Anambas Islands, Indonesia

Bawah ReserveSix islands closing off a single stretch of water

A seaplane leg from Singapore via Batam puts you down among six islands that enclose one stretch of water. Snorkelling, sailing, kayaking and forest walks spread across the days. The resort is low-density, the villas are spread out, and the sea sets the schedule.

The resort occupies six private islands in the Anambas Islands, Indonesia. Arrival runs from Singapore to Batam, then by the resort's seaplane to the islands.

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PlaceAnambas Islands

TypePrivate island resort

SuitsCouples, families, snorkelling

StayFour to five nights

A seaplane landing between the islands and the lagoon

Anambas Islands, Indonesia — Private island resort.

Bawah Reserve occupies six private islands in the Anambas group. Getting there involves a boat and a plane in sequence, and once you are down, the shallow water, the islands and the forest set the range of what a day contains. The transfer is part of the trip rather than an inconvenience before it.

Beyond the water there is time for the spa, for walking and for eating by the sea. Staying four to six nights beats island-hopping, because the weather and the light here change, and a longer stay lets you see more than one version of the place.

It suits couples and families who want a private island, natural activity and few other guests. The transfer runs in several stages, so keep whole days free at each end for arriving and leaving rather than treating them as travel you can fit around other plans.

A single swimmer stands in shallow water beside a pale sandbar, open sea behind them. — A swimmer out on the pale sandbar

A white plate holds seafood and green vegetables, set on a table with cutlery and a glass. — Seafood and greens on a white plate

From above, a curved island coastline meets clear coral water, the reef shelf shading from green to blue.

Arriving over the lagoon

The seaplane comes down close to the islands, and on the way in you see the reef, the shallow water and the empty islets laid out below. It is the clearest view you will get of how the six islands sit around the lagoon. Watch the water change colour as you descend.

A couple walks side by side along a shaded path under dense green trees, dappled light on the ground.

A different way on the water each day

Snorkelling takes you under the surface, while sailing and kayaking keep you on it, and each asks for a different level of effort and a different sea state. Set the more active outings against days of resting by the water instead of stacking them all together.

A table set with lamps on a terrace above the sea at dusk, empty chairs facing the water.

The forest fills the hours out of the sea

Walking on the island, the spa and meals by the shore make a full day without ever entering the water. People in the same party can split up and meet again at the same villa, which matters when one of you dives and the other does not.

A shoal of striped tropical fish swims through clear water above pale sand and coral.

Route

Four to six nights off Singapore

It connects from Singapore for a four- to six-night island stay and works as the quiet finish to a longer Southeast Asian trip. The city and the islands pair well, because Singapore separates the international flights from the island transfer.

Linking Singapore, Batam and the seaplane

Treat arrival and departure as full days, and confirm documents, luggage weight and the boat-to-plane connection before you fly out.

Stay

Four to five nights is the advice, so a day of poor weather or a heavy sea does not take out the main activities.

Getting there

Fly to Singapore, continue to Batam, then take the resort's seaplane. Confirm documents, luggage weight and every connection in advance.

Season

Monsoon conditions affect both the sea and the transport. Check the schedules and the sea state before you set out.

Watch out

Arrival includes transfers that begin in Singapore, so documents, immigration and timing all need room in the plan, with whole days kept free.

Plan this into a journey

Tell us how many nights you can give the islands and we will build the Singapore and Batam connections around the seaplane.

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