The Anambas archipelago is a gorgeous and largely untouched group of 238 islands only 270 kilometres north-east of Singapore, in the Republic of Indonesia: for sale

The Anambas archipelago

The Paradise Islands, a hidden jewel of the far East

The Anambas archipelago is a gorgeous and largely untouched group of 238 islands only 270 kilometres north-east of Singapore, in the Republic of Indonesia.

Together, these magnificent islands stretch for 140 kilometres from end to end – an impressive 637 square kilometres.

The archipelago lies within the Riau (Kepri) province of Indonesia and is the second-most northern archipelago in Indonesia, located 500 kilometres inside Indonesia’s northern territorial boundary.

The amazing Anambas are mostly uninhabited and have been since creation.  A step on the islands is a step back in time to the sights and sounds of tropical wilderness that few have been privileged to experience, but now the government has permitted limited sustainable development to commence.

The untouched paradise of Anambas

From the first glance, these islands are breathtaking. They are encircled by extensive coral lagoons that give the Anambas a reputation for some of the best coral dive sites in the world. Not only is the archipelago in the coral triangle, but its waters are also mostly a gazetted marine park.

Visitors have compared this area with the Maldives and Ha Long Bay Vietnam – but even better. The Anambas contains richer sea life and corals than the Maldives. It also has similar topography to Ha Long Bay, but with coral-based white beaches rather than black volcanic sands. The Anambas is also less susceptible to rising sea levels, the paradise islands of Anambas are the new Maldives in the making.

If this is the first time you have heard about the Anambas, you are not alone. Despite their wondrous beauty and easy accessibility, these islands have been largely unknown to tourists other than diving enthusiasts and the sailing community. However, they have gained popularity in recent times with direct sea plane access to the renowned Bawah Resort, and the commencement of the Pavilions hotel group development. With scheduled flights now operating 4 to 5 times a week from Batam airport, the ease of access, and of course the recent pandemic now in the rear-view mirror, we are seeing unprecedented interest in acquiring private islands and beaches for eco resort development in the province.

Despite the archipelago’s size, it is only sparsely populated. Around 45,000 people live on 26 of the islands. The remaining 212 islands are totally uninhabited. These largely unexplored areas are filled with hidden charms and vast potential – just waiting for you to find them!

From the first glance, these islands are breathtaking. They are encircled by extensive coral lagoons that give the Anambas a reputation for some of the best coral dive sites in the world. Not only is the archipelago in the coral triangle, but its waters are also mostly a gazetted marine park.

Visitors have compared this area with the Maldives and Ha Long Bay Vietnam – but even better. The Anambas contains richer sea life and corals than the Maldives. It also has similar topography to Ha Long Bay, but with coral-based white beaches rather than black volcanic sands. The Anambas is also less susceptible to rising sea levels, the paradise islands of Anambas are the new Maldives in the making.

The crystal-clear waters of the Penjaling (Mystery) islands Anambas

Now is the ideal time to claim your piece of this paradise. Development sites in the Anambas are limited by government decree to minimise impact, and this should provide an exceptional return on investment as the archipelago becomes directly accessible and gains worldwide attention as an ecotourism destination.  Its designation as a gazetted marine park and location inside the globally renowned coral triangle will also ensure unique guest experiences for many generations to come.

The proximity of this pristine eco-tourism destination to the world city of Singapore, with its 6.3 million visitors per year and over 7,400 international flights per week from all corners of the globe, provides an exceptional opportunity to astute developers wishing to capitalise on the fast-growing and lucrative eco-tourism sector.

The untouched nature of the archipelago, and the quality of its corals and sea life, are perfectly aligned with the premium eco-tourism segment, as demonstrated by the Bawah Reserve, the only 5-star property in the entire province, commanding up to US$35,000.00 per night.

With the renowned global brand Pavilions now commencing development, it is certainly an astute time to acquire your future development sites in the province.   The Anambas archipelago truly is a hidden jewel – but it will not stay hidden for much longer!

From the amazing weather to the friendly people and unique culture, the Anambas is a precious jewel just waiting to be discovered.

History and Heritage

For more than 2000 years, the South China Sea has been used as a shipping thoroughfare, including this island chain.  We know very little about the history and occupation of the Anambas archipelago before this time, though it is believed that the Dong Son empire (Vietnam) occasionally had residence there in 1000–500BC.

However, we do know that this area has had an interesting history more recently. The Dutch acquired the island chain in the 1800s as part of the Dutch East Indies colonisation. And Japan occupied the territory briefly during World War II. 

The current population consists mainly of descendants of the Bugis tribe, with some Chinese and Malay heritage.

The archipelago’s thick canopies of tropic jungle have prevented archaeologists exploring this area extensively. This is demonstrated in this quote from Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea 1300–1800. However, while our team at Kepri Estates has been searching and listing islands, some villagers have been kind enough to show us interesting items, including:

• A cross engraving at Telaga Besar Island, found just inside the jungle canopy from the beach
• Another with a similar mark was found about 200 metres further into the jungle. The origin was unknown, but the village head told us ‘It has existed since before the village area was founded 120 years ago’.
• A Chinese bowl (assumed from the dragon motif) around Nyamuk island. Unfortunately, the villager declined to tell or show us exactly where it was found.
• A Spanish piece of 8, minted in Mexico, shown by a villager on Airibu island village. It was found and given to that villager by his grandfather. Exactly where it was found is unknown, though it is suspected to have been on a local reef while fishing.

