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Written by Emily Jacobs
There’s a specific kind of quiet that only happens over water. No road noise, no footsteps above, just the sound of the lagoon shifting beneath the floorboards.
This, paired with luxuries like ocean-view bathtubs, butler service, private pools with slides and in-room massage tables, makes each of these next-level villas worth the journey alone.
1. Park Hyatt Maldives: private island luxury with chef & butler
At 895sqm, the Kiaali Residence sits at the far end of Hadahaa’s pier – positioned, deliberately, above the most active section of the house reef. It’s the resort’s only three-bedroom option, sleeping up to six, and the scale of it changes what a stay here feels like: a 16-metre freshwater infinity pool runs the length of the terrace, sunken loungers sit at water level, and separate decks adjoin both the master and the king bedrooms so no one is sharing a view. A private butler, a dedicated chef and a resident spa therapist come with the villa – so the only genuine reason to leave is to get into the reef, which you can do directly from the deck. Work out in the in-villa gym, soak in the whirlpool and indulge in private movie nights.
2. Likuliku Lagoon Resort, Fiji: Fiji’s first overwater villas
The adults-only Likuliku Lagoon Resort is one of the few resorts in Fiji to offer overwater accommodation, and the only one over a natural reef lagoon. It’s surrounded by a protected marine sanctuary on Malolo Island, which makes the snorkelling directly below the deck rewarding. The Tatadra Spa takes its treatments from Fijian wellness traditions, and Fijiana Restaurant’ runs daily tasting menus’s ocean-to-table menu is built around what’s locally available. The detail worth knowing: Likuliku runs an active conservation program for the Fijian-crested iguana – a species rarely seen outside the Mamanuca Islands – including habitat protection across the property.
3. Bawah Reserve, Riau Islands, Indonesia: copper bathtubs & tropical seclusion
Bawah Reserve is in the Anambas Archipelago, which sits in Indonesian waters closer to Singapore than to Bali. The resort operates across six islands and 13 beaches within a protected marine area. The overwater bungalows are positioned so that the water beneath the deck is part of the protected zone, which means the coral directly below is intact and the fish are there because they live there rather than because they’ve been encouraged. Bawah is all-inclusive, which matters at a resort this remote: four restaurants, yoga and Pilates, kayaking, and non-motorised water sports are all covered. Jules Verne Bar – named for the author – does the sundowner shift well. The spa uses the surrounding wilderness as its reference point rather than a generic wellness menu. Getting here requires a flight to Singapore or Batam, followed by a seaplane flight to the reserve’s private airstrip, which is itself part of the experience.
4. Soneva Jani, Maldives: world-famous luxury with pool slides
Soneva Jani is in the Noonu Atoll – further north and further from Malé than most Maldives resorts, which is precisely the point. The 150-hectare private lagoon is among the largest in the country, and with only 25 villas spread across it, the sense of space is difficult to replicate elsewhere. The overwater Water Reserves are what most people come for: the master bedroom has a retractable roof that slides back at the touch of a button, leaving the bed open to the night sky. There’s a 12-metre freshwater pool on the deck, a sunken dining area, catamaran nets slung over the lagoon edge, and – the most well-known feature – a curved waterslide from the deck into the water below.
5. Song Saa Private Island Resort, Cambodia: unsung paradise
Cambodia doesn’t show up on many overwater villa lists, which is exactly why Song Saa is worth knowing about. The resort sits across two small rainforest-covered islands in the Koh Rong Archipelago – a marine reserve, which means the water around you is protected. The overwater villas range from intimate to expansive, but the Royal Villa is the one to know: two bedrooms, a private pool and living spaces large enough that leaving is an active decision rather than a default. Yoga classes run privately. The spa is built into the hillside rather than dropped onto the beach. Song Saa also runs its own conservation program – if you’re going somewhere this remote, it’s worth going somewhere that’s looking after it.
6. Patina Maldives: romantic outdoor bathtubs & floor-to-ceiling windows
Patina, which opened in 2021 on the Fari Islands – a 50-minute speedboat ride from Malé – was built around a different premise: that a certain kind of traveller wants culture as much as they want ocean. The overwater Water Pool Villas feature floor-to-ceiling windows that open on three sides and a 9.6-metre private pool on the deck. The design throughout is by Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan of Studio MK27, which gives the property a distinctly editorial quality – more Wallpaper* than standard Maldives resort. Adding to its design-led appeal is a working artist residency through the Fari Art Atelier, with painters, photographers and sculptors hosted on the island and their process open to guests. The centrepiece is Amarta – a permanent Skyspace installation by American artist James Turrell, the same body of work that appears in museums and galleries worldwide. It’s a chamber open to the sky, designed to alter your perception of light and space, and it’s an unusual thing to encounter on a private island in the Indian Ocean. The Fari Marina Village, shared with the neighbouring Ritz-Carlton, adds an extra social dimension.
7. Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam: luxury only accessible by speedboat
Located across the bay from Nha Trang and only accessible by speedboat, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay combines water-edge villas with signature, wellness-led Six Senses luxury. The luxe Water Pool Villas, overlooking Ninh Van Bay’s coral formation, feature private plunge pools, handcrafted wooden bathtubs and in-villa wine cellars, along with the promise of undisturbed serenity – thanks to prime positioning, you won’t see another soul during your stay. Use your included golf buggy to zip between yoga classes, treatments at the spa or the stunning infinity pool. Watch the sunset with cocktail in hand before wining and dining your way across the five incredible restaurants, or simply dial up the romance with a private dinner for two.
8. InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, an IHG Hotel: the spiritual home of the overwater villa
Bora Bora invented the overwater bungalow concept, which means it’s also the most replicated. The InterContinental sits on Motu Piti Aau – one of the small motus ringing the main island – and all villas are positioned directly over the lagoon, with Mount Otemanu visible from most terraces. The Thalasso Spa is the thing that separates this property from its neighbours: it’s one of the few in the world to use deep seawater (pumped from 900 metres below) in its treatments, which sounds like a gimmick until you look into the science behind it. The stand-up paddleboard is yours whenever you want it. The lagoon here is genuinely, absurdly turquoise.
