Bawah Reserve
Six islands, three lagoons and thirty-six suites, built by hand without heavy machinery.
Bawah Reserve is a group of six islands enclosing three lagoons in the Anambas archipelago of Indonesia, reached by seaplane from Batam after a ferry from Singapore. The whole reserve is one property, and the surrounding water is a marine conservation area with its own ranger team. Only one of the six islands is built on; the others are left as they are, visited by boat.
Thirty-six suites — over water, on the beach and in the forest — were built by hand in bamboo, copper and reclaimed timber, without heavy machinery, so that construction did not scar the island. The stay is all-inclusive and includes an unusually long spa programme. Elang Private Residence occupies a separate island within the reserve and is held as its own entry in this register.
Built without machines. Materials were carried and shaped by hand over three years. The constraint shaped the architecture, and the buildings look like nothing else in Southeast Asia as a result.
Six islands, one property. Guests can be dropped on an uninhabited island of the reserve for the day — the practical benefit of holding an archipelago rather than a single island.
Who it is not for
Bawah is wrong for guests who need reliable connectivity, since the reserve is deliberately weak on it. It is wrong for travellers wanting a short journey — Singapore, a ferry, then a seaplane. And it is wrong for those who want polished finishes and air conditioning throughout, as the handmade construction means neither is uniform. Those wanting Indonesian water with fewer steps should look at Cempedak or Nikoi.
Sources
- bawahreserve.com — thirty-six suites, six islands, three lagoons, Anambas archipelago
- Related entry: Elang Private Residence (Bawah Reserve). Relationship: Private Island within Resort.
- Suite count, construction period and transfer schedule unverified. Confirm before publication.
Booking
Private Island Resorts arranges each stay on request, quoting the rates available for the island and dates. No benefit should be assumed unless it is confirmed in writing for the individual reservation.
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