Unique, luxurious overwater retreat experiences, where the sea and tranquility blend.

Overwater bungalows have become a symbol of luxury and relaxation, offering an unforgettable vacation experience. With stunning sea views all around, sparkling water, and steps leading directly into the ocean, they are the perfect choice for those seeking to immerse themselves in nature with the utmost convenience.

The idea of overwater bungalows originated in 1967 in French Polynesia, where pioneers conceived this unique type of accommodation. From there, the craze spread, and these charming stilt structures have appeared all over the world, particularly popular in tropical paradises. Over the past half-century, but especially in the last decade, overwater villas have evolved from simple to supremely luxurious, though there are still many humble, affordable versions.

In Asia and the Middle East, overwater bungalows have become a compelling tourist attraction. Architects have combined the essence of local design with modern amenities, creating sophisticated retreat spaces. Regardless of location, overwater accommodations often share similar elements such as thatched roofs made from natural, indigenous materials and wooden walkways connecting the villas. In terms of interiors, a rustic, nature-friendly style with abundant wood is a common aesthetic, while some places are incredibly opulent and modern. Panoramic views of the myriad shades of blue ocean are a must, while overwater pools, hot tubs, and suspended hammocks have also become popular amenities.

Let's explore the most beautiful overwater bungalows in Asia and the Middle East:

Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Saudi Arabia

Highlights: Private beach with cabanas, spa, watercraft rental, kids' club, Bang & Olufson speakers, stargazing experiences, nature walks.

Nujuma, Saudi Arabia’s solar-powered Red Sea villas, launched in 2024. 20 of them are overwater types. The walkways connecting them are circular, evoking a string of pearls, while each home is shell-shaped with a rounded, sculpted roof. Inside, graceful curves remain intact, winding through sand-colored bedrooms and bathrooms accented with local handicrafts. Even the pools are without any sharp edges or corners, all conforming to soft, flowing lines that are very pleasing to the eye.

Source: Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve from Architectural Digest

JOALI Being, Bodufushi Island Raa Atoll, Maldives

Highlights: Hydrotherapy hall, medicinal herb garden, yoga and fitness classes, wine cellar, multi-generational play area, sound healing pathways.

There is a strong emphasis on well-being at this private island resort in the Maldives, and that philosophy extends to the strikingly colored villas. Each villa has a private pool, guest bicycles, along with meditation instruments and mindfulness games. The biophilic overwater villas are curved, winding, and spiraling, inspired by seashells and waves, with a color palette from the island's trees and sand. With high ceilings and luxurious bathtubs, guests can relax to the fullest. Additionally, the resort features a comprehensive spa, a hydrotherapy hall with two watsu pools and an inspiring yoga studio, along with outdoor restaurants and a tea lounge overlooking the sea.

Source: Joali Being from Architectural Digest

Gili Lankanfushi, North Malé Atoll, Maldives

Highlights: World's largest stand-alone overwater villa, private Mr/Mrs Friday butler service, sunset cruises, Coral Lines project and coral nursery.

Not only the overwater bungalows but also the ethos at Gili Lankanfushi makes it a unique proposition. Footwear is put away upon boarding the boat to the resort and not worn again until departure, creating a true Robinson Crusoe experience. The resort operates with ultra-sustainability, featuring an extensive plant-based menu from ingredients grown on the island. The overwater bungalows have rooftop terraces, outdoor bathrooms, and water hammocks. The world's largest overwater villa, Private Reserve, also boasts a gym, cinema, sauna, and a waterslide that plunges guests directly into the sparkling sea.

Source: Gili Lankanfushi from Architectural Digest

Patina Maldives, Fari Islands, Maldives

Highlights: 13 culinary concepts (including plant-based and Nordic-Japanese fusion), spa, art and creative workshops, guest experts, marina, beach club.

At this Maldivian resort, the modern architecture by Marcio Kogan from Studio MK27 (with clean lines, low roofs holding solar panels, and concrete infinity pools blending into the seascape) creates a beautiful contrast with the overwater bungalows. The serene one- and two-bedroom hideaways are built with sustainable materials and feature custom wooden furnishings, freestanding double bathtubs, and furniture from renowned brands. The resort's philosophy also encompasses wellness, responsible and creative dining, and art from global names as well as an artist-in-residence program.

Source: Patina Maldives, Fari Island from Architectural Digest

Bawah Reserve, Indonesia

Highlights: Seaplane access, plastic-free, private overwater dining, inclusive activities, 13 beaches and two lagoons across six private islands.