The Anambas locals are understandably cautious when asked about the history and archaeology of the area. Many villagers talk about shipwrecks and artefacts, but no one mentions locations.

Several villagers have asked to borrow a waterproof metal detector in return for sharing anything they find. Porcelain artefacts, presumably of Chinese origin, sometimes wash up on beaches or turn up in fishing nets of the local artisanal fishermen.

The province also has scattered jungle and underwater caves, but they have yet to be explored due to local superstition.

As you can tell, the Anambas is an area rich in heritage and mystery. No doubt, we have much more to discover about this tropical paradise in coming years.

Climate and Weather

The Anambas really is the perfect place to be all year round. This area has a wonderfully balmy, tropical climate with two distinct seasons:

• April to October, when the season is drier, and winds are mainly southerly.
• October to March, when rainfall increases, and winds change to northerly.

Temperatures tend to stay consistent all year, with minimum and maximum temperatures rarely less than 26 degrees and 29 degrees Celsius.

Not only is the climate lovely all year round, the Anambas archipelago area does not experience severe weather events like typhoons and hurricanes, or other annual or regular extreme weather events. In fact, there has not been a tropical storm of any significance since records commenced. It really is a tropical paradise!

Tropical Breezes of the Anambas

As shown in the wind chart adjacent, the winds in Anambas are generally calm and rarely exceed 20 knots.  December to January are the breeziest months with 1 or 2 days over 20 knots, and February through to November the winds are most often calm to a light breeze of 10 knots or less.

Seasonally, the winds are Southerly from April to October and then swing to the North over the November to March period, with extensive lulls and calm winds between these distinct seasons.

As the wind rose adjacent shows, the prevailing breezes are from the South, followed by the North and North-North East.

Winds from other points of the compass are very light, and often just enough to rustle the palm leaves on the beaches.

As you can see, Anambas is located quite distant from any areas subject to tropical storms, typhoons or cyclones, with no recorded event of even a tropical depression in the province (wind speed ~30 knots) over a 50-year period!

The Anambas really is a very calm tropical region of the Asia Pacific.

Volcanic and Seismic Activity

The Anambas is very remote from any tectonic activity, with the closest tectonic plate junction (Australian and Sunda plates) being nearly 1,000km distant to the South West and on the opposite side of Sumatra Island facing the Indian Ocean.

In fact, importantly for insurance and risk management purposes, the Anambas has the lowest level of equivalent risk based on data from the Munich reinsurance company’s NATHAN system.

During the 2 largest earthquakes in Asia in recent history, the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of 2011 (Magnitude 9.0-9.1) and the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami (magnitude 9.1-9.3), there was no noticeable effect within the Anambas province.

Anambas – The Next Global Eco Tourism Hot Spot

The paradise islands of Anambas have remained largely unknown outside of the diving and sailing community, the locals, and the partners of the Bawah Reserve private island resort.

Over the past 7 years (pandemic excluded), there has been a growing increase in awareness, interest, and visitation, culminating in a dual island development purchase in 2022 for the globally renowned Pavilions Hotel Group.

It will now only be a short time until there is global awareness of these islands’ unique, pristine, and protected environment, and the exceptional investment opportunity they will offer to developers and operators.

Bawah Resort and new Elang Wing Residence (2023)

The Indonesian government is keenly aware of the need to support tourism initiatives, and the financial and societal benefits that sustainable tourism will bring to the province and country.

From the new airport, upgrading of facilities, promotion of the province, gazetting the marine park and rezoning land areas for immediate development, the government at local, regional and national levels continues to offer strong support for development.

This support has ensured the infrastructure of Anambas will capably support its colloquial title of “The New Maldives”.

The carefully drafted master plan of the Anambas province reflects the provinces’ goal to ensure that the scope of sustainable development aligns with the goal of preserving the surrounding environment. 

Development sites are limited and have been deliberately and conservatively zoned, to ensure the province remains a place of exceptional environmental beauty for the generations that follow.

Summary Advantages for Investment

Attractions and Sites – Above the Water

Every visitor who spots these islands from the air or sea are immediately captured by the landscape.  Powder-soft, white beaches lined with coconut palms surround granite headlands and cliffs. Lush emerald-green vegetation stretches from the high tide line to the hilltops.

This exceptional combination of features provides truly spectacular scenery from the air or water – but it is nothing compared to seeing these incredible sites in person.

Beaches

The long beaches within the Anambas are covered with soft white sands, created by the surrounding coral over millennia. The depth and extent of these beaches will always be stable due to the archipelago’s calm, tropical environment.

Most of the beaches have a lower lying building envelope that is still well above the high-tide line. They extend back into the island vegetation and are sometimes interspersed with granite boulders or a headland. This concentrates the abundant sea life and adds visual impact to the surrounding vistas.

The vegetation behind the beaches is mainly low-growing and less dense tropical jungle. Towering coconut palms stretch from the high-tide line to the more heavily vegetated foothills.

