BAWAH RESERVE PUTS ANAMBAS ISLANDS ON THE LUXURY MAP
In the remote waters of Indonesia’s Anambas Islands, Bawah Reserve is redefining what it means to blend barefoot luxury with environmental stewardship.
2 min
Until recently, the Anambas Islands were barely a blip on the radar of international travellers. Scattered between Singapore and Borneo, this little-known archipelago has become an emerging hotspot for high-net-worth travellers seeking privacy, nature and sustainable luxury. At the centre of this rise is Bawah Reserve, a secluded six-island retreat that can only be reached by private seaplane.
The Reserve is set within a marine conservation zone that protects coral reefs, lagoons and rainforest. With just 36 villas and bungalows, Bawah was never designed to be a mass tourism destination. Instead, it is positioned as a model of low-impact development: activities are curated to connect guests to their surroundings while ensuring the fragile ecosystem remains intact.
Nature as the main attraction
Days at Bawah revolve around the landscape. Guests can dive and snorkel in reef systems still teeming with marine life, trek through rainforest to elevated lookouts, or simply swim off one of the Reserve’s 13 beaches. Those after a slower pace gravitate towards the Aura Wellbeing Deck for sunrise yoga or the spa, where treatments use botanicals sourced from the islands.
Food and culture also form part of the experience. The resort runs Indonesian coffee workshops and even a “scent bar” where visitors can create perfumes using tropical ingredients. One of the most talked-about experiences is the Castaway Picnic, which ranges from a white-tablecloth meal prepared by a private chef to a stripped-back family beach outing.
Evenings are more communal, with stargazing, cinema screenings beneath the open sky, or traditional Indonesian beach barbecues.
A growing profile
Paul Robinson, COO of Bawah Reserve, frames the philosophy around connection. “Bawah isn’t just a place you visit – it’s a place that stays with you. Our activities are crafted to connect guests to the spirit of the islands, whether through adventure, creativity, or quiet moments of reflection”.
That approach appears to be working. In recent years, the Anambas Islands have gained attention among Asia’s luxury travellers, partly due to their proximity to Singapore and partly because of properties like Bawah that position sustainability as part of the drawcard. The Reserve’s ultra-private Elang Residence, available only for exclusive group stays, has further lifted its profile.
The bigger picture
Bawah is part of a broader trend in high-end travel: ultra-remote destinations that sell not just luxury but the sense of being among the last to experience an untouched landscape. Unlike the Maldives or Phuket, the Anambas remain largely under the radar — a fact that gives Bawah an advantage with travellers tired of crowded hotspots.
The challenge, as with many eco-luxury projects, will be balancing exclusivity and environmental responsibility as demand grows. For now, Bawah Reserve stands as both a sanctuary for travellers and a statement about the future direction of Southeast Asian luxury tourism.
Pure Amazon has begun journeys deep into Peru’s Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, combining contemporary design, Indigenous craftsmanship and intimate wildlife encounters in one of the richest ecosystems on Earth.
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Pure Amazon has begun journeys deep into Peru’s Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, combining contemporary design, Indigenous craftsmanship and intimate wildlife encounters in one of the richest ecosystems on Earth.
3 minPure Amazon, an A&K Sanctuary, has officially launched its voyages into the 21,000-square-kilometre Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve.
Designed for just 22 guests, the new vessel positions itself at the high end of wilderness travel, offering quiet, immersive, and attentive experiences with a one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio. The focus is on proximity to wildlife and landscape, without the crowds that have made parts of the Amazon feel like tourism has arrived before the welcome mat.
Where Architecture Meets the River
The design direction comes from Milan-based architect Adriana Granato, who has reimagined the boat’s interiors as part gallery, part observatory. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame rainforest scenes that shift hour to hour, and every space holds commissioned artworks by Peruvian artists.
The dining room’s centrepiece, Manto de Escamas de Paiche by Silvana Pestana, uses bronze and clay formations that mirror the scale patterns of the Amazon’s giant fish. Pestana’s works throughout the vessel reference environmental fragility, especially the scars left by illegal gold mining.
In each suite, hand-painted kené textiles by Shipibo-Konibo master artist Deysi Ramírez depict sacred geometry in natural dyes. Cushions by the BENEAI Collective feature 20 unique embroidered compositions, supporting Indigenous women artists and keeping traditional techniques alive in a meaningful, non-performative way.
Wildlife Without the Tame Script
Days on board are structured around early and late river expeditions led by naturalist guides. Guests may encounter pink river dolphins cutting through morning mist, three-toed sloths moving like they’re part of the slow cinema movement, and black caimans appearing at night like something from your childhood nightmares.
The prehistoric hoatzin appears along riverbanks, giant river otters hunt in packs, and scarlet macaws behave like the sky belongs to them. The arapaima — the same fish inspiring Pestana’s artwork — occasionally surfaces like an apparition.
A Regional Culinary Lens
The culinary program is led by a team from Iquitos with deep knowledge of Amazonian produce.
Nightly five-course tasting menus lean into local ingredients rather than performing them. Expect dishes like caramelised plantain with river prawns, hearts of palm with passionfruit, and Peruvian chocolate paired with fruits that would be unpronounceable if you encountered them in a supermarket aisle.
A pisco-led bar menu incorporates regional botanicals, including coca leaf and dragon’s blood resin.
A Model of Conservation-First Tourism
Pure Amazon’s conservation approach goes beyond the familiar “offset and walk away” playbook. Through A&K Philanthropy, the vessel’s operations support Indigenous community-led economic initiatives, including sustainable fibre harvesting and honey production in partnership with Amanatari.
Guests also visit FORMABIAP, a bilingual teacher training program supporting cultural and language preservation across several Indigenous communities. Notably, the program enables young women to continue their education while remaining with their families — a rarity in remote regions.
Low-intensity lighting, heat pump technology, and automated systems reduce disturbance to the reserve’s nocturnal wildlife.
The Experience Itself
Itineraries span three, four, or seven nights. Mornings often begin with quiet exploration along mirrorlike tributaries; afternoons allow for spa treatments or time on the open-air deck. Evenings shift into long dinners and soft-lit river watching as the rainforest begins its nightly soundtrack.
Granato describes the vessel as “a mysterious presence on the water,” its light calibrated to resemble fire glow rather than a foreign object imposing itself on the dark.
It is, in other words, slow travel done with precision.
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