The “Earth first” ethos permeates Bawah Reserve, where 11 overwater suites offer guests the most intimate immersion with the Indian Ocean. Exquisitely shingled roofs, rustic wooden railings, warm reclaimed teak walls, reclaimed copper bathtubs, and furniture crafted from driftwood create a fresh sense of place. This private island retreat is all-inclusive, with numerous activities as well as 13 beaches and two lagoons to explore.

Source: Bawah Reserve from Architectural Digest

Soneva Secret, Makunudhoo Atoll, Maldives

Highlights: Remoteness, dedicated team for each villa (Barefoot Guardian, Barefoot Assistant, and private chef), in-house marine biologist, astronomical dinner cruises, retractable roof.

Thirty years of experience went into creating Soneva’s new ultra-luxury, ultra-customized, ultra-remote concept launched in 2024 on the far-flung Haa Dhaalu atoll. The resort has just 14 total villas (beach and overwater), some accessible only by boat, and each comes with a dedicated three-person staff. The villas are built with FSC-certified wood with outdoor bathrooms, featuring unique amenities like retractable bedroom roofs for sleeping under the stars, adventurous rooftop waterslides that plunge into the transparent lagoon, and massage beds for private treatments. Coming in 2025 is the Maldives’ first floating villa, a two-story structure designed to eliminate wave movement.

Source: Soneva Secret, Makunudhoo Atoll, Maldives from Architectural Digest

Ta’aktana, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Labuan Bajo, Flores, Indonesia

Highlights: Spa and salon, water sports, exploration trips (including to Komodo dragons), cocktail-making classes, tea ceremonies, swimming pools.

The emerging destination of Labuan Bajo – the gateway to Komodo National Park – on Flores had no overwater villas until seven of them opened in 2024 with Ta’aktana. This luxury resort draws inspiration from the area’s unique culture as well as the landscape. The seven circular bungalows with round interiors evoke Labuan Bajo’s historical sea nomads who lived in stilt houses. They feature petrified wood from ancient phinisi sailing ships, recycled stingray leather details, hand-carved patterns inspired by Flores’s Lingko Cancar rice fields, and local macrame.

Source: Ta’aktana from Architectural Digest

Song Saa Private Island, Cambodia

Highlights: Outdoor spa, diving and snorkeling, scenic boat trips, meditation sessions, sea kayaking, spa and wellness programs, private beach.

Cambodia might not be the first place you think of when searching for overwater bungalows, but Song Saa Private Island will surprise you. In 2012, the Koh Rong Archipelago became home to this sustainable, Robinson Crusoe–chic resort. Among other layouts, there is a rustic wooden two-bedroom Royal Villa overwater villa, with a large glass floor in the living room (along with driftwood furniture), a crescent-shaped infinity pool with a spacious terrace, two oversized sunken bathtubs, a private chef, and a private jetty complete with a boat for guests’ exclusive use.

Source: Song Saa Private Island from Architectural Digest

Six Senses, Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam

Highlights: Six Senses Spa and Alchemy Bar, yoga pavilion, kids' club, Earth Lab sustainability center, outdoor cinema, private beach.

One of the great things about overwater bungalows is that they allow nature to blend with the interior space and often serve as perfect backdrops for the surrounding environment. An ideal example is this destination on Vietnam’s lush coastline, where the overly private 1,600-square-foot Water Pool Villas overlook the bay’s coral reefs and yield perfect sunset views. They also boast plunge pools, outdoor showers, handcrafted wooden bathtubs, and steps leading directly into the water for snorkeling.

Source: Six Senses from Architectural Digest

Six Senses Laamu, Laamu Atoll, Maldives

Highlights: A famous surf break, wellness programs, spa and salon, two restaurants, ice cream parlor, dune dining, diving, library, volleyball.

The overwater villas at Six Senses Laamu have at least one thing most others don’t: a glass-bottomed bathtub submerged in the clear blue sea. A dip in it offers an experience akin to bathing in the ocean. The wooden-clad bungalows with characteristic color accents also feature tree-top terraces for admiring sweeping sea views bathed in sun or vibrant sunsets. Other hallmarks of the genre are also present here: overwater net hammocks, spacious wooden terraces, sun loungers, and outdoor showers. Private pool options are also available.

Source: Six Senses from Architectural Digest

Jumeirah Olhahali Island Maldives, North Malé Atoll, Maldives

Highlights: Overwater spa treatment villas and overwater beauty salon, sauna, spa and kids' yoga, PADI certification, gelateria, three restaurants, billiard hut, parasailing, art studio.

