The eco-conscious resort just a stone’s throw away from Singapore is a key to paradise
A luxury holiday destination could mean virgin rainforests and pristine lagoons. More than that, true luxury happens when the hospitality is delivered in a truly sustainable way. Enter Bawah Reserve, a private island resort, new in design and fast becoming recognised for its combination of opulence and eco-friendly qualities.
The experience begins with an hour-long journey on Indonesia’s first amphibious seaplane. The state-of-the-art eight-seat Twin Otter departs from the runway of Batam airport and arrives on Bawah Reserve’s shores, landing on a sparkling stretch of water. Bawah Reserve is made up of six virgin islands totalling over 300 hectares with three lagoons and 13 beaches. The resort, which opened mid last year, has been five years in the making with CEO Tim Hartnoll and architect Sim Boon Yang building the resort around the island’s natural environment.
Villas, restaurants and bars have been carefully constructed to minimise intrusion into the natural landscape, with 11 overwater bungalows, 21 beachfront suites and three garden villas. Up from the lofty perch of the resort’s Treetops restaurant, you can soak up the turquoise expanse of the Natuna Sea.
Here, where freshwater is a scarce commodity, Bawah Reserve provides still or carbonated water on tap. The drinking water is the result of reverse osmosis systems and Nordaq Fresh Water technology, with Bawah Reserve choosing to purify from the sea rather than importing bottled drinking water. Meals such as locally sourced fish and garden-grown zucchini and pumpkin are crafted with organically grown ingredients, supplied by the resort’s own permaculture gardens which eschews environmentally harmful pesticides.
The investments made by the property extend to entwining the natural experience with room comfort. There is nothing quite so tranquil as relaxing in your bamboo Beach Suite (US$1,980/RM5,960 per night) and, with a push of a button, having the walls slip away to immerse yourself in the midst of nature. The sight of the lagoon’s inviting clear waters and soft white sand call to you, while solar panelled-heated water in a stylish copper bath await at the end of your day. Outside, activities include jungle trekking, picnics on the beaches, snorkelling and kayaking, yoga and spa treatments.
Bawah Reserve has also harnessed solar energy on two of their leisure boats to take you on sunset cruises and island hopping. This innovation eliminates fossil fuel usage along with the risk of despoiling the lagoon’s colourful coral reef. Always looking to increase their renewable energy uses where possible, the resort is consulting with Renewable Energy Integration Demonstrator – Singapore (REIDS) over the latest energy conserving technologies. By incorporating technological advances to aid their environmentally conscious efforts, Bawah Reserve has shown not only does paradise exist in today’s world but also that it can be preserved and found in the future.
