Anambas Islands Travel Guide: Indonesia's Last Untouched Diving Frontier
Introduction
Somewhere between the coast of Sumatra and the tip of Borneo, in the South China Sea, sits a scatter of 238 islands that most travelers to Indonesia have never heard of. Only 26 of them are inhabited. There is no international airport, no chain resorts, and no crowds pushing past you for a photo at a viewpoint. This is the Anambas Islands, part of the Riau Islands (Kepulauan Riau) province, and it is quietly becoming one of the most talked-about frontiers in Indonesian diving.
The Indonesian government has named Kepulauan Riau one of its priority tourism provinces for 2026, and Anambas is the reason why divers are paying attention. Some marine biologists have compared the reef diversity here to the Great Barrier Reef, thanks to Anambas sitting inside the Coral Triangle, the global epicenter of marine biodiversity. Visibility can reach 40 meters between April and October, and the islands are still remote enough that you can find a beach with your own footprints as the only ones in the sand. If Raja Ampat is Indonesia's famous diving frontier, Anambas is the one that hasn't made it onto everyone's list yet.
Why Anambas Is Different
Most of Indonesia's well-known island destinations have, in one way or another, been shaped by tourism: paved roads, dive resorts with international staff, warungs that print menus in three languages. Anambas has largely skipped that stage. Fishing is still the backbone of the local economy, and the islands' isolation historically kept them off the itinerary of anyone without a private boat.
That isolation is exactly what preserved the reefs. Anambas has some of the healthiest hard coral cover left in Southeast Asia, and its waters support turtles, reef sharks, and schools of pelagic fish that have grown scarce in more heavily dived parts of the region. One of the more unusual sites is the wreck of the Igara, a 197-meter Italian cargo ship that sank in 1973 and now sits as an artificial reef, home to nurse sharks and dense clouds of fish.
Above the waterline, the appeal is just as strong. Bawah Island, a private lagoon ringed by limestone cliffs, has been named among the most beautiful private islands in the world by international travel press, even though almost no Indonesian traveler has set foot there. Jemaja Island, the largest in the group, has jungle-backed beaches and small fishing villages where life moves at the pace it always has.
Getting There and Getting Around
Reaching Anambas takes effort, and that effort is part of what keeps it uncrowded. There is no direct international access. The standard route is to fly into Batam or Tanjung Pinang, both well connected from Jakarta, Singapore, and other regional hubs, and then take a short domestic flight or a ferry onward to Matak Airport or Tarempa, the main town in the archipelago. Flight schedules to Anambas are limited, usually a few times a week, so this is a trip that rewards planning rather than spontaneity. Direct flights from Jakarta have been discussed as part of the region's tourism push, so it is worth checking current schedules before booking, since routes here can change from season to season.
Once in Tarempa, getting around is entirely boat-based. There is no interisland ferry network to speak of; instead, travelers charter boats through guesthouses or local dive operators to reach outer islands, dive sites, and lagoons. This is not a destination where you rent a scooter and explore independently. Building a relationship with a local operator, ideally arranged before you arrive, is the difference between a smooth trip and days lost trying to find transport.
Best Islands and Dive Sites
Bawah Island is the postcard image of Anambas: turquoise lagoons, powder sand, and limestone islets that look sculpted rather than eroded. It operates as an eco-resort with a limited number of guests at a time, so this is the one place in Anambas where advance booking is essential.
Jemaja Island is the practical base for travelers who want a mix of beach time and village life. Its beaches are long and largely empty, and it is close enough to Tarempa to combine with day trips to nearby dive sites.
Penjalin and Durai Islands are known for turtle nesting beaches and quieter snorkeling, good options for travelers who want the Anambas scenery without a full liveaboard commitment.
The Igara Wreck rewards certified divers with one of the more distinctive dive profiles in Indonesia: a large, intact cargo ship now colonized by coral and patrolled by nurse sharks, sitting in visibility that regularly exceeds 20 meters.
