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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 over the most vibrant part 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. A private butler 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 inspiration from Fijian wellness traditions, and Fijiana Restaurant’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 close to Singapore. The resort operates across six islands and 13 beaches within a protected marine area. The overwater bungalows are positioned to make the most of the thriving coral and marine life. Bawah is all-inclusive, which matters at a resort this remote: four restaurants, yoga, kayaking, and non-motorised water sports are all available. 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, which is itself part of the experience.
4. Soneva Jani, Maldives: world-famous luxury with pool slides
Soneva Jani is in the Noonu Atoll north of Malé. The 5.6-kilometre private lagoon is among the largest in the country, and with only 50 villas spread across it, the sense of space is difficult to replicate elsewhere. The overwater villas 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 freshwater pool on the deck, a sunken dining area 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 are offered with a group or privately. The spa is built into the hillside rather than dropped onto the beach. Song Saa also runs its own conservation program including a coral nursery and sustainable fishing training for locals – 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 One Bedroom Water Pool Villas feature floor-to-ceiling windows that open on three sides and a 6.2-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 Skyspace Amarta, an installation by American artist James Turrell that’s open to the sky and designed to alter your perception of light and space. 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
Six Senses Ninh Van Bay sits across the water from Nha Trang, accessible only by speedboat. The Water Pool Villas are built on stilts in the bay overlooking coral formations, each with a private plunge pool and handcrafted wooden bathtub. Six Senses properties tend to lead with wellness, and this one is no exception – the spa program is extensive and the yoga pavilion is positioned to catch the morning light over the water. What makes Ninh Van Bay distinct within the brand is its setting: granite boulders rise behind the villas, the bay is sheltered, and the surrounding hills mean the horizon here looks nothing like the flat atolls most overwater villas trade on. Enjoy six restaurants and bars, a golf buggy for getting between them, and the kind of quiet that arrives when a boat is the only way in or out.
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 islets ringing the main island – and all villas are positioned directly over the lagoon, with Mount Otemanu visible from some terraces. The Deep Ocean Spa is the thing that separates this property from its neighbours: it has glass-bottomed treatment rooms so you can admire the marine life as you enjoy a coconut body wrap or massage. The lagoon here is genuinely, absurdly turquoise, best admired atop a paddle board.