Elevated Views and Outlooks

As a developer, you are not limited to building on the beachfront behind the high tide line. The elevated and varied topography can be used to advantage to create elevated villas or points of interest with bird’s-eye views of the surrounding islands.  Others use the seascapes to build out over the lagoons, with water villas and direct balcony access to the corals below.  Both design elements are captured in the Bawah Reserve and in the master planning of the Pavilions Hotel Group dual island development.

Most larger islands in the province have substantial elevated views, solid granite foundations and, sometimes, granite outcrops on the hillsides. These magnificent features combine to deliver a unique and stunning visual backdrop for private island resort developments, for example Dekar Private Island.

Sometimes the dew point creates a cloud or fog layer over the jungle foliage and under the hilltops. This wondrous event only adds to the archipelago’s almost prehistoric atmosphere and gives any elevated structures the illusion of being ‘above the clouds.

Flora and Fauna of the Anambas

As it is largely untouched by humans, the archipelago hosts a diverse array of amazing tropical wildlife, which further adds to the mystique and ancient feeling of the islands. Some of this wildlife includes:

• Monkeys on the Telojan Island.
• Penjaling and Telok Resan’s diverse butterfly population.
• Monitor lizards lazing in the sun
• Over 180 bird species

The archipelago’s biodiversity is vast, including a wide range of birdlife. Countless species thrive undisturbed in the tropical jungles, and every sunrise brings a diverse chorus of birds celebrating the new day.

The Anambas plant life is what you would expect from an untouched tropical paradise, the beaches are lined with palms, vines and lower vegetation, which then gives way to denser and taller tropical forest, interspersed with ancient boulders of granite and occasional outcrops and peaks of granite.

The Anambas features a range of native orchids and the rare and exotic rafflesia flower sighted on a tropical jungle hike to a waterfall in the South of Siantan island.

Seeing these islands in person is like stepping back millennia, long before humans arrived, the sights and sounds of the Anambas islands, coupled with no signs or sounds of human habitation are an absolute feast for the senses.  An experience that few have been privileged to encounter and an absolute drawcard for premium eco resort development guests.

Corals and Sea Life of the Anambas

Underwater, as you would expect from a gazetted marine park in the heart of the coral triangle, the sea life and seascapes of the Anambas are without doubt, the most impressive, dense, and biodiverse that you will ever see anywhere in the world!

From truly ancient corals to the rare and endangered hump head wrasse, passing whale sharks, giant mantas, reef sharks and numerous species of exotic fish species.

Sea turtle conservation

An article on the Anambas would not be complete without a shout out to the huge efforts by various conservation groups to help in conserving the turtle populations in the Anambas.

Every year, from May to August, conservation organisations travel to Anambas to view and assist the turtle populations to lay eggs and help the hatchings get safely to the water. It is a unique sight and well worth the trip.

Almost every Anambas island has had annual turtle nesting on their beaches at some time, and if turtle nesting and hatchlings suit your ideas for an eco-resort development, and your plans for enhanced and rare guest experiences, please let us know.  We can direct you to the best private island and private beaches that are frequented by these amazing animals!

Durai Island Anambas

Is the “home” of turtle nesting in the province and a focal point for conservation efforts.

Durai private Island is available from for eco developers only who will maintain or enhance these conservation efforts as part of any development.

Waterfalls

The Anambas has three magnificent waterfalls: Neraja, Air Bunyi and Temburun. Temburun is the nothing short of majestic, with seven terraces along its length before it pours into the Peniting Strait.

The rock pools at the waterfall’s crest are popular with locals and tourists of all ages and the elevated location and panoramic views of the surrounding tropical islands make the trip to the top of the waterfall a popular one.

The geology and topography of the islands with its majestic granite outcrops, headlands and cliffs gives rise to numerous other seasonal waterfalls across various islands in the province.  Providing yet another opportunity to harness the beauty of the islands to provide unique guest experiences not available at other eco resort destinations. Ujung Northeast bay’s tropical waterfall is a good example of this.

Main Towns of the Anambas

There are 2 main population centres in Anambas, Terempa, and Letung.  They are more like expanded villages of a few thousand people, and not a main town or small city that you may expect.  They are approximately 60km apart.

There is an Anambas ferry (200 pax) that operates daily and travels between the two main population centres.  The time of departure and arrival is dependent on the schedule of the Anambas flights from Batam to Letung airport and does vary seasonally.  The trip time is 2hrs 40 minutes.

Letung

Letung is the main population centre on the far Western side of the Anambas province and is the location of the new government airport, currently 1,400m long and accommodating regional flights from Batam, with plans to eventually extend the runway to 1,800m to accommodate regional international flights. 

Letung is also the regional ferry’s point of entry into Anambas with ferries stopping at Letung on the way from Tanjung Pinang of Batam to Terempa.  It is the government’s intention to continue to expand and enhance the infrastructure in and around Letung for it to become the main point of entry into the Anambas province.  For further information on the government’s longer-term plans, please refer to the section on transportation and access.

Terempa

Terempa is located on the North Bay of Siantan island and remains the main population centre in the Anambas.  Government offices, the main transport dock for the region and immigration facilities are all located in Terempa or close by.

Historically when travelling to Anambas, flights arrived at the private Matak airport just to North of Terempa and a short car and water taxi ride was taken to get from Matak airport to Terempa, however, now the trip is taken via flight to Letung airport and then the Anambas ferry from Letung to Terempa.

