About Reconnect

In 2019, after 3 years of living in Bali, a friend invited me on a journey to Central Sulawesi, where I discovered the remote Buka Buka Island.

Instantly, it awoke in me this childhood dream of living on a private island "one day". And I realized this day, maybe that day.

I decided to create a place where anybody could come and live an authentic island experience. Away from today's noise, distraction and chaos.

Today, I live there with my Indonesian wife, where we host travelers from all around the world, and share with them our little piece of paradise.

Developing an Eco Resort on a remote island

Buka Buka is 30 min off the coast of Ampana, a small city in Tojo Una-Una, Central Sulawesi

Before Reconnect Island resort development, there were no permanent resident on the island and this means that there was also no infrastructure whatsoever. This blank canvas was an opportunity to build a place with a vision, a comfortable accomodation nestled in nature with the lowest impact possible on the eco system.

Here below are some of the challenges we have tackled to make the vision come true, and open te doors of our Eco Resort to guests from all around the world.

Fresh water access

There is a small fresh water well on the island. It is used by the locals but requires to walk 30 minuntes to reach it. There is also an abundant water source right in front of the resort, the ocean. That's why we brought a desalination unit on Buka Buka to unlock a new fresh water resource for daily use. We also harvest rainwater as part of our hybrid system.

Clean energy

We farm our energy from the sun thanks to solar panel technology we placed on the roof of our restaurant. This installation is sufficient to supply the energy needs of up to 40 people - i.e. our team, our guests & the occasional villagers who come to the island to harvest coconuts. Although it seems like a norm in the modern world, having 24/7 electricity on a remote island is quite a feat.

Local impact

Since we started developping the resort we created 15 permanent jobs. We also involved regional craftmanship, from building our wooden villas to getting our furnitures locally made.

We made a commitment with the head of the village, to support local fishermen who catch fish using manual traditional techniques.
100% of the fish we serve our guests is sourced from less than 5km around Buka Buka Island.

This way, we both help to preserve the ecosystem, and support our local community.

Harmonious cohabitation

Living in nature without disrupting it is at the core of our project. We managed to create an island resort accomodation were local fauna and flora strives. We sometimes even spot endemic species like the Sulawesi Bear Cuscus. We also get visited by tropical birds, and have a diverse reptile fauna.

The reef biodiversity is amazing. We came together as a community to implement simple-yet-effective practices that support marine life protection.

"We had the most incredible time at Reconnect Island Resort. A true private getaway on a pristine island with a beautiful white sand beach and turquoise clear waters with incredible corals to snorkel around and explore."

Sarah, Trip Sea Travelers