Bawah Reserve is a privately owned group of six islands in the Anambas archipelago, in the South China Sea. Guests arrive by seaplane from Batam and stay in 36 tented suites, overwater bungalows and pool villas, built by hand from bamboo. There are two grass tennis courts, one on the main island and one on Elang, the private island residence. Meals, a daily spa treatment and wellbeing classes are included in the rate.
36 rooms · Asia & Pacific · LXV
Bawah Reserve occupies six privately owned islands at the southern end of the Anambas archipelago, halfway between Singapore and Borneo. The resort was built entirely by hand, without heavy machinery, using bamboo harvested in Java and prefabricated before it crossed the sea. The design follows a botanical expedition theme. Guests stay…
Bawah keeps two grass courts. One sits on the activities lawn on the main island between the boutique and the permaculture gardens, beside the croquet lawn. The second is on Elang, the private island residence that is booked whole. The reserve supplies racquets and balls. There is no coaching…
Aura Spa and Hill Spa offer massages and island-ingredient treatments, and one daily treatment per guest is included in the rate. The contrast therapy retreat pairs a dry sauna at 82 degrees Celsius and a steam room at 62 degrees with a cold room at 16 degrees and a plunge pool at 12. Daily yoga…
Tree Tops serves Asian fusion in a bamboo canopy pavilion under a jellyfish light installation. The Boat House runs a custom brick oven, grills and fresh-caught seafood on the sand. Grouper Bar anchors the jetty and infinity pool, and the Jules Verne bar crowns the island's summit. All meals…
Tree Tops (Asian fusion) · The Boat House (seafood, grills and wood-fired pizza) · Grouper Bar · Jules Verne (summit cocktail bar) · Elang Club House and Beach House (Elang guests)
Two grass tennis courts: main island activities lawn and Elang (racquets and balls supplied, no coaching program) · Croquet lawn · Aura Spa and Hill Spa · Kayu Spa (Elang) · Hot and cold contrast therapy retreat (sauna, steam room, plunge pool) · Infinity pool · Yoga, movement and meditation classes · Air-conditioned gym · Scuba diving and snorkelling in a marine conservation area · Kayaking and paddleboarding · Elang private island residence (6 lodges, whole-island booking)
June - October
Bawah sits two degrees north of the Equator. The resort describes a dry southwest monsoon from June to October and a wetter northeast monsoon from November to March, with short, heavy showers and plenty of sun between them.
Climb the spiral staircase to the Jules Verne bar at the top of the island for a cocktail made with garden ingredients such as lemongrass, pandan and pink peppercorns. Go near the end of the day, then walk down to The Boat House for the weekly Taste of Indonesia barbecue and the Starlit Cinema screening.
Private yachts can moor by reservation, subject to size limits in the lagoons. Luggage is limited to 15 kg per person on the seaplane.
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