Sustainable Private Island Resorts In Indonesia To Visit Post-Pandemic
These private island resorts may be smaller in size compared to popular tourist-thronged Indonesian destinations but they’re big on being environmentally friendly.
Larger Indonesian islands, wonderful as they are, have always been somewhat of an attention hog. From Bali to Bintan, Komodo to Lombok, they have monopolised glossy travel-magazine covers as well as glamorous yachting and sun-drenched holidays for decades.
But vacationers post-pandemic may not want to party with the masses or be cramped into a boat to go snorkeling at those popular (and often populated) places anymore.
Here are two small, private islands that not only offer sweet isolation but are also extremely eco-sensitive.
Cempedak Island
Leading the way is Cempedak, a 17-hectare (equivalent to 25 football fields) private island off the east coast of Bintan, Indonesia. Here, the golden sands are pristine, with nary a footprint. Closer to land, natural jungle-foliage provide a healthy habitat for many interesting faunas, including the critically endangered pangolin. The island also plays host to a family of sea otters, known to frolic in the waters at dawn, and the Nicobar pigeon, which looks a lot like its infamously extinct cousin, the dodo. There’s a clear homage to this quirky bird in the form of the resort’s Dodo bar, a striking structure with black tiered roof that rises like an organic tower. The elevated tavern is also the perfect place to chase sunsets or behold planets and the moon via a top-notch telescope at night. But while the sceneries found on the land, sky and sea are stunning, it’s the bamboo-bountiful villas that are the true stars.
Cempedak opened to visitors in early 2017. It’s the second secluded getaway developed by banker-turned-hotelier Andrew Dixon, an Australian who moved to Singapore more than 20 years ago. Dixon and his friends bought nearby Nikoi Island in 2004, which has been operating as a family haunt since 2007. They then purchased Cempedak in 2011 with the intention of creating an adults-only oasis. It would take more than half a decade to make sure Cempedak becomes a sustainable venture in all respects.
This means no single-use plastics, including straws and water bottles, are to be found on the island. And to take it up a notch, there are no in-villa mini bars and no air-conditioning — period. That’s right, things are just as they are in halcyon days, pre-mass-tourism in Indonesia. It is clear Cempedak aims to uphold an all-out green ethos but thankfully, it’s packaged in an elegant way. Dixon and his team has managed to prove that luxury and sustainability do not compete but rather complement each other — crafting a sensible luxury of sorts.
A clear example would be the beautifully hand-crafted villas. They are besieged with brilliant all-bamboo-building features, from floor to ceiling. This choice material is highly favourable in the environmentally friendly sphere, as the hollow but strong plant, when cut down, are not killed and can regrow in a couple of years. Approximately 20,000 pieces of dry bamboo canes from Sumatra and Java were used to construct the 20 free-flowing cocoons of a structure, all identical in design. The Balinese architects have clearly employed minimalism and asymmetry to help the golden unwalled cottages blend into the landscape, rather than compete with it.
Each villa also boasts a teardrop-shaped infinity pool and a spectacular spiral staircase that connects the two levels. On the top floor, a four-poster bed, with an energy-efficient overhead fan and cotton mosquito netting, is further ventilated by the locally sourced “alang alang” grass roof and constant sea breeze.
In keeping with its policies, Cempedak works hard to incorporate home-grown ingredients into its fixed seasonal menus to minimise any carbon footprint. Eggs come fresh from the island’s small-scaled farm, and so do most fruits and vegetables. As far as we’re concerned, down-to-earth food doesn’t have to mean down-at-heel dishes. The farm-to-fabulous concept sees innovative plates of lamb couscous with pomegranate and jackfruit while desserts like lemon and basil tart, and the spicy chocolate variety, are sure to tickle the taste buds. It’s amazing what a small island can bring to the table.
And to think 30 minutes is all you need to kayak around the whole island of Cempedak.
Bawah Reserve
As for Bawah, a reef-rich enclave situated 300km north-east of Singapore, it would take you at least two hours of paddling to see everything. Almost five times bigger than Cempedak, there is more to work and play with at Bawah, which Chief Operating Officer Paul Robinson proudly exclaims. He explains the destination’s new “Reserve”-affix: “Bawah Reserve — a group of six islands named Bawah, Batu Tokong, Muerba, Sanggah, Elang, and Lidi — has been designated as a marine conservation area. The zone has three lagoons, full of coral and all kinds of wildlife, plus many private beaches that invite sea turtles to lay their eggs, hermit crabs to find shelter in pristine shells — making the entire experience somewhat equivalent to a game reserve.”
Bawah is the main island where guests would set foot first, as the seaplane drifts towards one of its two jetties, after landing on the vast turquoise-covered lagoon-turned-runway. The breakthrough in amphibious accessibility means you can reach this Maldives-alternative locale in about three hours from Singapore, minus the transits.
Either way, the journey will be worth it. This is a one of those rare places where reality surpasses fantasy in the beauty of its natural forms, the breadth of the experiences it offers and the quality of its super staff and wonder villas. Like Cempedak, bamboos are extensively used to construct the facilities. But Bawah’s cabins are more evocative of a glamp-worthy hut, with satisfyingly straight lines and a bath area well-accented with recycled copper and teak.
Shipping tycoon and island-owner Tim Hartnoll sought the help of Singaporean architect Sim Boon Yang to ensure eco-minded methods were put into place during the build. No heavy machinery was used so every mechanical process, such as breaking boulders, was done by hand. Design lovers would appreciate the big statement pieces found hung in the restaurant and bars, such as the trippy, drippy tentacles of jellyfishes that light up in technicolour at the Tree Top eatery and a giant grouper-skeleton made from driftwood at the Grouper bar.
They are also very proud of their water in Bawah — mind you, it’s not just the surrounding blue ocean, which handily is the name of a must-try signature mocktail to be ordered at the bar or boat house. Highly coveted for washing and irrigation needs, water resource is collected not only from rain and wells but through a high-tech reverse osmosis system too. And seeing as PET bottled water is the world’s current faux pas, holidaymakers are supplied with endless glass bottles of surprisingly tasty sparkling and still water, which goes through an additional eco-conscious Swedish water filtration system called Nordaq Fresh.
Bawah may have bar-raising eco-principles but the luxury retreat ultimately offers you the choice. Lift the wall-drapes of your beach or garden suite to turn your glamp-tent into an airy snug instead of using the AC, which is hidden behind the bedhead if you’re looking to cheat. Or withhold asking for soft terry towels and stick to the provided Peshtemal towels, the traditional kinds used in Turkish baths, which require less water to wash and dry in almost no time.
A stay at both Bawah and Cempedak surely will alter visitors’ perception of ultimate luxury — that it’s definitely about less, not more. Less traffic, less people, less stress, less wastage, less impact to the environment. And let’s never forget that.
