Being a distant island fanatic and somebody who loves bespoke sustainable luxurious, Indonesia’s Bawah Reserve has all the time been on the highest of my bucket record. My husband, Anush, and I just lately traveled to Singapore and knew we needed to go one step additional to make a dream journey to this nature refuge a actuality.
ISLANDS AND BEACHES AND LAGOONS, OH MY
Whereas most luxurious non-public island resorts often span one island, Bawah Reserve is a complete nature reserve that spans six islands, three lagoons and 13 seashores in Indonesia’s Anambas Archipelago. The journey to get to this unspoiled paradise is kind of the journey however is made seamless, due to Bawah’s door-to-door concierge service. We’re picked up from our lodge in Singapore on the break of daybreak in a luxurious switch and dropped off on the Singapore ferry terminal. From right here, a Bawah consultant accompanies us to make sure a easy border crossing from Singapore to Batam in Indonesia. As soon as in Batam, one other luxurious switch whisks us away to the close by airport the place Bawah’s non-public seaplane awaits us. The journey from Batam to Bawah is a fast 75-minute seaplane trip. Because the aircraft glides over the Bawah archipelago and lands straight on probably the most pristine lagoon, our pleasure intensifies.
As we make our manner down the lengthy pier and the nice and cozy employees welcomes us, we’ve got a second to admire the idyllic panorama throughout. The blue lagoon teeming with corals in opposition to the luxurious forested hills is really breathtaking. We meet our visitor expertise supervisor Rian who guides us to our room. He mentions alongside the way in which that the complete resort is hand made utilizing eco-friendly bamboo and different domestically sourced pure supplies.
We’re in a classy overwater bungalow with panoramic views of the lagoon. At first look, I discover how the design of the villa blends seamlessly with the pure environment—adorned with items from native artisans, reminiscent of woven hand followers, beaded storage bins and a copper bathtub. I liked the open ethereal structure and the big out of doors deck. One among our favourite little particulars of the villa is the customized title boards on the outside, which we will preserve as souvenirs.
After settling in, we make our technique to the jetty for a whimsical sundown cruise alongside the lagoon. It’s the proper introduction to the reserve because the cruise takes us alongside the shores of the six islands. For dinner, we head to the clifftop restaurant Tree Tops. The very first thing that catches my consideration, as we stroll into this attractive hideaway nestled within the timber, are the panoramic views of the jetty and lagoon. The handcrafted jellyfish chandeliers are the crowning design element of the restaurant. We love when a lodge not solely pays consideration to design particulars but additionally celebrates the work of native artisans at each flip. A dish that stands out from our feast is the Indonesian flatbread served with hen curry and wrapped in banana leaves.
GLASS KAYAKING TO CATCH-OF-THE-DAY
Waking as much as the sound of the waves, whereas sipping on some scrumptious native Indonesian espresso on our non-public deck is one thing we may positive get used to! We resolve to discover the primary island for the day. We all the time hunt down locations that make us reconnect with nature and Bawah Reserve is correct up that alley. We begin with a hike to Bawah’s most pristine seaside, Coconut Seaside. This seems to be our private favourite of the complete reserve, with its surreal Robinson Crusoe vibes. Whereas there aren’t any services on this seaside, it was completely my model of seaside—uncooked and unspoiled. Making our manner again to the resort’s important seaside, we discover the home reef on glass kayaks. The clear, heat waters present wonderful visibility and we spot a turtle, black tipped sharks and stingrays gliding alongside the colourful coral gardens.
As nightfall falls, we head to the beachside restaurant Boathouse for a barbeque dinner. Each Anush and I like seafood, so we’d eagerly anticipated this meal. Right here, we get to select from an array of the contemporary catch and what we wish grilled for us. The prawn and calamari stand out as favorites. The entire ambiance of the dinner is so romantic, with a sorbet-colored sky, mild ocean breeze and our toes within the sand.
PRIVATE DINING, SUNUP AND SUNDOWN
We kick off our last full day with a bucket record expertise: breakfast on a standup paddleboard on a sandbar. It was a dream to sit down on the sandbar’s edge and revel in our scrumptious breakfast whereas the occasional stingray or reef shark glided alongside the shore. As soon as once more, we went with our go-to, Bawah’s well being bowls—dragonfruit smoothie, matcha chia and tropical granola are all scrumptious choices.
With a day tropical downpour, we head to their spa for some much-needed rest and rejuvenation. As a part of our all-inclusive reservation, we’re pleasantly stunned to be taught that we get to have a spa therapy per particular person, per day. Bawah has two spas on property, Aura Spa and Hill Spa. On the latter, we each go for the “Barely There” therapeutic massage which is the proper mixture of Balinese- and Swedish-style therapeutic massage.
As night units in, we get pleasure from a personal sundowner and seaside dinner organized on Elang, Bawah’s personal non-public island. A non-public dinner on a personal island in a personal reserve? This actually must be a dream! On the deck of Elang’s most prized villa, the Lychee, we sip on our spritz and pattern hors d’oeuvres whereas watching the sky soften into pastel shades. Simply once we thought that vibe couldn’t be beat, we’re awestruck by the dinner setup alongside Elang’s lagoon. The menu is fully customized to our preferences—all coastal Indonesian favorites in small parts in order that we will pattern plenty of delicacies. Our favorites are the Sate Lilit Ikan (coral trout satay), Otak Otak Udang (banana leaf wrapped tiger prawns) and Ayam Rendang (hen in roasted coconut and rendang spices). Every thing concerning the dinner—the enchanting ambiance, the beautiful menu, the corporate—made it a culinary expertise we’ll cherish for years to come back.
NOT GOODBYE BUT SEE YOU LATER, BAWAH
Our keep at Bawah Reserve is most memorable due to the sense of peace and seclusion. With a restricted variety of friends, there’s by no means a crowded feeling, which permits us to completely immerse ourselves within the magnificence and tranquility of the surroundings. The employees’s real hospitality and a spotlight to element makes us really feel proper at residence. Leaving Bawah Reserve is so bittersweet, however we depart with a deep appreciation for the pure fantastic thing about the islands and their dedication to sustainability. It’s a spot that captures the center and leaves an enduring impression—we hope to return sometime to expertise its magic as soon as once more.
In regards to the writer: Jyotsna Shankar is a San Francisco-based content material creator, all the time in the hunt for her subsequent tropical island journey. Comply with @jyo_shankar for bucket record locations, luxurious lodges and journey suggestions. To see Jyo’s excellent seaside trip packing record, learn her tropical necessities information.
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