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Tripadvisor
- Overwater bungalows are among the most desired hotel accommodations in the world.
- Many overwater bungalows cost thousands per night, but affordable options exist starting at $170.
- We found affordable overwater bungalows in the South Pacific, Caribbean, Central America, and Asia.
Few destinations in the world inspire more wanderlust than far-flung locales dotted with overwater bungalows (or alternatively called overwater villas). These lodgings are perched atop calm, shallow waters and crystalline lagoons that are striated into every imaginable hue of blue.
Fortunately, not all overwater bungalows have an astronomical financial barrier to entry. Cheaper options exist, and while less common, they're still in desirable areas like the South Pacific, Asia, and the Caribbean. These are the best affordable overwater bungalows, from rustic and eco-minded to over-the-top posh.
These are the best overwater bungalows, sorted by location and price.
Booking.com
Fiji's Koro Sun Resort sprawls over 160 acres on the island of Vanua Levu. The property has a spa, impeccable scuba options, and an overwater room category billed as Fiji's only floating accommodation.
Here, Edgewater Floating Bures are adults-only accommodations offering 380-square-foot rooms, each one floating within the resort's calm marina. A two-person kayak is tied to each bure's 120-square-foot private front deck, so you can hop right in the water for either kayaking or swimming.
Booking.com
Book Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa
Totally unspoiled with screensaver views in every direction, Rangiroa Island places you away from the over-saturated crowds of (big-spending) honeymooners on Bora Bora while still indulging in overwater accommodation luxury. Hotel Kia Ora Spa and Resort is located in the Tuamotu Archipelago, located on its largest atoll. The environment includes turquoise lagoons, wild coconut groves, and a stunning tropical garden.
There are 10 overwater bungalows. Each bungalow is decorated in a traditional Tahitian style and includes a glass panel in the floor to observe passing fish. When you aren't enjoying your direct access to the lagoon, you can bike into the island for a visit to the local wine cellar.
Booking.com
Book Coconuts Beach Club Resort and Spa
Located in the culturally rich but much lesser-traveled South Pacific destination of Samoa, Coconuts Beach Club Resort and Spa is located on Upolu's southern coast where you'll experience incredible sunrises and sunsets.
The intimate resort offers overwater fales with six indoor-outdoor accommodations boasting spectacular views of the beaches, lagoon, and ocean. Each has a large sun deck, an expansive bedroom with a King bed, and a high traditional Samoan ceiling. Private decks can be closed off with sliding glass doors for privacy and the use of AC. Open-air bathrooms have sunken tubs and waterfall showers. There are no phones or TVs, just total peace.
Booking.com
Book Punta Caracol Acqua Lodge
This eco-lodge is located in Panama's Bocas del Toro area where white sand and turquoise water make the views and the atmosphere idyllic. Punta Caracol Acqua Lodge offers a uniquely untouched nature experience with the ocean right on your doorstep. You can snorkel among colorful fish, kayak through picturesque waters, or take a quick trip to Bocas Town to take in the local culture.
Guests can enjoy their stay knowing that Punta Caracol Acqua Lodge is passionate about sustainability. On the premises, you will find solar panels for clean energy, a sewage purifying system to avoid pollution, and eco-friendly products in the bathrooms.
Booking.com
Book Eclypse de Mar Acqua Lodge
Nestled on the border of Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park, Eclypse de Mar Acqua Lodge is a sea and jungle paradise. The on-site nature reserve, which spans over 7 acres, offers guided tours. Here, you will find trails, lagoons, and wildlife like sloths, iguanas, and colorful frogs.
Each of the seven overwater bungalows is built with local wood and natural palm-leaf roofing. Inside, you will find a glass panel in the floor to watch passing marine life. No matter where you are at Eclypse de Mar Acqua Lodge, you will be immersed in nature.
Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel
Book Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel
Las Lagunas is located in the heart of the Mayan world near the ancient ruins of Tikal, Uaxactún, and Yaxhá in Guatemala. Although it's just 10 minutes from the international airport, it feels isolated within the rainforest amid more than 300 acres of an untouched nature reserve. It's a perfect spot for bird watching, too.
There are a set of 12 Waterfront Master Suites, connected by high-rise paths. Each is a one-bedroom bungalow with a cascade shower bathroom, and a deck with a hot tub overlooking the dazzling water.
Booking.com
St. George's Caye Resort offers adults-only lodging that is located on a rustic but indulgent private island in Belize. There is a totally secluded feel but it's actually just seven miles from Belize City, so it's still easy and affordable to access.
The overwater bungalows feel like bargains compared to similar accommodations in other parts of the world. Prices start in the low $300s and include full board with no catch. You'll get a private porch with a hammock and thatched roof overlooking the Caribbean Sea on the west side of the island. These six cabanas are situated on a half-moon-shaped dock with prime sunset views.
Tripadvisor
Pangkor Laut Resort is located on a privately owned island situated three miles off the West Coast of Malaysia along the Straits of Malacca. Here, there are no other resorts, so you're isolated among secluded bays, impeccable beaches, and magical sunsets.
The island comprises 300 acres, but the resort developed just a fraction of that leaving it feeling lush and natural. Overwater accommodations sit on stilts above the tropical waters, each with an expansive balcony with loungers, a bathroom with an oversized tub, and a shower that opens to the sea.
Booking.com
Adaaran Club Rannalhi is located at the tip of the South Male atoll in the Maldives, with easy access to the capital city of Male. A slate of daily activities includes morning or sunset fishing, a sunset photo tour (on which it would be nearly impossible not to nail some prize-worthy snaps), as well as a full menu of treatments at the spa.
The 34 large and private Water Bungalows all include direct access to the ocean waters from private sun decks with wooden ladders. Bungalows are quite large at nearly 750 square feet, and decor is modern and tropical, done in creams and vibrant colors.
