreshore land. The campaign was cruel but necessary, as water is Batam's most critical strategic resource. Farm runoffs pollute Duriankang's waters with high nitrates.

Illegal farming still continues on a smaller extent and you can see the effects of high nitrates in some of the more narrow inlets, where the water has turned a nasty green from nitrate-fed algal blooms.

WALKERS: Duriangkang's easiest walking access point is diagonally opposite the entrance to Puri Legenda housing estate (see photos).

The path from this entrance point is easy to follow - there are few branching trails to confuse you - just keep to the most well used path; you should eventually end up at the furthest point on the peninsular. There is a turnoff which goes down to the water's edge where the nible footed can use a log crossing to reach the "Rindu Malam" peninsular. This area also has a lot of pleasant walk/cycling trails. You can get back to the highway from here, but the track passes some houses that have packs of cranky kampung dogs. Do so at you own risk!

WALK OR BIKE? The locals visit these foreshore areas on their small motorbikes, using narrow single track trails that are perfect for mountain biking. It is also quite viable to walk - the trail in front of Puri Legenda Housing is an entry point.

There is an excellent area for biking which can be accessed from opposite the Legenda Malaka housing estate entrance. All the trails except one, dead-end at the water's edge. But all are worth riding and exploring. Follow the road that brings you west you to a high tension electricty tower and take the trail to the right of the tower, you can eventually come in a loop back to the main road, not far from the entrance to Taman Duta Mas housing estate..

FISHING - Duriangkang has an abundance of fresh water fish. They are best caught using green weed as bait.

BIRD WATCHING - Batam and the Barelang Islands has an abundance of easy to reach places to see bird species. Two of the best wetland areas can be found on Duriangkang East Shore and the swamp on the right hand side of the main road to Batu Besar, just after the airport turnoff.