Overwater bungalows in Malaysia

Most of the world’s overwater bungalows and water villas are located in the Maldives, which is just southwest of India, but more resorts are opening every year around the world. Malaysia now has six overwater resorts of its own, which is the third most in the world behind the Maldives and Bora Bora.

Even more impressively, Malaysia now boasts what is by far the largest overwater bungalow resort in the world, with an amazing 392 overwater rooms just off the coast south of the Kuala Lumpur Airport.

Overwater bungalows in Malaysia
Overwater bungalows in Thailand

Thailand is perhaps the most popular country in Asia for sunny holidays we get a lot of questions about whether there are overwater bungalows or water villas in the Land of Smiles. The answer is a bit complicated because there are two resorts that currently have something along these lines, but neither are the classic design that most people are looking for. There are no overwater resorts in Krabi, but there’s one on Phuket and another on Koh Samui that sort of fit the definition.

Overwater bungalows in Thailand
Facts about overwater bungalows & water villas and where to find them

we first had the idea to create a worldwide directory of every overwater resort in the world, we honestly assumed there were about 20 or maybe 30 of these places. It turned out we underestimated by quite a bit, and since new ones keep opening up, the number keeps getting higher and higher.

A couple months ago I wrote a post called where are overwater bungalows, which lists all the major spots in the world where you can find these things.

Facts about overwater bungalows & water villas and where to find them
Overwater bungalows in the Philippines

‘water villas’ in much of the world, overwater bungalows are gaining popularity every year with honeymooners and every other kind of holiday-maker. Most of the overwater bungalows in the world are actually in the Maldives, which is just southwest of India, but there are three very good such resorts in the Philippines as well.

There are now a total of 4 overwater resorts in the Philippines, with each one varying from the next.

Overwater bungalows in the Philippines
Where are overwater bungalows and water villas?

Happened to all of us. We see a photo of an overwater bungalow (or a water villa, as they are called in much of the world) and we immediately daydream about spending a holiday in one ourselves. There’s something both romantic and private about these hotel rooms, which is one reason that they are incredibly popular for honeymoons and anniversary trips.

One complication is that overwater bungalows are found in only a few parts of the world, almost all of which are a long way from the people who’d like to stay in them.

Where are overwater bungalows and water villas?