PARADISE, PRESERVED

Luxury and purpose are embraced at this idyllic retreat tucked away in Indonesia’s Anambas Archipelago.

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It's 7am on this secluded island, and the soft lap of waves breaks its silence. I leap off the boat and onto the cool sand, following Corina, a marine biologist with sunbleached hair and a confident stride.

"We combed this beach four times last week, and we didn't find anything," she explains.

Today, we're on turtle patrol, scanning the beach for tracks and nests where turtles lay eggs deep in the sand. After 30 minutes, Corina suddenly stops and exclaims, pointing ahead, "It's a nest!" We dart forward, scaring off two monitor lizards fat from feeding on turtle eggs as Corina and her teammate lay face down, scooping fistfuls of sand.

Many of the eggs were already eaten, but the duo managed to salvage six, each resembling a ping-pong ball. These are carefully brought back to a hatchery on the main island, home to overwater bungalows and sea-facing villas. If these six eggs hatch, they will join the nearly 4,000 turtle hatchlings released since 2020.

PARADISE, PRESERVED

Welcome to Bawah Reserve, a remote resort in Indonesia's Anambas Archipelago. Here, luxury tourism is intertwined with the island's mission: healing the planet, one small act of stewardship at a time. The journey from Singapore takes four hours, and door-to-door service is provided via ferry, car, and seaplane.