LIGHT-TOUCH LUXURY

Well Rested

From resorts built from the ground up with sustainability in mind to old favorites making the planet a top priority, Navigator has sourced the most eco-friendly offerings that don’t skimp on luxury either.

WORDS MIRIAM CAIN

Bawah Reserve

01 Indonesia

Private island eco-resort, the Bawah Reserve in the remote Anambas Islands Regency archipelago of Indonesia combines high-end design with sustainablyminded luxury. The resort, which took five years to build by hand, includes villas made from sustainable bamboo and local materials and other recycled materials such as driftwood and copper. Other sustainability wins include solar water heating and water desalination systems, beach cleaning, a nursery to repopulate the islands’ forests, and a permaculture garden. Added to this, Bawah is powered by a renewable microgrid and has recently been accepted into WWF Indonesia’s Signing Blue program. Surrounded by waters that are reputedly ten times more diverse than Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the Bawah Resort offers a plethora of water-based activities. Kayak, paddleboard, snorkel, sail or dive and discover more than a dozen beaches and three lagoons within the six-island Bawah Reserve. On land, guests can hike, bird watch, stargaze, catch a movie in the open-air cinema, or simply switch off and unwind in the resort’s wellness center.

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The surrounding waters are protected by the Anambas Foundation – a charity set up by the Bawah Reserve to protect the Anambas ecosystem. bawahreserve.com