These islands are the closest I've got to heaven

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I Don’t think it’s possible to snorkel on Coral reefs In the Bawah Reserve without your heart beating. Flocks of butterfly fish move forward by gliding. Clownfish peek out from the coral. The electric blue and yellow demoiselle fish are no bigger than your thumb nail, gnawing on the rocks. Giant silver tuna follow each other single file. Green turtles dive and dive. Swim at the right time and you might even spot a black tip reef shark poking around for a snack. it’s a secret underwater world Due to which your breathing stops.

Perhaps this is the most fascinating place to snorkel in this remote location Anambas Islands of Indonesia Surrounding the charming quaint pier is where guests arriving via seaplane get their first glimpse of Bawa, and from where they can embark on a diving exploration or sunset boat ride. This is not because of the strange design (everything on this island is planned with exquisite detail) but because it was painstakingly built by expert divers while ensuring not to disturb the surrounding coral reefs. You’ll find that everything at this reserve has been built with the ethos that guests should live within nature and not displace it – and nowhere more so than on the cliffs.

The Bawah Reserve was created with a desire not to displace nature but to work with it ,Annabel Grossman/The Independent,

The typical words you’d use to describe an island resort don’t exactly fit Bava; Heaven, delightful and blissful, seems somehow smaller. five star resorts With Michelin restaurants, private beach And the butler service I stayed at really can’t compare to the natural beauty of the Bawah Sanctuary.

Located in the western part of the South China Sea, the Anambas Archipelago – consisting of more than 250 islands – is actually closer to Malaysia than the most famous Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Bali and Borneo. They are remote and untouched by the large-scale tourism that affects some other islands. Bawah itself is reached by private seaplane from Batam, about a 30-minute ferry ride away. Singapore,

The villas and suites are accessed via wooden walkways (you may see monitor lizards flying below as you walk up to your room) while the spa, restaurant and tennis courts are hidden in the trees, nestled in beach coves or perched on cliff tops. All buildings are constructed entirely by hand without the use of heavy machinery, and local employment is a priority – from building the infrastructure to staffing the resort.

All overwater villas at Bawah Reserve are built from locally sourced materials as far as possible, and the water is heated by solar energy ,Annabel Grossman/The Independent,

The island is all-inclusive, meaning you can eat as much as you want, but wastage of food is discouraged. Food portions are pleasantly small, and guests are welcome to ask for more if necessary.

But beyond the guest experience it is the unwavering commitment to nature that sets Bawah apart. While snorkelling around the pier, you can spot some unusual looking reefs – shaped like giant spiders, flat hexagons or even domes stuck out of glass bottles. These are artificial reefs that marine conservationists at the Bawah Reserve have placed in the ocean and gently transplanted coral into as part of a restoration plan. The reefs were previously damaged as a result of unregulated fishing and human activity, but a program was put in place to remove discarded “ghost” fishing nets and plastics, and fishing is now banned in the immediate area. The artificial reefs are believed to have rehabilitated an area of more than 700 square metres.

Other conservation initiatives include semi-natural sea turtle nesting and hatcheries to protect young turtles from natural predators such as monitor lizards and allow populations to grow, as well as an emphasis on clean energy. Look out to sea and you’ll see floating solar panels that were installed in 2022 – these 18 panels now provide most of Bawah’s electricity, saving around 468 liters of diesel per day. Even before their installation, all hot water in the rooms was supplied by rooftop solar panels.

The pier at Bawa was painstakingly constructed by expert divers to ensure that the surrounding coral reefs were not disturbed. ,Annabel Grossman/The Independent,

Agreed, there is a price to be paid for heaven. A trip to Bawah is not pocket-friendly – which raises questions about whether a truly sustainable getaway can be affordable. Also, the carbon footprint of the long haul flight and seaplane required to reach Bawah from the UK is not entirely lost on me.

But on the island, the staff will tell you that “Bava changes you”, which indeed appears to be the case. You may be on remote islands, but you’re completely connected to land – and that’s a remarkable experience in itself.

Annabel travels to Bawa Reserve as a guest of Scott Dunn.

Scott Dunn offers seven nights at the Bawah Reserve from £13,850 on a full board, doubles sharing basis and includes return flights from the UK. For more information, visit Scott Dunn websiteOr call 020 3393 0884.

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