Banana Island is an island paradise just off the coast of Doha which is home to Qatar’s only overwater bungalows, and one of only two overwater bungalow resorts in the Gulf region (the other being the Palm Resort in Dubai). All are three bedroom units and cover a full 2370 sq. feet/220 sq. meters, so for sheer scale alone they are very impressive. They are also nicely designed, sleek and very luxurious, as you might well expect from one of Qatar’s finest luxury resorts. Banana Island has a very highly rated spa and wellness center, commonly thought of as the country’s best, seven restaurants to choose from and a host of leisure and sports activities both land and water based including golf, tennis, ten pin bowling, scuba diving, snorkeling, boating, fishing, etc. Overwater Bungalows & Other Accommodation: They have a good range of accommodation choices all of which are spacious and luxurious. Even their cheapest rooms will be at least 500 sq. feet and display high levels of comfort and more than a touch of class. Pride of place though of course goes to their fabulous overwater villas. They are as mentioned enormous with three bedrooms centered around a central living area, which has a giant TV and lounging and dining areas, leading out to a very spacious and well furnished terrace which also includes a private plunge pool. Their sleek bathrooms are noteworthy and come with especially inviting curved bath tubs. Each has also a small kitchen/kitchenette area which, though not a deal breaker of course, may disappoint somewhat, especially when the rest of the villa is so bold and grand. They come with a microwave oven, fridge and pod coffee maker. There are only 11 overwater villas in total at Banana Island and they can be booked out. If that’s the case the rest of the accommodation doesn’t have to be such a downgrade, our favorite alternative in such a case would be the ‘Two Bedroom luxury Sea View Pool Villa’. Note: Banana Island is an alcohol free resort. Note 2: All couples must present a marriage certificate on check-in.  Overwater Bungalow Prices: Check out all the details READ MORE

Sun Siyam Iru Fushi is an award winning 5 star all inclusive on a stunning, 52 acre private island in The Maldives’ Noonu Atoll. The resort has a great reputation for family vacations, winning the World Travel Awards’ category of Best Family Resort in the Indian Ocean three years running from 2016 to 2019, while also being nominated multiple times for the world’s best family resort. It is also though a popular place for a romantic getaway – this being the Maldives adults/couples dominate anyway, there are also dedicated adults only zones and the resort is large enough to find plenty of space for rest, relaxation and romance. It offers various options – b&b, half board, full board and all inclusive. For a 5 star resort in The Maldives Sun Siyam Iru Fushi is pleasantly very reasonably priced, with the all inclusive being overall the best value package. Overwater Bungalows & Other Accommodation: It has a nice choice of accommodation on offer, villa style, around the beach or overwater. All of them fit a maximum of two adults and two children up to the age of 12. They are all as plush and comfortable as you might expect from a 5 star private island paradise with sleek interiors and a nice sense of open space both inside and out, though some may deem the overwater bungalows too close to each other careful design means that even on their outside terrace they are still very private. The pick of the overwater villas is very much the ‘Infinity Water Villa with Separate Living Room’, all 1668 square feet/155 square meters of it. It, as the name suggests features a separate lounge area and an infinity pool on the terrace. The others are smaller, though none of them could be accused of being too small – your most basic choice will still be over 900 square feet/85 square meters and though won’t have a private pool it will still have either a semi-open bathroom with a photo worthy spa bath overlooking the sea, or a jacuzzi on the terrace. All their overwater villas also come with those classic glass floor panels so you READ MORE

A strong candidate for the best luxury resort in Mauritius, the 5 Star Constance Le Prince Maurice, just an hour from Port Louis and its international airport, is a divine slice of paradise and one which boasts the country’s only overwater bungalows. There are just eleven in total though – eight junior suites and three particularly spacious and luxurious water villas – so be prepared to book well in advance. Though the height of luxury and beautifully styled they have just one drawback, that is that they sit over a lagoon fish sanctuary which, though it features much interesting sea life, means you are not allowed to swim just outside your door. Once that disappointment is overcome though these overwater bungalows leave very little else to complain about and the Constance Prince Maurice in general is a truly fantastic resort. It has excellent spa facilities and a whole host of activities can be enjoyed including water-sports and golf at not one but two different 18 hole championship golf courses. Though the resort mainly caters for romantic getaways, honeymoons etc. children can and do come here too, and the Prince Maurice Kids Club does a fine job looking after them. Overwater Bungalows & Other Accommodation: Constance Le Prince Maurice has 89 suites and villas spread over 150 acres of stunning beach, lagoon and lush tropical gardens. The overwater bungalows, as mentioned above, sit on the lagoon and are of two types – suites and villas. Both are beautifully designed and furnished in the traditional Pacific style and feel incredibly romantic. They only major difference between the suites and villas is their respective sizes. The suites come in at a respectable 753 square feet (70 m²) and have one double bedroom with a seating area, a lovely outdoor terrace plus some very swish bathrooms The villas though are over twice the size at 1,400 square feet (130 m² ). Along with a larger bedroom they also come with a separate lounge/living room plus dining space, and have a whirlpool bath/jacuzzi in the bathroom and a soak tub outside on the terrace. Beyond the overwaters the beachside accommodation at Constance Prince Maurice is READ MORE

