Opened in late 2025, the Courtyard Residence accommodates families, friends, and small groups of up to eight guests in a private villa with its own dedicated team, private boat, and direct access to Wakatobi’s protected reefs.
Wakatobi has spent thirty years protecting a reef system in southeastern Sulawesi that experienced divers consistently describe as among the finest they have found anywhere on earth.
The Courtyard Residence is the most private way to experience it. Set apart from the main resort at its own jetty, with a dedicated team, private boat, and complete autonomy over where you go and how long you stay, it’s a resort within a resort in the most literal sense — designed around a single idea: that everything here — the space, the privacy, the people — exists to bring you as close to that reef as possible, entirely on your terms.
See a day in the life of the Residence in the video below.
From Bali to Your Own Jetty
Your journey begins in Bali, where our team welcomes you aboard Wakatobi’s guest flight — available to you as a resort or Pelagian guest. If you’re arriving by private jet, our dedicated airstrip accommodates direct landings too. As the plane descends onto the island, the reef comes into view below — a long wall of coral dropping away from the shoreline.
A short transfer by car and boat brings you to the Residence’s jetty at the water’s edge, where your butler is waiting. The Residence spans over 8,000 square feet, with expansive terraces and ocean views from nearly every room, an indoor swimming pool, and local craftsmanship throughout. You’ll find extra cabinetry in each bedroom and bathroom, indoor and outdoor shower rooms, and a quiet garden tucked into the grounds. Two master suites anchor the space, and the additional bedrooms can double as an office, spa, gym, or yoga room. Set apart from the rest of the resort, the Residence gives you the freedom to socialize as much or as little as you like.
A team of around a dozen — including your own chef and dive experience managers— is there for your group alone, backed by the full resources of the resort itself.
The Reef, On Your Terms
When you stay at the Courtyard Residence, the rhythm of your day is entirely up to you.
Just offshore lies part of the 60 kilometers of reef Wakatobi has helped protect over the past thirty years — the same wall of coral you saw from the plane, now just steps from your jetty.
Instead of planning around set departure times, your private boat and dive team meet you right at the jetty whenever you are ready to head out. If you want to leave at sunrise while the reef is just waking up, the boat is waiting. If you prefer to rise slowly, enjoy a long breakfast, and head out mid-morning, you have total control over your schedule.
Having your own boat and dedicated team also makes it easy for family or friends with different interests to spend the day on the water together. Snorkelers can explore the shallow reef tops while divers take in the wall just below, with your dive guide and crew handling all the gear and logistics.
For photographers and videographers, it offers the freedom to linger over a single macro subject or wait for the perfect light without feeling rushed. Whether you are visiting Wakatobi for the first time or returning to dive these reefs again, it simply gives you maximum time and flexibility on the water.
“We had an amazing experience and have a great video highlighting a day out on our private boat from one of Wakatobi’s photo pros. We’re coming back.” ~ The Hay Family
When you’re ready for a break from the water, you can head back to the Residence to relax, or simply stay onboard for lunch or even dinner where your chef and crew take care of everything.
Evenings at the Residence
As the day draws to a close, your chef arrives to prepare dinner tailored specifically to your group’s tastes and dietary preferences. You can pair your meal with a cocktail or a wine of your choice or selected by your butler. Yet despite the care we apply to every detail, the real pleasure of an evening here is much simpler: gathering around the table with family or friends, watching the sunset directly over the ocean from the dining room.
For some, the Courtyard Residence is simply a comfortable place to stay. For others, it becomes something much more personal — a place you return to not just for the diving, but for the quiet sense of ease it brings.
Just as importantly, your stay directly supports the marine reserve itself. The conservation work and community partnerships that have protected these reefs for over thirty years continue because of visitors like you. Your presence isn’t incidental to that story — it’s part of why it continues.
“Congratulations to everyone who was involved in the Courtyard Residence — it is stunning, and the service was out of this world.” ~ Ashley Sokol & Nathaniel, Julia and Mia Schmidt
Watch: a family experience at the Courtyard Residence, from arrival to sunset
This is what a stay at the Courtyard Residence looks like — your own boat, your own team, and the same reef you already know, entirely on your terms.
You can also reach our team at office@wakatobi.com.
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