Terempa is also serviced by the intra weekly regional ferry (1,000 pax) the “Bukit Raya”.

Authentic Villages of the Anambas

Visitors to the Anambas islands always enjoy sightseeing through the numerous local villages to sample some of the region’s best food and culture. You can hire a small speed boat or wooden boat to help you get around while you explore the local over-water villages.

These villages offer an authentic culinary and cultural experience of traditional Indonesia. Their over-water shops, restaurants and houses, with their blend of Indonesian, Chinese and Malay heritage, provide for rich cultural experiences and some of the most delicious food you are likely to encounter!

Kepri Estates supports local villages wherever possible in our site trips with investors and other guests, so please don’t hesitate to reach out and book a Private Island Tourwith us for your next Anambas adventure!

Any visitor hoping to avoid high-density tourism destinations like Bali, Lombok and, shortly, the Gilli and Sumba islands, will find the Anambas’ laid-back style, authentic culture and food and lifestyle very refreshing. It might even remind you of Bali back when it was an exotic and uncrowded getaway destination in the far East.

For guests who would prefer

• A resort destination with a nightlife of a million starts instead of bars, pubs, and clubs.
• The sounds of the tropical rainforest and waters lapping the soft sands rather than traffic.
• The sights of sunrise and sunset over still tropical waters rather than polluted beaches.
• The smell of fresh air, tropical rainforests, and the ocean, instead of traffic and open drains.

The feeling of walking in soft sands and warm tropical waters instead of hot pavement.

The eco resort destination of Anambas can provide all this, and more, only 1 hour away from Singapore.  If you prefer the serenity of private islands and private beaches, there is no place more private, and exclusive, than the paradise islands of Anambas.

Air Senna Village

Is North Eastern village to the East of Matak.  This village is called Air Sena due to the many Sena trees in this area.

In stories passed down for generations this village was founded by only eight people, and after the arrival of the Iban Dayak tribe and indigenous people of the Laut tribe, this village expanded to hundreds of families.

The village livelihoods are from fishing and fish farming and you can see hundreds of floating cages over the sea surface at Air Senna, owned by residents who grow fish such as grouper and the renowned hump head wrasse.

Airabu Village

Is a Southern village that is “off the beaten track” in the province and has some of the best corals in the province and some of the most majestic scenery.  It is rarely visited by foreigners, being 46km away from Terempa.  An unusual fact about Airabu village is there is a village owner who has inherited a piece of eight that their grandfather discovered in the area which has since been authenticated as a 1700’s era “piece of eight” minted in Mexico.  No-one alive today knows where it was found and the mystery of its discovery, and the potential wreck site it came from, has been lost to history, for now…

Menkiat Village

Centrally located near Lombong Temban and Ujung Islands, a unique church stands in the middle of a remote island of Mengkait, Anambas.

The island is inhabited by sea tribes who are predominantly Catholic and Christian. The Catholic church is called Santa Maria Karunia Bakti and is shaped like an ark or ship. Soaring at the highest point of the island it is visible from the surrounding islands and seas.  It articulates to the community the concept of travelling the seas in all types of weather.

Air Binyi

Located in Air Bini Village, South Siantan District is the waterfall in the depths of the jungle.

What makes Air Bini Waterfall unique is, consists of several layers of rock, complete with water flowing through large rocks for approximately 2 km, the peak of the waterfall is approximately 8 meters high.

The waterfall is hidden, in the middle of the forest and to get to this waterfall the journey is a trek through the jungle or a small motorised boat or “pompong” from the ocean that passes through the mangrove shallows to reach the waterfall.

Most Anambas Villages

An article on the Anambas villages wouldn’t be complete without mentioning clove cultivation which occurs in most village areas.

The source of income people in Anambas Island, Indonesia, primarily revolves around fishing and maritime activities, but clove cultivation is an important agricultural activity in the region as well. Clove trees are planted on the slopes of the hills facing the sea. Harvested once a year.

There's saying among the people of Anambas that “Income from fishing is for daily needs, income from clove plantations are savings”.

The Delicious Dishes of the Anambas

Any article on the Anambas would not be complete without showing a sample of amazing local foods that are popular in the region.  For those who love fresh seafood and spices, here are 5 local dishes that are popular with the locals.  Once you’ve tasted them you will see why!

Kernas

Kernas is nuggets made from sago grains and tuna originating from the Riau Islands. Kernas can also be called kasam by some residents. Kernas is usually eaten with hot and sour chili sauce.

Mie Sagu

"Mie Sagu" is a type of noodle dish. Unlike traditional wheat-based noodles, "mie sagu" uses sago flour as its main ingredient, giving it a unique texture and flavour. Sago flour is derived from the sago palm and is a common ingredient in many Indonesian dishes.

The noodles are typically handmade and have a translucent appearance. They are often served in a soup or stir-fried with various ingredients such as seafood, vegetables, and spices.

"Mie Sagu Anambas" showcases the local ingredients and culinary traditions of the Anambas Islands, offering a distinct and flavourful eating experience.

Mie Terempa

Mie Tarempa is a type of noodle dish from the Anambas Islands in Indonesia. It's known for its unique flavors and ingredients. The dish typically includes noodles, seafood (like prawns and squid), vegetables, and a flavorful broth. Mie Tarempa showcases the local seafood and culinary style of the Anambas region. If you have the chance to try it, you'll likely experience a delicious and authentic taste of the area's cuisine.

