Overwater bungalow Archives - Shared Adventures

Where to find your Overwater Bungalow paradise

January 26, 2021 by Ann Petronio

The brilliant idea of over-water hotel suites was first initiated in the 1960s and they have since become synonymous with romantic luxury. Whether you’re looking for a honeymoon, anniversary or just a romantic getaway, they’ve likely crossed your mind. Tropical islands, turquoise blue waters, incredible sea life, and jaw-dropping sunsets – these bungalows live up to their hype! But which overwater bungalow destination is right for you?

Where you choose to have your overwater bungalow experience depends on what kind of vacation you are looking for and what kind of traveler you are! We’ve created a quick-comparison table to help accentuate the big-picture differences.

quick comparision guide for overwater bungalow destinations

This is just the first glance. If you really want to dive into the details of what makes each location magical keep reading below. Or just reach out to us!

What can I expect from an OWB?

Overwater bungalows (OWBs) or overwater villas are essentially hotel suites built on stilts over the calm water of a lagoon in an atoll or a small island. Typically, the rooms are connected by a wooden walkway that leads out from the main beach. Depending on which destination and which resort you choose, you’ll find some differences between them but there are a few things that you can expect no matter where you go:

The Hilton, Moorea ( Photo Credit: Shared Adventures Travel)

a couple sitting on the back terrace of their overwater bungalow with private jacuzzi and direct access to the sea in the Maldives

Seclusion & Privacy: With only a handful of neighbors, it’s easy to enjoy a feeling of privacy and exclusivity at an overwater bungalow resort. With access to the lagoon from your terrace, plus a personal jacuzzi or plunge pool, and an uninterrupted view of the sea, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into your own private oasis.

( Photo Credit: GlobalCareerBook.com via Unsplash)

Snorkeling & Diving: Since the overwater bungalows are often built near coral reefs you can expect some availability of snorkeling (and/or diving) just feet from your front door. But the amount and quality of sea life under your OWB does vary by destination and resort, so be sure to ask about this if it’s important to you.

Resort-like Amenities: In addition to your own private space in the bungalow, you’ll have access to all the typical resort amenities — including restaurants, pools, spa treatments, room service, and sometimes even a private butler!

A window under the sea: Most overwater bungalows have a glass panel in the floor with a light so you can watch the marine life underneath your bungalow from inside the room. You don’t have to get wet to see the fish!

the balcony view of an over water bungalow in Moorea

A View: You are guaranteed a room with a view and personal ocean-front loungers! It’s easy to stay connected to the beach and the water when the sea is under your feet!

(Photo Credit: Meagan & Cameron via Shared Adventures Travel)

An overwater bungalow will always give you a connection to the water like none other, a sense of romantic seclusion and luxury amenities. Now, where should you go to get this incredible experience?

The Maldives

If relaxing on a soft white sand beach or chilling on the terrace with a good book and your feet trailing in the water is your idea of a perfect vacation, then the Maldives are for you. The focus of these islands is one word: Relaxation.

Located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, this collection of islands is perfect for overwater bungalows. Flat, with plenty of white-sand beaches that give off desert island vibes, you can count on a wide uninterrupted view of the sea. Since many of these resorts are on their own private islands, you won’t do too much external adventuring.

(Photo Credit:Ahmed Raavi via Unsplash)

aerial shot of overwater villas with waterslides in the Maldives

The Maldives are home to two-thirds of the world’s overwater bungalows. This gives you a huge range of styles to choose from. From simple, rustic, budget-friendly options to huge luxury villas with a waterslide! The sky is the limit in the Maldives. More options also means more types of travelers — you can expect to find a mix of honeymooners, families, and groups at these resorts.

(Photo Credit: Ishan via Unsplash)

The Caribbean & Mexico

Brand new to the game, the Caribbean and Mexico have recently started to offer a few overwater bungalows. Now you can have everything you already love about the Caribbean or Mexico plus those perfect Instagram pics. You’ll be able to hop on a flight in the morning and have a piña colada in your hand by dinner!

aerial shot of overwater bungalows with a heart shaped walkway in Jamaica

The overwater bungalows are attached to already existing resorts so along with a few more neighbors comes all the amenities, beaches, and facilities the resort usually provides. Overwater bungalows in this area are also more likely to come with private butler service!

(Photo Credit: Juan Jose via Unsplash)

Long stretches of beach mean long romantic walks are always available and you’ll have a good balance of peaceful relaxation and outside excursions or adventures. While you’ll save money on the flight, the bungalows themselves are every bit as expensive as their far-flung counterparts. So if you’re looking for the experience (and the photo opportunities) but are more budget-conscious, we recommend a split-stay. Stay a few nights in the resort’s beach-front suites and end the trip with a few nights in the overwater bungalow.