Just a ten-minute shuttle boat ride from Motu Mute Airport, and fifteen minutes across the lagoon from the town of Vaitape, lies the little island of Tevairoa – the wondrous setting for the 4 Star Bora Bora Pearl Resort. The resort has a total of 80 accommodation units comprising overwater bungalows, beach villas and garden villas, but feels rather small and boutique-resort like. It also feels somewhat more traditionally Polynesian than other resorts around Bora Bora, in terms of architecture, style and general laid back atmosphere. It is family friendly, and has activities for children, but wouldn’t really define itself as such, maintaining well the tricky balance between keeping children content and offering the last word in romantic experience. Overwater Bungalows & Other Accommodation: You have a choice between garden suites, beachfront suites or classic overwater bungalows. The suites are nestled among tropical plants, have their own private pool and, being able to sleep up to five, are the most suitable for families. The beachfront suites have a private hot tub/jacuzzi and some lovely views across the sands but of course the overwater bungalows have that extra romantic feel as well as direct access to the water and the resort’s coral nurseries. All the accommodation is top luxury hotel standard, boasting all modern facilities, while the design and decor generally display even more Polynesian influence than other Bora Bora resorts with lots of sleek wood panelling and traditional art pieces. Overwater Bungalow Prices: Check out all the details – prices, reviews & more photos, on the booking page here. Resort Facilities & Things to Do: The dining and drinking choices are limited but of the highest quality. The Tevairoa Restaurant & Bar serves up top quality international food with Polynesian influences and has native music and dance performances on most evenings while the Miki Miki Bar & Restaurant serves up snacks and dishes throughout the day and has a great selection of drinks, from fancy cocktails to old ports and rums. At the Tavai Spa, nestled away in tropical foliage and surrounded by lily ponds, you can indulge yourself in all sorts of health and beauty treatments; Vichy body scrubs, READ MORE

Thatch Caye is a private, Caribbean island paradise 25 minutes by speedboat from mainland Belize. The resort is eco-friendly and the vibe a kind of rustic, barefoot chic. The resort caters for no more than 30 people at any one time too so also feels relatively intimate and exclusive. Overwater Bungalows & Other Accommodation: You have a choice of beach cabanas and over water bungalows. The latter are divided between Standard and Premium with the standard units being three bungalows sitting practically right beside each other just off the shore. Thus they’re really not ideal if privacy is what you’re after. But for a group of friends, if booked together, they could be perfect. The premium overwater bungalows on the other hand offer a huge amount of privacy. Though they are pretty much the same internally as the standard bungalows they have their own private walkway so feel very secluded indeed. They don’t cost all that much more so we think an upgrade to these premium bungalows will make sense to most people, especially those seeking a romantic getaway. Both have 320 sq. ft of nicely furnished and very comfortable space, including an outside terrace, so they’re not enormous but are certainly cosy and romantic. On shore you have a choice of beach cabanas, divided into Standard, Premier and Penthouse, with the Penthouse being the most desirable and most expensive. It is the largest at 441 sq ft and offers views over the open ocean from the terrace.  In line with the island’s back to nature, modern-life detox philosophy none of the accommodation has Wifi (or TV) but you can find WiFi in the common areas. Overwater Bungalow Prices: Check out all the details – prices, reviews and more photos, on the booking page here. Resort Facilities & Things to Do: Between its three restaurants/cafes/bars the food at Thatch Caye is well received by guests, with much of the ingredients coming from their own organic gardens. Every day starts with a made to order breakfast where you’ll find international staples alongside more Belizean choices, plenty of tropical fruits and juices, and good coffee. The breakfast is served in the Coco READ MORE

The family run, eco friendly Sol Bungalows is a small, intimate B&B with just two overwater bungalows on Bocas del Toro’s Isla Solarte, the least populated and most undisturbed of all Bocas’ main islands. Though relatively undisturbed the location is still extremely convenient, being just 5 minutes by water taxi from Bocas Town. Their brand new overwater bungalows are sleek, modern and very comfortable, and they boast all the features you’d expect from quality overwater accommodation but at very reasonable prices indeed. Overwater Bungalows: Those features include; traditional thatched roofs, glass floor viewing panels, nice furnished terraces with direct access to the water, overwater hammocks and outdoor showers. The bungalows are spacious too, covering 775 square feet/78 square meters in total, with a lounge area, a separate bedroom with king size bed and memory foam mattress, a bathroom and a lovely outside terrace just made for gazing at sunsets. Other hotel type niceties include coffee makers, mini fridges and blackout curtains. The lounge and bedroom are separated by a sliding door and the sofa in the lounge can be converted into two single beds which allows the bungalows an occupancy of four each if needed. Overwater Bungalow Prices: Check out all the details – prices, reviews & more photos on their Booking.com page here. Facilities & Things to Do: A fine healthy breakfast is included in the rate and evening meals, drinks etc. can be provided on site. You are also, as previously mentioned, just five minutes away from Bocas Town where you’ll have your choice of food stores, restaurants, bars and cafes, and there are a few local stores on the island itself. You can nip out your door for some snorkeling, kayaking or paddle boarding, with all equipment provided, a range of massages can be arranged for you on site and so too yoga classes. Bocas del Toro is of course famous for its world class surf and its best waves are just a short boat ride away. Scuba diving too – the area has some of the best in the world – and diving trips can be arranged from Sol Bungalows. The enthusiastic owners of Sol Bungalows READ MORE