Luti Gendang

"Luti Gendang" is a traditional cake or dessert that comes from the Anambas Islands in Indonesia. Similar to "Roti Gendang," it's named after its drum-like shape. With the savoury of fish filling.

Lakse

Ah, I see! Laksa is a popular and flavorful noodle soup dish commonly found in Southeast Asia. It typically consists of rice noodles served in a spicy, aromatic coconut-based broth. The broth's flavor is enriched with a mixture of herbs, spices, and often includes ingredients like shrimp, chicken, tofu, or fish. Different regions have their own variations of laksa, each with its unique twist on the dish.

Cultural Festivals and Events

Jongkong Race Competition

The Jongkong Race Competition is a traditional event in Anambas, Indonesia that involves a unique and exciting race using traditional wooden dugout canoes known as "jongkong." These canoes are usually crafted from a single tree trunk and have distinctive designs. The race is not only a display of skill and teamwork but also a celebration of the maritime heritage of the region. It's a thrilling event that draws both participants and spectators alike to experience the cultural significance and excitement.

Budaya Tuah Utare Festival

The Budaya Tuah Utare Festival is a festival that aims to show the various cultural aspects of the people of North Siantan District. This festival is an important opportunity to understand and appreciate the deep al heritage found in this region, which is a rich fusion of SE Asian culture and heritage.

Football Tournament - Governor Cup

The Governor of the Riau Archipelago, H. Ansar Ahmad, S.E., M.M at the closing ceremony the winner of football Tournament in Anambas. He emphasized how highly important such tournament for aspiring young athletes as they provide opportunities for skill development, exposure, competition, and personal growth. Tournaments offer a platform to showcase talent, gain experience, and measure one's performance against peers.

Anambas Folklore Festival

The Anambas Folklore Festival is a cultural event that celebrates the traditional stories, music, dance, and heritage of the Anambas Islands, located in Indonesia. The festival showcases the rich folklore and traditions of the local communities, providing an opportunity for people to learn about and appreciate the cultural heritage of the region.

Attractions and Sites – On and Below the Water

The Anambas archipelago is a designated marine conservation area, but one of only a few in the world open to ecotourism development. This limits development opportunities to just a few astute developers and will help to protect its natural beauty for generations to come.

The waters of the Anambas are some of the clearest in the world, with visibility deep into the rich corals that surround most islands. Additionally, these calm tropical waters, with small tides and minimal currents, make water sports safe and comfortable for visitors most year-round.

Activities like sailing, paddling, snorkelling, glass-bottomed boat tours, fishing (in limited locations), snorkelling and diving can all provide additional and reliable revenue streams for resort developers.  Visitors also enjoy viewing the abundance of water life around the islands, including turtles, manta rays, dolphins, and mild-mannered sharks.  Some ideas on accretive revenue for private island investments are in Kepri’s Blog articles Increase Eco Resort Profits and Added Income Streams for Eco Resorts.

Boating

The islands of the Anambas are popular destinations for visitors arriving by boat.

Annual regattas (boat races) start from Singapore and Malaysia, and sail boats tend to travel around the archipelago after the regattas. The area is also an ‘in the know’ transit stop for European, Australian, and American sailboats on voyages through the region.

Over the last decade, as the area has become more recognised, boat charter and small cruise ship operators have developed designated Anambas itineraries.

Boat charters for boats of all sizes are available through Anambas Boat Hire.

Snorkelling

There is no better way to take in the abundant coral reef at shallow depths, and the rich and diverse sea life, than snorkelling though the crystal-clear waters of the Anambas.

Snorkelling is a very popular activity for tourists, and they can snorkel anywhere around these islands.

As well as stunning corals, they may come across turtles sunbaking in the shallow waters, unfazed by their presence. They might even spot the endangered Māori Wrasse!

Kepri Estates ensures we have all the gear for you to get your own underwater videos and photos when you book a private island site tour with us, booking process and all the inclusions are on our services page link private island viewing.

Diving

While the province’s majestic scenery is amazing to explore above the water, it goes to another level when you strap on a tank and head under the water. There are numerous scuba diving locations across the Anambas islands, with some of the richest and most biodiverse sea life you’ll ever see.  A diving safari, even with our certified diving instructor, is an available option with private island viewing.

Visitors also love to explore the famous shipwrecks in the region, particularly the Seven Skies and Igara wrecks. You might even hear local stories of ancient wrecks or partial wrecks in the area – but you will be unlikely to convince a local to share any details!

The abundance of ancient and rare corals, whale sharks, manta rays, and endangered and rare fish makes the Anambas archipelago one of the most highly rated dive regions in the world.  As part of the globally renowned coral triangle, Anambas truly is the epicentre of worldwide marine biodiversity.

More dive companies in Singapore and Southeast Asia are doing ‘live aboard’ charters and travel via an immigration stop in Nongsa, on Batam Island, or Terempa when arriving from northern countries. The Dive gear is limited within the province and most dive charters originate from Singapore and travel to the Anambas for dive trips, which does increase the time and cost involved in experiencing this amazing underwater world.