French Polynesia

The original, the quintessential, and (some would say) the best. Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora were the first islands to have overwater bungalows and they continue to improve and expand today. With exteriors in the style of traditional Tahitian huts, but with all the modern luxuries of a sleek hotel inside, these overwater bungalows will give you a classic overwater experience. But don’t just take it from us — clients Meagan and Cameron recently celebrated their honeymoon in Moorea and called it “the definition of paradise!”

a view of the Moorea mountains from the sea

The French Polynesian Islands formed from volcanic activity, which resulted in a stunning and varied landscape. Some islands (like Moorea) feature lush green mountains rising out of the sea. Others (like Bora Bora) are atolls with a ring of tiny islands surrounding a placid lagoon. Most visitors island-hop to at least two different locations to get the best and broadest experience.

(Photo Credit: Meagan and Cameron via Shared Adventures Travel)

If you’re ready to fine-tune which OWB resort is a perfect match for you and your partner let us know! There are only about 200 OWB resorts in the world, so if you’re excited to try this incredible, romantic, one-of-a-kind experience we recommend planning well in advance!

A slice of Paradise

February 25, 2020 by Ann Petronio

Meagan and Cameron were looking for a unique honeymoon experience. Something they would remember forever, outdoorsy, and intimate. I knew the perfect slice of paradise for them: Moorea. A French Polynesian Island with stunning jungles and world-class snorkeling. Being able to swim with turtles from the balcony of their overwater bungalow at Manava Beach Resort all week was just the start of their unforgettable adventure in paradise!

Here’s their trip report:

HI Ann! I know you said I could keep it short, but there is SO much to say lol. Thank you for everything 🙂 🙂 we absolutely LOVED our trip!! Moorea is the definition of Paradise! The lush vegetation and the crystal clear lagoon had me staring at the views in awe every single day.

I must have said a million times that the views just do not get old! We knew that it was their rainy season with rain expected daily, which we didn’t care at all, you are still in paradise. We learned that the mornings are the best for activities with sunshine and the rains come later in the afternoon/overnight.

sunrise off the deck of an over water bungalow in Moorea

We were up at sunrise daily and took advantage of the deck off of the bungalow to get a morning snorkel in.

We saw and swam with the same couple of turtles and sharks right off our bungalow each morning! We brought our own underwater cameras for all of the wildlife and kayaked out into the lagoon to see everything around us.

There were two Polynesian themed nights as well with a buffet dinner (oops we really wanted to explore the area and check out local restaurants and skipped this). The food is amazing! Expensive like we heard, but SO good and they give you large portions.

Cameron surprised me with a chartered boat from Moorea Ocean Adventures and I can happily say he made one of my lifelong bucket list dreams come true!

We swam with dolphins in the wild, along with sharks, rays, turtles and a TON of other fish. They were INCREDIBLE. It’s a private charter and they send you a captain and a marine biologist. They bring snorkel gear, beverages, and take a video of the entire experience–in the boat and underwater.
They edit the video for you too, we got it back a week later and I can honestly say it was better than some of the wedding videos I have seen!! It was more exciting to receive too lol.
They are so incredibly knowledgeable about the area, and the species, and you can tell they take pride in their work. They asked us our main goals and expectations for the day before we took off and were SO eager to find dolphins with us.
You could tell they loved and appreciated the sea and its creatures! I couldn’t say enough positive things about our experience with that company, even the communication Cameron had before and after with them. 5 stars for sure!

Biggest suggestions for people considering Moorea:
-If you go during the rainy season (November-February) be sure to be active morning people-the resort had umbrellas for everyone throughout the stay and we could walk to town so that was great!
– Rent a car and drive the island–it takes 90 minutes, there is one road around it, and the speed limit is either 60km or 35km if you are driving through a town or school zone.

-There really is no nightlife so don’t expect any nightclubs, bars, or anything like that, besides what the resorts offer in their lounges and bars.

Find the waterfall and hike to it!

– Directions [for the waterfall] are in various reviews on trip advisor, don’t listen to the reviews that say its an easy 20 min walk. It’s a decent hike
-Gratuity really isn’t part of their culture, you are told it’s not expected but can be provided for exemplary service. You find a line to leave it on the checks at the resorts, which we did of course, but at the local restaurants you just pay your bill at a counter and that’s it. We were uncomfortable with this at first and didn’t know what to do, but when one of our shuttle drivers taught us local lingo, told us the history about the various sites we were driving by, stopped at certain spot “that we had to see and take a photo at” and just made us feel SO welcomed, you knew that was someone you gave a gratuity to. We had a bunch of shuttle drivers throughout our transit between Tahiti and Moorea, you could tell this guy (Maui was his name!)was really proud of his island and happy to have us there.

– Rudy’s!! Eat there!  It will not disappoint!! Read the reviews and believe every single one you read about the parrotfish.  I read them afterward and was so glad we happened to find it.  We were supposed to go back a second night, but my nap took a little longer than I had expected ;( 
-Food and drinks are expensive on and off the resorts – but omg sooo good
–Belvedere lookout – go here!  People leave locks on the fence, but you can tell they get removed.  We saw a BUNCH in a photo before we went and there were only a few there when we arrived.