Beyond named sites, much of the value in Anambas comes from the fact that new dive spots are still being found and named by local operators. Divers who go with an experienced local guide often end up somewhere that isn't on any map yet.
When to Go
The dry season, from March to October, is the best window for Anambas. Seas are calmer, which matters enormously here since almost every activity depends on boat travel, and underwater visibility is at its best, frequently reaching 30 to 40 meters. The months around June through August tend to be the most reliable for calm crossings between islands.
Avoid the November to February window if possible. Northeast monsoon winds push swell into the South China Sea during these months, and boat trips to outer islands can be cancelled or delayed for days at a time. If you have flexibility, build a buffer day or two into any itinerary that involves reaching the more remote islands, since weather here dictates the schedule more than it does in Bali or Lombok.
Where to Stay and What to Eat
Accommodation in Anambas splits into two very different categories. Tarempa has simple guesthouses and homestays, functional and inexpensive, run by local families who can also help arrange boats and guides. Bawah Island sits at the opposite end, an all-inclusive eco-resort priced for travelers seeking a private island experience with a conservation focus.
Food follows the rhythm of a fishing community. Expect grilled fish caught that morning, gong-gong (sea snails) served with sambal, and simple but excellent seafood soups. Kepulauan Riau's Malay culinary heritage shows up in dishes seasoned with belacan (shrimp paste) and tamarind, distinct from the flavors travelers may know from Bali or Java. There are no international restaurant chains here; meals happen in warungs and family kitchens, which is very much the point.
Practical Tips
Bring cash. ATMs are limited to Tarempa and can be unreliable, so carry enough rupiah for your entire stay, including boat charters and guesthouse payments. Mobile signal is workable in Tarempa but disappears quickly once you're on the water or on outer islands, so download maps and confirm boat arrangements before you lose connectivity.
Pack reef-safe sunscreen and your own snorkeling gear if you have it; rental options are limited outside the main dive operators. Because this is still a developing tourism area, patience is part of the experience: boats leave when conditions allow, not strictly on a printed schedule, and that unpredictability is precisely what has kept Anambas's reefs and beaches as pristine as they are.
A Sample 5-Day Anambas Itinerary
Day 1: Batam or Tanjung Pinang to Tarempa. Fly or take the ferry connection to Anambas, arriving in Tarempa in the afternoon. Use the rest of the day to settle into your guesthouse, arrange a boat operator for the days ahead, and stock up on cash, since this is your last reliable ATM access.
Day 2: Jemaja Island. Take a boat to Jemaja, the largest island in the group. Spend the day on its long, quiet beaches, visit a fishing village, and, if conditions allow, fit in an afternoon snorkel session at one of the nearby reefs before returning to Tarempa or staying overnight on Jemaja itself.
Day 3: Bawah Island. If you've booked ahead, this is the day for Bawah, either as a day trip by boat or, for a more complete experience, an overnight stay at the eco-resort. Either way, budget the full day for the lagoon, the limestone cliffs, and the kind of snorkeling that first put Anambas on divers' radar.
Day 4: Diving the Igara Wreck and Outer Reefs. For certified divers, this is the day to book a dive trip to the Igara wreck and the surrounding reef systems. Non-divers can instead spend the day island-hopping to Penjalin or Durai, both known for calmer water and turtle sightings.
Day 5: Tarempa to Departure. Use the morning for any last snorkeling or a walk through Tarempa's small harbor market before catching your return flight or ferry connection back to Batam or Tanjung Pinang.
This pace assumes some flexibility for weather, which is worth building into any Anambas itinerary regardless of season. Boats here run on ocean conditions, not fixed timetables, and travelers who arrive with a rigid schedule tend to find the islands more frustrating than travelers who treat delays as part of the experience.
Conclusion
Anambas is not a destination for travelers who want everything arranged and predictable. It is a destination for travelers who want to see what the rest of Indonesia's islands looked like before they became famous. With reef systems that rival some of the best diving on the planet, islands where the only footprints on the beach might be your own, and a government tourism push that is only just beginning, Anambas is worth visiting now, while it still feels like a discovery rather than a checklist item.