At the time of writing (2023), Kepri Estates is finalising the organisation of small dive charters as part of our Bespoke land searchingand private island tourservice offers to our clients.  If you wish to book a dive trip with all the gear provided and with our resident dive instructor, Endah, please reach out and we can organise this for you.

With international interest in this precious part of the underwater world increasing all the time, and a lack of services and equipment available, an investment in dive charters, equipment and servicing/tank recharging is likely to be a highly rewarding venture for the astute investor, not to mention a practical and profitable extension to any eco resort development!

Fishing

“Fishing in a marine park, surely this isn’t allowed!” 

Yes, fishing is allowed in the Anambas.  In fact, it is the main source of income for the local population and an irreplaceable part of the local diet.

Unfortunately, as is the case in a lot of developing regions, regulations to safeguard fish stocks are inadequate or inadequately applied, and Anambas, like other regions, continues to suffer depletion of fish stocks.  Local fisherman are now travelling further and further to obtain enough fish, and the local fish being caught are often juvenile and are then kept in ocean cages (underneath the overwater houses) to grow out prior to sale or consumption.  All species caught are either now defined as fully exploited or over exploited.

The province needs responsible eco resort operators who can (profitably) complement their developments with aquaculture, not only for guests’ consumption, but also grow and release initiatives for replenishing fish stocks and general conservation and preservation efforts.  There are some opportunities to profitably assist with conservation efforts, not to mention the public relations value to an eco-resort operator by doing so!  For more information refer to other business opportunities page on our website.

There are 403 fish species that have been identified in Anambas waters, below is a list of the more popular species caught in the province.

Humphead Wrasse

One species of fish you may come across in your adventures in Anambas is the Humphead Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), also known as the Māori wrasse, Napoleon wrasse or Napoleon fish.  Please note these are an endangered species, so if you do happen to have one on the end of your line when fishing, please do your children, and future generations a favour, and release it!

 Getting to Anambas

 The Anambas islands are currently serviced by flights from Batam airport 4 days per week in a Wings air ATR72 twin turboprop aircraft. The flight time from Batam is 1 hour. The travel route from Singapore is.

• 25-minute ferry ride from Tanah Merah ferry terminal, Singapore, to Nongsa Point Marina
• 15-minute taxi ride to Batam airport
• 1-hour flight to Letung airport in Anambas
• A ferry or private boat ride to the islands.

Visitors staying at Bawah Reserve resort can choose to catch the resort’s Twin Otter or Cessna Caravan Sea planes directly from Batam airport to the resort lagoon.

Future Transportation – Government Infrastructure

Letung International Ferry Terminal

The Anambas is on the direct Singapore–Hong Kong and Singapore–Philippines cruise ship routes.

The government’s planned international cruise and ferry terminal will attract a share of the 1.8 million cruise passengers who pass through or embark from Singapore every year.

Currently, the terminal services all ferries and a cruise ship from Tanjung Pinang to the province.

The planned Letung airport runway extension and immigration facilities will handle international tourists and enable regional and international jet aircraft flights to arrive and depart.

This model will be like the Maldives, with centralised international arrivals and immigration, and direct float plane services to individual resorts on the islands. These government-planned transport facilities should attract major development and hotel groups to the Anambas.

The Top 5 Places to stay in Anambus

The range of accommodation in Anambas is very limited, and there is currently no range of 4–5-star accommodation only the Bawah Reserve at up to US $35,000.00 per room night.

Number 4 and 5 on our list get a mention as they are in the predevelopment and development stages and when completed, will offer an alternative between the very modest existing accommodations and the uber-luxury Bawah Reserve.

Bawah Reserve

($1,800.00 to $35,000.00 per room night)

Located in the Southern lagoon cluster of Bawah island, this luxury 5 start resort is accessed by private float plane directly to the resort lagoon area.  A gorgeous tropical paradise surrounded by a blue ocean, Bawah Reserve sits in sheltered seclusion 160 nautical miles (300km) northeast of Singapore in the remote Anambas Archipelago, Indonesia.

This pristine and previously uninhabited marine conservation area is surrounded by turquoise lagoons and coral reefs, which cater to outdoor adventurers looking to indulge as well as those looking to relax in paradise.

Anambas Resort

($35.00 - $80.00 per room night)

The Anambas resort is on a Northern Bay in the main island of Siantan and close to Terempa main town.

Conveniently located, this modest over water resort offers basic guest amenities including a small restaurant / café and outdoor deck.

The balcony rooms are spacious, air conditioned and contain their own ensuites.  Spectacular sunrise views can be seen from the balcony rooms facing the bay.

Tengilling Island

($160.00 per room night)

From their website – “We are an island accommodation located in Anambas islands, Indonesia. It is around 200 miles Northeast of Singapore. The cottages are built from Bamboo on a small beach around the island.

We provide various kind of activities such as fishing, snorkelling, island hopping and Diving. We are committed to share what a true island life is with you and your beloved ones”.

The next 2 we would normally mention are now both closed (Nongkat resort and the Anambas dive resort).  The options below, although under construction (2024), will be the first resorts with a service offer that starts to fill the enormous gap between Bawah Reserve at up to $35,000.00 per room night, and the modest accommodation and facilities of the only other operating resorts or accommodation in Anambas.  Which further informs the scale of the opportunity for resort developers in the paradise islands of the Anambas.

