Inside the Overwater Villa
A vacation in a beachfront villa on any of the Indian Ocean islands makes for an amazing experience, but there is a way to elevate your private ocean island experience still further. Allow us to introduce you to the overwater villa.
Particularly associated with the Maldives (three of the very best can be found at Soneva Jani, Ritz Carlton Maldives and Joali Being), the overwater villa is the ultimate way to experience lagoon living. There’s nothing between you and immense ocean views, and you can (if you choose) step out of bed and into the ocean in less time than it takes to read this sentence. Here’s our guide to everything you need to know about overwater villas.
The best of both worlds
Overwater villas do come at a premium, in part because they are still very rare – only a handful of resorts feature them, as the setting needs to be perfect. Picture a calm, sheltered bay or lagoon with crystal-clear azure waters, and then imagine a small cluster of wood and thatch villas or bungalows, each linked to the main resort by sinuous wooden walkways.
A short stroll (or paddle, if you prefer) from your overwater villa will take you to the beach and the shared facilities of the resort. Equally, if you don’t want to leave your fully equipped private paradise, you don’t have to. All your meals and drinks can be brought to you by your butler, and you can while away your time gazing out to sea…
Overwater villa features to look out for
Our favorite overwater villas all feature glass floors (so you can watch brightly colored reef fish swimming beneath you), infinity pools and sundecks. You can take the plunge any time you like, explore the vibrant undersea world and catch up on the latest happenings on the reef.
After a day of leisurely swimming and sunbathing, there’s nothing quite like having chilled drinks delivered to your overwater villa so you can salute the setting sun. Gourmet meals take on an extra element of romance when you enjoy them in such a secluded spot, and falling asleep to the gentle whisper of the waves guarantees a wonderful night’s sleep.
All the amenities and activities offered by the resort are available, but only if you choose to experience them. You can instead opt for the ultimate in privacy and indulge in the sense of being cut off from the everyday world.
Why choose an overwater villa?
Few bucket list experiences are as dreamy or luxurious as having your own private bungalow or cabana with unimpeded ocean views, tropical reef fish as neighbors, and the entire Indian Ocean at your toe tips. It’s often possible to combine a few nights in an overwater villa with more nights on land at the same private ocean island resort, However, once you’ve experienced the serenity of lagoon living, you may not want to return to shore any time soon.
The additional cost of an overwater villa stay is absolutely worth it – it’s very easy indeed to get used to having your breakfast delivered by canoe, and the feeling of walking on water (thanks to the glass floors) and being rocked asleep by the soft ocean swell never, ever gets old.
To make your overwater villa dreams come true and experience the luxury of lagoon living in the Indian Ocean, contact the journey specialists at Private Ocean Islands today.
