Bawah Reserve, Indonesia's incredible new island retreat

There's a tiny clutch of islands adrift between Malaysia and Borneo which had hitherto gone unnoticed. Now a sensational new private-island retreat, Bawah Reserve, is putting the archipelago on the map as Indonesia's hottest hotel opening of the year.

Bawah is a barefoot, back-to-nature beauty, set in a previously uninhabited marine conservation zone across five, lush, forest-canopied islands, three sheltered lagoons and 13 beaches. It has the same lo-fi-luxury feel as Bali but the joy here is that you don't have to share the sand with the crowds. There are 35 villas (overwater bungalows, beachfront villas and garden suites) made by hand from natural materials such as bamboo, driftwood and recycled teak, with beautiful recycled copper sinks and showers in the bathrooms.

The eco mindset is prevalent throughout. Locally-grown ingredients can be found on the Asian-fusion menu at the Tree Top restaurant (there's a zero-waste programme in place, plus no pesticides or fishing are allowed), and there's a spa and yoga pavilion at holistic wellness centre Aura. Guests can spend days hiking the untouched forests or kayaking and paddle-boarding in clear waters before sipping cocktails at dusk in the Grouper Bar and open-air cinema screenings under the stars.
GETTING THERE: Bawah Reserve is a three-hour flight from Singapore (www.bawahisland.com)