Large families and groups of friends will love the latest addition to the Indonesian island retreat.
On the balcony of a lodge at Elang Private Residence. (All photos courtesy of Bawah Reserve)
Located 160 nautical miles northeast of Singapore in Indonesia’s remote Anambas Archipelago, Bawah Reserve wowed guests with its understated private-island luxury when it opened in 2017. Now, following a two-and-a-half-year closure, the resort is back in operation, this time with a floating, football-pitch-size solar farm and the addition of six new cliff-side lodges on a previously untouched isle called Elang.
Available from November for exclusive takeover by groups of 14–20 people, the latter is a short speedboat ride across the lagoon from Bawah’s main island and comes with its own beach, a saltwater infinity pool, a two-story dining room and bar called the Clubhouse, a separate beachside restaurant, butler service, plus a small spa housed within a restored joglo (traditional Javanese house). Architectural elements inside the newly built accommodations range from bamboo frames and roofs thatched in alang-alang grass to repurposed driftwood floors and low walls of hand-cut stone; interiors come adorned with objets like antique wooden carvings and ikat textiles.
Guests at Elang Private Residence will stay at the two-bedroom Longhouse and five one-bedroom lodges with separate living areas. Originally designed to be a holiday home for the owner of Bawah Reserve, the resort-within-a-resort is ideal for extended families and friends seeking the utmost privacy. Of course, this sort of seclusion doesn’t come cheap: nightly rates start at US$21,000, though that includes full board, laundry, daily spa treatments, and an array of land and water-based activities.
A bird’s-eye view of the new lodges on Bawah Reserve’s Elang Island.
Inside the master bedroom at The Longhouse.
The lounge and dining area of a lodge at Elang Private Residence.
Overlooking Elang Island’s saltwater pool.
The upstairs dining room and bar at The Clubhouse.