The Pavilions Anambas – Under Development 2024

($700.00 per room night)

10 luxury residences and 12 guest villas unite with The Pavilions’ signature 5-star experience on two of the most beautiful islands in the world. Designed for ultimate luxury and comfort, the private island resort provides guests with everything needed for an exquisite island escape, including a clubhouse, restaurant and beach bar, a spa, multiple snorkelling and dive spots, as well as jetties for boats and floatplane access.

Kepri Beach Resort Anambas – Under Development 2024

($150.00 - $450.00 per room night)

6 villas and a large bungalow located on a palm lined beach and only 20 minutes from Terempa, luxury finishes, private balconies and direct water access from each villa. Facilities include sunset deck, full restaurant and beverage facilities as well as conference or meeting room, Starlink, and office facilities.

Other than transport on the 3 larger islands of Jemaja, Siantan and Matak, getting around the paradise islands of Anambas is by boat from Anambas Boat Hire.  When hiring boats in Anambas, keep the following points in mind.

Getting around Anambas

Safety First!

Although safety focus has increased in recent years, don’t take it for granted the boat you have hired has western standards of safety equipment on board.  When you hire a boat, ask and make sure they have VHF radio and life jackets on board as well as either a flare kit or EPIRB.  It doesn’t matter how experienced your captain is, or how well you can swim, the weather is unpredictable at times and there are more than a few cases of very experienced souls lost at sea over the years, including a very experienced seafarer, and friend of Kepri Estates, a few years ago.

Available Vessels and General Hire Costs

A range of vessel sizes are available for hire in Anambas, a summary of their recommended use and the costs (in USD) is:

Letung to Terempa Ferry - $20.00 return

Return trip from Letung to Terempa only.

Travels to align with the Batam to Letung flights, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on flight times and any cancellations that will affect the running of this service.

You will need to be in Terempa by 07h00 in order to catch the return trip back to Letung.  Also note that if the Batam to Letung flight schedule reverts to morning flights, you will need to overnight in Jemaja prior to flying back to Batam.

Water Taxi - $3-$10 per pax one way

Small water taxis are typically $3-$10 per pax and are used in and around the Matak / Siantan (Terempa) area in protected waters, they seat up to 8 passengers without luggage.

These vessels are not suited to open water and are quite cosy inside the cabin and not suited to trips longer than about 20-30 minu

The design of the vessel is similar to the photo of the 12–15-seater on the following page, but shorter in length and beam, which also makes these smaller boats quite unstable when larger passengers are moving around or alighting from the vessel.

18-Seat Speedboat - $800.00 per day

Suitable for open water charter, will comfortably seat 10-12 westerners and 3-4 local staff on board.

These boats are suitable for getting 8-10pax from Terempa to Letung with luggage for times when the Anambas ferry is not operating.

These boats typically cannot be “beached” which requires a swim, hire dinghy or hire SUPs in order to get to shore on most islands.

 4-6 Pax Liveaboard Charter

Coming soon to the province are liveaboard charters on an Indonesian style motor yacht.

They can sleep up 6 guests in 3 cabins and include toilets, bathrooms and a full kitchen.

Hire rates are pending, but we are expecting approximately $3,000.00 - $5,000 per week with crew and full board (meals and non-alcoholic beverages)

6-pax Sailing Yacht - $35,000 per week

The renowned sailing vessel “Aphrodite” is seasonally available for charter in Anambas.

90ft long and fully self-contained with dual and single cabins for up to 6 guests in absolute luxury, the Aphrodite is the most luxurious way to take in the paradise islands!

Some of Kepri Estates clients chartered this vessel in July 2023 on a bespoke island tour in Anambas and gave rave reviews about the comfort levels and services on board, and highly “Aphrodite” for charter.

For all Anambas chart boat enquiries, we highly recommend Anambas Boat Hire, who can reliably source your charter vessel, no matter what the mission and duration, and most importantly, they will provide you with a vessel that has all the appropriate safety equipment and a boat crew with extensive knowledge of local waters.

Future Transportation – Private Enterprise...

International

With the archipelago located only 270 kilometres north-east of Singapore and 440 kilometres east of Kuala Lumpur, the Maldives model of centralised international arrivals and immigration may not actually be necessary.  The individual islands are well within range of direct float plane services from Singapore, as well as Singapore’s 5.7 million residents, 19.1 million visitors (in 2019) and a share of the $27.1 billion that visitors to Singapore spend every year.

As the only local project management company with boots on ground in the province, Kepri Estates is assisting a known operator with AOC (Air operators Certificate) and route planning to service resorts operating and in development in Anambas.

Float planes already operate between Batam airport and the Bawah Reserve Resort. Resort operators also know that the government will supply immigration facilities or staff on site as required to facilitate tourism, as it currently does in Nongsa Point in Batam and Terempa in Anambas for direct international entry into the province.  The above transport and immigration options available to resort guests in Anambas should provide a superior guest experience when travelling to and from the island resorts from major international airports or transit hubs.

Regional

Discussions are underway to facilitate commercial flights between Terempa (the main town on Siantan Island) and Jemaja Island Letung Airport. This will solve a current problem – that the daily ferry between these centres is regularly overbooked. These flights will also serve as a second ‘hub and spoke’ model for guest arrivals and departures from the surrounding resorts to the main town of Terempa.

