Great escapes to the intriguing Indonesia
For travellers itching to get away from it all but don't want to venture too far, these gorgeous resorts in Bintan, Bali and Sumba are your best bets
ALAMAYAH
Set to open in April and available for bookings from April 2, this remote five-star all-inclusive boutique retreat hotel ($833 a night) is tucked away in a jungle beachside village in Sumba, an eastern Indonesian island home to one of the last flourishing pre-historic tribes on earth.
It features six private suites, a wellness spa, a fitness centre which offers rooftop yoga, entertainment rooms, blooming gardens as well as a plant-based restaurant offering a farm-to-table menu.
The Alamayah experience begins with a breathtaking journey from Sumba's Tambolaka Airport, a two-hour drive over rocky mountain summits through lush teak and mahogany forests, past waterfalls, rice fields and river valleys before reaching Alamayah in the beachside village of Kerewe.
ANMON
Targeted at nomadic millennials, the new desert-inspired 31/2-star glamping concept by The Hip And Happening Group has officially opened its doors this month in Treasure Bay Bintan, Bintan island's iconic waterfront resort city.
The sprawling property spans 20,000 sq m and includes a hundred "hipster luxe" tepee tents (from $149) - each with its own ensuite bathroom - which can accommodate up to four people.
Other features include digital concierge services, a communal dining restaurant, desert- inspired cocktails and shisha bar, party pool, mini-sunken lounges and activities that include an artist residency programme where guests can be involved in workshops.
THE PAVILIONS BALI
For an authentic Balinese experience, visit the hotel's head butler Pak Mull's village and see the traditional ways of life.
The tour starts with the Jatiluwih rice terraces. A declared Unesco World Heritage site not only for its beauty but the remarkable ingenuity evident in its creation, turning barren valley walls into verdant farmland using only ancient tools and techniques.
From there, visit the forest temple of Batu Karu before reaching Pak Mull's village, where you can enjoy a local lunch with a village family before seeing the typical labours of the day - some of them centuries-old - such as rice-planting and palm sugar-making.
With room rates starting from $294, The Pavilions Bali is tucked away in Sanur, Bali amid a magnificent tropical garden yet just a short walk from all that the charming seaside town of Sanur has to offer.
THE SANCHAYA
The Bintan estate's Baby Love is a stay experience designed to enable expectant parents to relax and reconnect ahead of their new arrival. It is inclusive of three nights' accommodation in either a Junior Suite, Lawan Thai Villa or Sanchaya Suite, with daily breakfast for two in The Dining Room.
The Sanchaya's newly renovated spa also offers a range of massages, including the prenatal Mum-To-Be Massage, which releases tensions in the lower back area caused by the weight of the baby, using gentle almond and lavender oils.
Baby Love is available throughout the year, with prices starting at $2,342 a couple for a Junior Suite.
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