Overwater villa holidays: How to begin planning yours

Now that you’ve decided you’d like to take a vacation in an overwater bungalow or water villa, the first step is to try to figure out where to even begin. So, how does one start the planning process? This is the single most common question we get at this site, and it’s understandable because these amazing accommodations are only common within a few parts of the world.

Another complication for most of us that makes planning a bit more difficult is that overwater bungalows are among the most expensive hotel rooms in the world.

Overwater villa holidays: How to begin planning yours
Overwater bungalows on Fiji

While there are overwater bungalow resorts scattered all throughout the South Pacific, Fiji is home to only 3, at least for the moment. What is nice about these 3 choices, is that they do vary a lot from each other, which allows guests a few options. Out of these, 2 offer rooms around the US$500 a night range while the third is geared toward travelers that adventure with a larger budget.

If you are looking for something other than the three listed below, you’ll be able to go to one of the other islands in the South Pacific, where you’ll have around 30 different resorts to choose from if you can make it to Bora Bora or elsewhere in French Polynesia.

Overwater bungalows on Fiji
Getting to Tahiti

Although you’ll find that getting to Tahiti isn’t the cheapest, the adventure over tends to be both easy and straightforward. This is because there are only a few airlines that fly into Papeete’s Faa’a International Airport, which serves as a hub for the entire South Pacific. Regardless of which direction you are coming from, you’ll be arriving on a huge wide-body jet such as a 747, so even the coach seats tend to be roomy and comfortable, which is a nice thing to look forward to.

Getting to Tahiti
Honeymoon resorts: Choose the perfect overwater hotel

You are looking for the most secluded and romantic possible hotel for your honeymoon, then an overwater bungalow or water villa is the perfect choice. These beautiful hotel rooms are so popular with honeymoon couples that it’s likely many of them would not exist if not for the newlyweds.

Almost all of these resorts are in the tropics, so they nearly guarantee perfect weather all year round, and they are all in stunning natural settings that will be impossible to forget, especially when combined with your romantic holiday.

Honeymoon resorts: Choose the perfect overwater hotel
All-inclusive overwater bungalow and water villa resorts and where to find them

There’s good and bad news for those looking for all-inclusive overwater bungalow and water villa resorts, depending on which part of the world you live in. The bad news for many people is that there are no all-inclusive Bora Bora, Moorea, or Tahiti resorts that include all meals and alcohol in the room rate. Everything else is good news because most activities and services are indeed included in the room rate.

However, if you can get to the Maldives, which is home to most of the world’s overwater, all-inclusive, private villa resorts, you’ll have plenty of excellent options that include meals, alcohol, and even premium alcohol in some cases.

All-inclusive overwater bungalow and water villa resorts and where to find them
9 Best overwater villa resorts with private pools

There are many different things to consider when searching for your dream resort. First you’ll want to take a look at the resort itself and find out what is offered with each stay. Does the resort have a public pool? Does it have spa? Are there numerous land or water activities to choose from? Are there dining options available throughout your stay that have good reviews from past guests? Then you’ll want to take a look at the room options available and depending on what you’re looking for, you’ll should find room choices that fit your dream.

9 Best overwater villa resorts with private pools
34 Best photos of overwater bungalows in Bora Bora, Moorea, and Tahiti

Admit it, you get hypnotized when looking at those amazing photographs of overwater bungalows in Bora Bora and throughout the South Pacific, just like the rest of us. Even if you can’t afford to spend a vacation in one it’s fun to daydream about it, and what it would be like to dive right off your private deck into that stunningly clear lagoon water below.

Just to help you out a bit we decided to collect all of the best and most inspirational photos and put them below.

34 Best photos of overwater bungalows in Bora Bora, Moorea, and Tahiti
Overwater bungalow of the week: Manihi Pearl Beach Resort

Of the twenty or so overwater bungalow resorts clustered around Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora, the most remote is one of the more affordable in the region, called the Manihi Pearl Beach Resort.

Some people may prefer to be on an island with another resort every few hundred yards, but for those looking to feel that they are in paradise at the edge of the world, this is one to consider.

Overwater bungalow of the week: Manihi Pearl Beach Resort
Overwater bungalow of the week: Vahine Island Private Island Resort

Just east of Bora Bora lies the most intimate of all overwater bungalow resorts in the South Pacific. With only 9 total rooms, 6 of which are at the edge of a private 23-acre island and the other 3 of which are magnificent overwater bungalows just out over the lagoon, this is as mellow and low-key as things get at a resort hotel.

This week we are featuring this splendid resort because in addition to everything else it has going for it, it’s quite reasonably priced as well.

Overwater bungalow of the week: Vahine Island Private Island Resort
Cheap airfare

fact that almost every overwater bungalow resort in the world is both tropical and remote for most of us, means that airfares are usually going to be a bit expensive as well. There’s really no getting around the fact that these long flights to exclusive destinations are never cheap, but you can still find deals at certain times of the year, especially if you fly in the off-season for that particular destination.

Cheap airfare