Anambas Islands

The Anambas Islands are a scatter of forested islands, reefs, and clear lagoons in Indonesia’s Riau Islands, far from the country’s better-known shores. Bawah Reserve occupies six of them (Bawah, Muerba, Sanggah, Elang, Lidi, and Batu Tokong) around three marine reserve lagoons and thirteen beaches.

We hold the Anambas for travelers who want coral gardens and forest trails more than a scene: turtles on the house reef, a Keruing tree some five centuries old, and a night sky dark enough for real stargazing. Arrival is by amphibious seaplane, landing in the main lagoon.

Bawah Reserve suits couples and honeymooners who want overwater living without a crowd, families with confident swimmers, and travelers who care about conservation as much as comfort. Meals, spa treatments and most activities are part of the stay, so the days shape themselves. Read more on our Bawah Reserve page.

It belongs to two of our collections, Overwater & Lagoon and Island Sanctuaries, and features in our Journal on the world’s best private island resorts. For another lagoon in the Indian Ocean, see Randheli Island in the Maldives, or our Indonesia guide for the wider archipelago.

Elsewhere in Indonesia, the reefs of North Sulawesi and the island waters of Moyo Island continue the story beneath the surface.