Grand Openings – Bawah Private Island, Indonesia

islands less travelled

Set to open in August, Bawah Private Island is bringing incognito luxury to the little-known Anambas archipelago of Indonesia. The tropical resort — comprised of a cluster of five isles nestled among three untouched lagoons — is an antidote to the polished properties of nearby Bali, free of crowds and tourist attractions, and bearing a look that is more Robinson Crusoe than Ritz-Carlton.

But Bawah is no slouch in the luxury department. Priced from US$2,000 (RM8,600) per couple per night, the resort’s 35 accommodations include 21 beach villas, three garden accommodations and 11 overwater safari-style tents — the first of their kind in Indonesia. Each promises sprawling sleeping and lounging spaces. Guests — of which there will be no more than 70 at any given time — will have exclusive access to Bawah’s 740 picturesque acres, including 13 private beaches, along with an infinity-edge pool, a yoga pavilion, and a domed thatch-roof main house featuring a spa, restaurant and bar.

The creators of Bawah Island went to great lengths to keep this slice of paradise in pristine condition, initiating a zero-pesticide, zero-fishing and zero-waste program. Such conservation efforts will likely be the key to Bawah’s success as well, ensuring that empty beaches and wild jungle remain as blissfully unspoiled as ever before.

Bawah Private Island