Bawah Reserve

Bawah Reserve is a clutch of remote forested islands where you can snorkel and dive reefs, kayak to empty palm-fringed beaches, dine on delicious local food and become more carefree and indolent with every passing hour. Wake in your Overwater Bungalow or Tented Beach Suite to the sound of waves lapping gently on a white-sand beach, tempting you in for an early swim. With still-wet hair, drop in to the cute barefoot Boat House beach bistro for a breakfast of Anambas Shakshuka and Kunyit Asam (turmeric shots). The only exclamation you are likely to hear from fellow guests is an occasional ‘ooh, look’ when the turquoise lagoon surface is broken by a flash of sunlight glinting off a turtle’s shell.

Fuelled by a Boat House breakfast, take a forest stroll up to a clifftop lookout which offers a magnificent panorama of Bawah’s little islands floating in their crystal-clear, blue-green marine reserve. Then spend an afternoon drift-snorkelling among turtles and schools of brilliant fish, and kayaking to Coconut Beach to play with baby black-tip reef sharks.

As night falls, the open-air, breeze-cooled Tree Tops restaurant becomes the centre of attention, with friendly waiters serving Lautan Sour mocktails and delicious dishes, notably the Bawah-herbed snapper carpaccio.

As well as its obvious charms, the resort is determinedly responsible: it has a lagoon solar farm, electric golf buggies, zero hard plastics, permaculture gardens, coral and turtle nurseries, on-island water sterilisation and bottling, and locally grown food.

Bawah Reserve offers a stunning tropical paradise and sustainability in one perfect package.

 

Written by Matthew Brace

• Spa
• Unwind in one of the Aura Spa's four treatment rooms, with a focus on rejuvenation using natural ingredients
• Restaurant
• The Boat House is more relaxed; Treetops promises Indonesian cuisine, a romantic atmosphere & amazing views
• Bar
• Sip craft cocktails at the Jules Verne Bar or the laid-back Grouper Bar
• Cinema
• Catch a movie under the stars at the outdoor cinema
• Family Suites
• Multi-bedroom Pool Villas are ideal for families
• Good wine list
• Dedicated wine cellar
• Restrictions on children
• Over 5s are welcome
• Laundry
• Library
• Wifi
• Swimming Pool
• Not suitable for disabled guests

• Outdoor dining
• Safe
• Sitting Room
• Air conditioning
• Massage
• Private villas
• Rooms with balcony/terrace
• Views
• Garden
• Sit-out Terrace
• Bath robes
• Suites

• Great walks
• Follow verdant walking trails to scenic viewpoints, take guided permaculture tours or hike to a cave filled with snoozing bats
• Kayaking
• Kayak between five beautiful islands in boats with clear undersides — perfect for spotting marine life
• Snorkelling
• A marine conservation area, Bawah & its nearby islands are a superb snorkelling spot with bright coral, reef sharks & turtles
• Diving
• Hone your diving skills or take a course with expert instructors in a magical area brimming with biodiversity
• Yoga
• Start the day with morning yoga or pilates classes on a platform overlooking the ocean
• Art Classes
• Wildlife Area
• Tennis

• Scuba course
• Watersports
• Trekking
• Cooking classes
• Sailing
• Windsurfing
• Birdwatching