Located in the Thousand Islands to the north of Jakarta, Pulau Macan (Tiger Island) is a private island that runs an eco-friendly management system and is arguably the best place for Jakartans who long to breathe in the smell of the ocean while resting and relaxing in a wooden hut overlooking a pristine beach.

Forty-five nautical miles north of Jakarta, among the Thousand Islands in the deep-blue Java Sea, two-and-a-half-acre Pulau Macan is a dreamy island oasis with an incredible coral seascape, which guests can enjoy up close from the expansive wooden deck at the clubhouse. Inside, look for a pool table, comfy sofas, and “appropriately light literature.” Accommodations consist of three rustic but comfortable bungalows (two rooms have air-conditioning), and the restaurant features local ingredients—like kemangi, a lemon-flavored Indonesian basil—many of which are organically grown on the island.
Sample the herb in karedok, a house specialty also made with Chinese long beans, cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, and a spicy-sweet peanut sauce.

What to Do:
Borrow a rowboat, flat-bottomed canoe, or rubber dinghy, and paddle 150 yards to a deserted island covered in palm trees. There, string up a hammock (the resort has them on hand), snorkel, or comb the white powdery beach for sand dollars.

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