Galang Refugee Camp (Kampung Vietnam), Batam: History, Location and Distance
- KM 0
- B1 · 21
- 56 km
Road distance from Batam Centre ferry terminal (shortest car route, OpenStreetMap data). B = Barelang bridge.
In short: From 1979 to 1996 about 250,000 Indochinese refugees passed through the camp on Galang Island, now a historical attraction run by BP Batam.
The Galang Refugee Camp, known locally as Kampung Vietnam or Camp Vietnam, is a former refugee camp on Galang Island, Batam. From 1979 to 1996 about 250,000 refugees from Indochina passed through it while waiting to be resettled in a third country. It lies on Galang after Barelang Bridge 5, about 56 km from Batam Centre ferry terminal by road. In October 2025 five buildings and objects at the site were going through the process to be listed as cultural heritage.
History
- The camp held Indochinese refugees from 1979 to 1996; an estimated 250,000 passed through Galang in that period. [source, Wikipedia]
- It had two sections: Camp One for new arrivals and Camp Two for those approved for resettlement, who took English and cultural classes. The largest groups went to the United States and Canada. [same source]
- UNHCR set up an administration office on Galang to run the camp from 1979 to 1996. [source, Wikipedia]
The site today
- After the refugees left, the Batam authority (now BP Batam) turned the site into a historical attraction; it is in Sijantung, Galang. [source, detik, 2023]
- Five objects were being processed for cultural-heritage listing: the refugee boat, the yellow barracks, the Brimob mess, the Nha To Duc Me Vo Nhiem church and the building of the Vietnamese Refugee Committee (P3V). [source, Kompas, 13 Oct 2025]
- In August 2025 the government named Galang as one of the alternative sites to treat about 2,000 people from Gaza. The foreign minister said infrastructure was already there because it had been used for COVID-19 care, and other options were still being studied. [source, CNN Indonesia, 7 Aug 2025]
- 56 km Galang Refugee CampGalang · 805 Google reviews 4.3 ★ · Maps · Directions
Note: We have not checked the entrance fee or opening hours on site, nor whether the heritage decree was issued. Check with the site before you go.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Vietnamese refugee camp in Batam?
On Galang Island, after crossing Barelang Bridge 5 from Rempang. It is about 56 km from Batam Centre ferry terminal by road.
When was the Galang Refugee Camp open?
From 1979 to 1996. About 250,000 Indochinese refugees passed through it.
Who runs the site now?
BP Batam, formerly the Batam Industrial Development Authority, runs it as a historical attraction.
Sources
Related guides
Baca dalam bahasa Indonesia: /barelang/kampung-vietnam-galang/