– 1 week is the perfect amount of time to see everything on the island, we saw some things twice!  We even rented a car twice and made it to other restaurants and locations.  I understand why many people spend more time and island-hop between Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora – but that sounds exhausting to us and we decided to spend our 10 year anniversary in Bora Bora instead to check it out 😉
– Get a black Tahitian pearl 😊 we have a few now!

WELL, I think that covers it…

enjoying the ocean view from over water balcony

can we go back now, please?!?!

Thank you SO much for everything, can’t wait to plan the next one!
– Meagan and Cameron

Paradise is closer than you think (and more affordable than ever)

December 16, 2018 by Ann Petronio Leave a Comment

I just got back from ten days in Tahiti, and this trip has really changed how I think about the destination.

As a honeymoon specialist, I’m well aware of the lure of the overwater bungalow. Clients will come to me looking for something exotic, remote, and Instagrammable…with visions of Bora Bora dancing in their heads. They know it’s far away, and that those OWBs can cost upwards of $1000 per night, but they don’t care, because this is a “once in a lifetime” trip. And that’s fabulous. But I’m here to tell you that Tahiti does not need to be a one and done vacation. And it can be done more economically than the typical honeymoon, if need be. In fact, it can even work for {gasp} families.

Hilton Moorea overwater bungalows

Overwater Bungalows at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui

Let me explain.

French Polynesia includes more than 100 islands in the South Pacific.The best known and most-visited are Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora, but there are dozens more, spread across more than 2,000 kilometers of ocean, and there is literally something for everyone. You can stay in a local guest house, a 3-, 4- or 5-star resort, or even an airbnb. You can cruise from island to island on ships from Paul Gauguin or Aranui, or you can charter your own boat (bareboat or crewed). If this is a honeymoon splurge, by all means let’s include some time in a luxurious and romantic overwater bungalow. But if you’re trying to be more budget-friendly, we can get creative and do charming little garden bungalows, or some time in a guest house, to meet the locals.

Beach Bungalow at the Bora Bora Pearl

Ah, but what about how FAR away it is? In reality, it’s two hours further than Hawaii, and most Americans are more than willing to fly there for a week’s vacation. For me, coming from the East Coast, it was a six-hour flight from Boston to Los Angeles, followed by an eight-hour flight from LA to Papeete. One long day of travel, but I arrived before midnight, fell into bed in a nearby hotel, and woke up in paradise.

Sunrise, beachfront views

While we’re talking about flights, there’s some good news on that front. Air Tahiti Nui, which used to have a lock on the US-Tahiti routes now has some competition from Air France and United Airlines (which is flying from San Francisco). A low-cost French carrier (French Bee) has recently joined them as well, with round trip fares starting in the $700 range!

Okay, so it’s not as far away or as expensive as you thought, but what’s the allure of Tahiti? Well, beyond the gorgeous blue water and white (and black) sand beaches, and the bragging rights (“you’re going where?”) the islands offer so much more than I ever knew.

White sand beach at the Sofitel in Moorea

Black sand beach at the Tahiti Pearl

They are uncrowded and unspoiled (Tahiti receives as many visitors in one year as Hawaii receives in one WEEK). They are very safe and have very little crime (Moorea does not even have a jail). The people are warm and welcoming, and you’ll be greeted by smiles and “Ia Orana” everywhere you go. Getting around is super easy – ferries run between Tahiti and Moorea, and the other islands are connected by quick flights through tiny little open-air airports (no long lines, no security checks). You can easily rent a car and explore on your own on the larger islands like Tahiti and Moorea. And if you are a nature-lover,you’ll be in heaven. There is surfing, sailing, kayaking, hiking, biking, whale-watching,jet skis, snorkeling, diving, and swimming with sharks/rays/dolphins/whales/etc We toured pineapple and vanilla farms, learned about Tahitian pearls, shopped in local markets, dined on gourmet French cuisine(and at casual food trucks) and watched Polynesian fire dancers. The whole experience was absolutely amazing.

Learning about fruits and flowers on Moorea

Our guide from Moana Adventures, en route to a party at Bloody Mary’s

Pearl farm on Taha’a

On this trip, we visited four different islands (Tahiti, Moorea, BoraBora and Tahaa). I met with dozens of local suppliers (hoteliers, tour operators, cruise lines and more), toured ten resorts,enjoyed three evenings of Polynesian song/dance (all totally different), and ate at least a half a dozen different versions of “poisson cru” (the delicious national dish of French Polynesia). I rode in a four-by-four on steep mountain roads, and sailed silently across the lagoon on a solar-powered catamaran. I stayed in a garden bungalow, a beach bungalow, a lagoon-view hotel room, and two absolutely stunning overwater bungalows. I showered outdoors, took a dip in my private plunge pool, watched fish swim underneath my bed, stargazed on my deck, and snorkeled in a coral garden. And this was a business trip!! Imagine what you could do on vacation 😊

Poisson Cru

Marquesian dancers

When you’re ready to make your own trip to paradise, let me know. I feel like an “evangelist” spreading the gospel of Tahiti, and I would be more than happy to put my newfound knowledge to good use.