This pool-focused villa resort, located a 15-minute seaplane ride from Malé, is the definition of luxury, seamlessly blending with the serene turquoise lagoon where its overwater accommodations are situated. Beyond a 23-foot infinity pool, each penthouse-style villa is characterized by floor-to-ceiling glass walls and spacious terraces for a bird’s-eye view of the sparkling water. A private cinema, yoga sessions, and starlit barbecues are notable highlights among these villas' signature features.

The penthouse is characterized by floor-to-ceiling glass walls and spacious terraces offering eagle-eye views of the sparkling water. A private cinema, yoga sessions, and starlit barbecues are notable highlights among these villas' signature features.

Source: Jumeirah Olhahali Island Maldives from Architectural Digest

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, Maldives

Highlights: 11 dining venues, comprehensive spa, tennis courts, kids' club, The Private Island, yacht transfers, PADI dive center.

Waldorf Astoria has two Stella Maris Ocean villas which, as their name suggests, are gracefully elevated over the Arabian Sea. These spacious hideaways, accessible only by boat, offer an intimate retreat complete with indoor and outdoor living areas, a grilling station, a private infinity pool, and, of course, direct access to the sea. There is also a delicious Japanese restaurant, Zuma, serving sushi over the transparent waters of the Maldives.

Source: Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi from Architectural Digest

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, Maldives

Highlights: Underground wine cellar, overwater spa, fitness center, water sports, kids' club, meeting room, game room.

Sunset Water Villa, a nearly 1,000-square-foot thatched-roof bungalow perched on stilts over the sea, boasts an intriguing glass-bottomed table set into the glass floor offering views of the turquoise ocean below. There might be a spacious living room, but the best place to relax is in the villa’s infinity pool. The resort also boasts the exact opposite of an overwater villa: the world's first underwater residence, with a bedroom set 16 feet below the surface beneath a glass dome.

Source: Architectural Digest

JOALI Maldives, Muravandhoo Island Raa Atoll, Maldives

Highlights: Private Jadugar butler (“magician” or butler), five restaurants, art studio and gallery, water sports, ESPA spa, yoga pavilion, hammam, 24-hour room service, indoor and outdoor gym.

Nestled deep in the Raa Atoll, JOALI Maldives, with its unique charm and high-end luxury, is designed as an art-conscious overwater resort. In fact, every space features artwork telling the story of the island and JOALI and is driven by the female founders' commitment to sustainability and women's empowerment. The overwater villas, available in various sizes and views, all feature dream pools, carved wooden pillars, overwater hammocks, and royal-style bathtubs, plus a dedicated jadugar (private butler) who can arrange everything from lavish in-bed breakfasts to snorkeling trips in search of manta rays or nudibranchs.

Source: Joali from Architectural Digest

Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa, North Huvadhoo, Gaafu Alifu Atoll, Maldives

Highlights: Award-winning in-house coral reef, rainwater harvesting, poolside cigar bar, PADI dive and activity center, yoga, garden spa.

On Maldives’ Hadahaa island in the North Huvadhoo atoll, this luxury resort’s 15 minimalist overwater villas boast floor-to-ceiling glass windows, locally inspired design, and private terraces; some even have small private pools overlooking the turquoise water. The nearly 10,000-square-foot modern Overwater Reef Residence, with panoramic Indian Ocean views (especially from its 52-foot infinity pool and hot tub), is built on stilts to minimize the structure’s impact on the pristine reef below.

Source: Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa from Architectural Digest

The Standard, Huruvalhi Maldives

Highlights: Spa with aroma steam room and nine treatment rooms, daily yoga.

The Standard’s first foray into island life is one of the Maldives’ most vibrant destinations. Located in the Raa Atoll on Huruvalhi island, this Memphis-style resort with plenty of personality and unique touches boasts more than one multi-bedroom overwater villa, along with delicious dining options from a beachside barbecue shack to local chefs crafting their own Maldivian dishes. If tired of the endless turquoise outside, guests can find solace in the indoor hydrotherapy oasis instead.

Source: The Standard from Architectural Digest

About the Author

This article was compiled by the expert team at TTT Corporation – a leading company with over 33 years of extensive experience in high-end interior design, manufacturing, and construction. We specialize in exporting furniture for hotel projects, resorts, and luxury establishments, serving both the Vietnamese and international markets.

TTT Corporation is proud to deliver exquisite, sustainable interior solutions that consistently meet the most stringent global market standards, contributing to the creation of timeless, prestigious spaces.

References:

Architectural Digest

Market Research Future

Hospitality Design Magazine