A private island reserve in the remote Anambas archipelago, reached by amphibious seaplane or private yacht.
Best Season
Warm all year, 26 to 32 degrees
Stay
Length of stay tailored to you
Pace
Leisurely
Why This Trip
Bawah Reserve is a private island sanctuary in Indonesia's remote Anambas archipelago, two degrees north of the Equator. Six islands of white sand, turquoise lagoons and primary rainforest hold only thirty six suites, bungalows and villas, so the reserve is kept for the few guests who stay in it. There is no fixed schedule. Mornings follow the sea, afternoons the reef or the spa, and evenings the stars. You arrive by amphibious seaplane that lands on the lagoon, and from that moment the water is the way you move between the islands.
The Experience
The waters around Bawah are a protected marine conservation area. Expect giant bumphead parrotfish, clownfish, giant clams, nudibranchs, and green and hawksbill turtles. A daily guided snorkel is led by the activities team, and a registered dive centre run by PADI certified professionals offers discovery dives, courses and night dives.
An amphibious seaplane moored at a long timber jetty, with a thatched pavilion and clear coral reef beneath. Photo Bawah Reserve
Domed thatched roofs rise from dense forest above a white sand beach and pale turquoise water. Photo Bawah Reserve
A person lies back on a clear kayak above rounded coral heads in shallow turquoise water. Photo Bawah Reserve
A row of white-roofed suites stands behind the beach, with a single yellow kayak on the deep blue water. Photo Bawah Reserve
A copper bathtub and round shower with white curtains in a bamboo-framed bathroom with timber floors. Photo Bawah Reserve
A shaded wooden boat deck set for lunch, cushioned benches and a round table looking out across the lagoon to the beach. Photo Bawah Reserve
A table and chairs under white umbrellas on the sand, with a curtained gazebo at the edge of the forest. Photo Bawah Reserve
A canopy bed with a blue and white runner, an open bathroom behind it and sheer white curtains tied back with rope. Photo Bawah Reserve
Three guests stand at a lookout above the lagoon, a long boardwalk running out to an overwater pavilion below. Photo Bawah Reserve
A snorkeller at the surface of clear turquoise water, with an overwater bungalow and a forested hillside behind. Photo Bawah Reserve
Practical Details
- Tented Suites: safari style suites on the beach for two, with a verandah, a copper bathtub, a separate rain shower and double vanities.
- Overwater Bungalow: a perch over turquoise water for two, with a sundeck that leads straight into the lagoon.
- Treehouse Lodge: fifty steps up into the canopy for four, with floor to ceiling windows and two bedrooms.
- Pool Villas: private pools, living pavilions and room to spread out, for four up to eight guests.
- Singapore is the gateway. A car takes you to the ferry terminal and a travel host escorts you on the 30 minute crossing to Batam. After immigration, an amphibious seaplane flies you 80 minutes across the Anambas Islands and lands in the main lagoon. We arrange every step. Pick ups are early, so we suggest a night in Singapore or Batam beforehand.
- Best months: January and February bring the stillest lagoon, March has the calmest water and the best visibility for snorkelling and diving, April to June are the sunniest months, and from mid July turtles come ashore to nest. December brings the Twelve Days of Bawah.
- Three nights minimum, four or five at some peak periods.
- The seaplane is shared, with up to four flights a day, and depends on weather.
- Luggage is limited to 15 kg per guest, hand luggage included.
- An e-visa and arrival card are needed before travel.
Possible Activities & Highlights
Every stay is shaped around you, below are some of the experiences and highlights available during your time here. Nothing is fixed; everything is flexible and tailored to your interests, pace, and the conditions on the ground.
- A sunrise hike through primary jungle to a five hundred year old Keruing tree
- Kayaks, paddleboards and catamarans on the lagoon
- Castaway picnics delivered by boat to a beach that is yours for the afternoon
- Breakfast served on a paddleboard, and private dinners on the sand, the jetty or in a treetop hideaway
- Batik painting, Indonesian cooking lessons and Starlight Cinema
- Aura Sanctuary and Spa in the forest, with sauna, steam bath and cold plunge
- Turtle nest patrols and coral work with the marine biologists of the Anambas Foundation
Bawah Reserve is independently owned and operated. Photography courtesy of Bawah Reserve.
What's Included
- ✓Daily meals and soft drinks
- ✓Selected spa treatments and wellness experiences
- ✓A range of land and water activities
Not Included
- ✗Diving
- ✗Alcoholic drinks
- ✗Bespoke experiences
- ✗Transfers
Every local transfer and internal flight is arranged for you, seamlessly. International flights can be arranged on request, wherever your journey begins.
Pricing
Rates on enquiry
Pricing
Rates on enquiry
Length of stay tailored to you
Every local transfer and internal flight is arranged for you, seamlessly. International flights can be arranged on request, wherever your journey begins.