Ferry from Singapore over the Equator
Jul 9, 2012, 10:54 am
#1
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Ferry from Singapore over the Equator
When I am next in Singapore, I want to have an adventure (!) over the Equator, where I can watch the lattitude and longitude countdown on my iPhone as we get closer and closer to the Equator. Of course, this voyage would have to be enroute to Indonesia. Is this possible from Sentosa?
Jul 9, 2012, 3:46 pm
#2
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I don't think it is (and certainly not from Sentosa).
The equator lies south of both Batam and Bintam, which I think are the only regular ferry routes from Singapore.
I tried to do something similar 20 years back but got fed up with the weather. I was going to have to traverse both islands then get a ferry on from there to Sumatra in my quest to cross the equator.
I realised a few years later it was a lot easier just to fly to Australia in business class....
The equator lies south of both Batam and Bintam, which I think are the only regular ferry routes from Singapore.
I tried to do something similar 20 years back but got fed up with the weather. I was going to have to traverse both islands then get a ferry on from there to Sumatra in my quest to cross the equator.
I realised a few years later it was a lot easier just to fly to Australia in business class....
Jul 10, 2012, 10:06 am
#4
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I found this video on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZMGthz1R9g which at 2.54 is exactly what I want to do! 
Seems this guy did it from Sumatra over to Java.
Seems this guy did it from Sumatra over to Java.
Jul 11, 2012, 6:47 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2003
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It's possible, but not easy: you'd need to catch the PELNI ferry from Batam to Jakarta via a whole slew of small islands, which runs once a week or so and is regularly delayed by several days. Navigating their website will give you a hint of what this journey would entail, but here's a notional route map from 2006:
http://wikitravel.org/upload/shared/...snetz_2006.png
http://wikitravel.org/upload/shared/...snetz_2006.png
Jul 11, 2012, 12:01 pm
#7
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I wonder if the OP hasn't quite appreciated the distance from Singapore to the equator (it's not like it just skirts along the southern fringes of the island).
A quick google suggests it's 85 miles - that's a good few hours on a decent ferry. I could probably dig out my old edition of "S E Asia on a shoestring" but the map posted by jpatokal probably flags up the place I managed to get to on the East coast of Bintan. It rained for two days solid whilst I waited for the boat before giving it up as a bad idea and retracing my route which I think was a share taxi across Bintan, boat to Batam, bus across there then a ferry back to Singapore. I then managed to keep going and all in the same day made it to Mersing. Got to Tioman a day later and the sun was out. Paradise!
A quick google suggests it's 85 miles - that's a good few hours on a decent ferry. I could probably dig out my old edition of "S E Asia on a shoestring" but the map posted by jpatokal probably flags up the place I managed to get to on the East coast of Bintan. It rained for two days solid whilst I waited for the boat before giving it up as a bad idea and retracing my route which I think was a share taxi across Bintan, boat to Batam, bus across there then a ferry back to Singapore. I then managed to keep going and all in the same day made it to Mersing. Got to Tioman a day later and the sun was out. Paradise!
Jul 19, 2012, 10:31 pm
#8
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This is one way to get there if the dates for Chinese New Year next year work for you... Done it the last 2 years and its an absolute blast 
http://www.neptune-regatta.com
http://www.neptune-regatta.com