Terempa Bay is a largely protected, north-facing bay with several locations suitable for seaplane transit. It already has a causeway on the eastern side of the bay for onboarding/offboarding and immigration facilities within the bay area.

Aside from transportation between main population centres, the float plane operator will be able to service existing and future resort developments, providing further opportunities for expansion as ecotourism in the province grows.

Existing and Planned Resorts and Developments

Summary of Available Sites

There are approximately 60 sites or islands throughout the province that are zoned and appropriate in size and features for eco-tourism development, and of these sites, 20 are not available for sale.  There is an expectation that there will not be further sites zoned for development once these sites have been acquired for eco-tourism or related sustainable development.  As of November 2023, 24 of the available sites remain available.

Target Market of Existing Developments

As of November 2023, the only 5-star operating resort is Bawah Reserve, with room rates starting at US$1,800.00 per night.  The globally renowned Pavilions hotel group development (in development) is expected to have room rates starting at US$700.00 per night.

Market Gap Summary

There are currently no other western style resorts either planned or in operation, and there is a wide gap emerging between the very high-end developments planned, and the existing locally focussed 2 and low 3-star developments. 

There is only 1 development planned or in development to cater to the western market in the sub US$700.00 per night price bracket and there are no 4 or 5-star over water resort developments.

Other Opportunities

In addition to accommodation only type developments, the market is currently under serviced to provide the following related services for existing and planned developments.

Dive and snorkelling charters, services and hire equipment.

Businesses to support the emerging developments (agriculture, aquaculture and mariculture).

Downstream processing of existing products (agricultural and marine produce) prior to export.

Post COVID Closures

The pandemic has also affected the limited numbers of resorts that were aimed to the local market, with Kusuma resort and Anambas dive resort now permanently closed and for sale, and Nongkat resort now under a permanent lease and not publicly available to book.

Existing and Planned Developments

Note resorts 9 and 10 have closed or been permanently leased. And not shown on the map is Tengilling island resort, a 3-star bungalow on the beachfront of Tengilling island.

Available Development Opportunities

Private Islands

The private islands offered by Kepri Estates are a showcase of investment jewels that the paradise islands have to offer.  We have sites ranging from petite small private development sites through to massive multi-island, multi lagoon sites that would support multiple developments and measure in the millions of square metres (over 100 hectares).  The below examples are meant to show the breadth of the range of private islands for sale, and the complete list is available and grouped by price on our web page.

Smallest Private Island Available

Mentalis private island is a small 3-hectare island, zoned development in the Palmatak district, an iconic island in the province, perfectly suited to an over water development.

Mentalis has a tranquil small beach facing Southwest suitable for a small boutique development. Perfectly located and boasting spectacular corals to the North and East, Mentalis is a perfect retreat. Serene Sunset views are over the distant Matak and Siantan islands.

Mentalis island is ideally suited to a small water villa development that surrounds the island, with common areas located on the land. Mentalis is indeed a perfect tropical getaway island.  One of the only tropical private islands for sale for less than $1 million.

Largest Private Island Available

This multi-island, multi lagoon development site must be seen by air to appreciate the scope and magnitude of the development potential across its vast land and lagoon areas.

The site consists of 2 complete 12-hectare islands and a 3rd island section, that together, surround a massive lagoon area and provide calm waters year-round for boat moorings or sea plane access.  To the East and Southeast are 2 more lagoon areas and adjacent land areas to create yet another 2 separate lagoon and resort areas.

An iconic multi-resort and multi estate development site, location and $POA to qualified purchasers or their representatives only.

Private Beaches 

The private island beaches offered by Kepri Estates vary from small honeymoon beaches suitable to intimate private beach developments for very lucky groups of family and friends, through to massive multi beachfront sections of private islands with expansive soft white sands lined with coconut palms. 

There are opportunities for multiple resorts, large scale subdivisions, private estate subdivisions, expansive overwater building envelopes with direct entry into the stunning corals below elevated forest and clifftop sites with panoramic sunrise and sunset views over the surrounding tropical islands.

The below examples are meant to show the breadth of the range of private beaches  for sale, and the complete list is available and grouped by price on our Private Tropical Beaches for sale web page.

Smallest Private Beach for Sale

Batu Garam West, North Bay 2 is a beachfront property in the Matak sub district of Anambas and features nearly 100 metres of soft white beach fringed with coconut palms and a majestic granite headland to the Southern boundary.

The bay has some of the best corals within the province, and they commence approximately 60m offshore and are expansive, stretching well beyond the direct property boundary, providing residents or guests with a superior and easily accessible experience of the abundant and varied sea life of the archipelago. One of the only private beaches for sale for less than $12.00 per metre.

Largest Private Beach for Sale

Penjaling private beaches are a group of 4 sites on the renowned Penjaling (Mystery) island cluster.

The Southern beach on the East side can be seen regularly in promotion of the Anambas islands, it’s length, depth and the absolute crystal-clear waters off its beach are post card perfect and well known in the global sailing and diving communities.

With 2 large beaches fronting directly onto the expansive Penjaling lagoon and separated by majestic granite hedlands, this site takes in the breadth of the Penjaling lagoon. Plenty of space to directly land sea planes in front of this property.