In 1967 a trio of American hoteliers made a feature of the lack of sandy beaches on the Tahitian island of Raiatea by building three bungalows on stilts over the turquoise lagoon. Adding glass portals to the wooden floors, they called them “Bali Hai” bungalows after the mythical island in South Pacific and the idea caught on.
Nearly 60 years later, overwater villas have proliferated, especially in the Maldives, where the reefs and lagoons teem with marine life. They have also grown. Today, the most palatial villas are more like pared-down versions of the resort they are part of, with their own infinity pools, treatment rooms, private dining rooms and 24/7 butler service. They’re also set apart, providing the ultra wealthy with the total privacy they demand. Here, we spotlight six of the world’s biggest.
Wai Residence at Como Laucala Island, Fiji, South Pacific
The split-level Wai (“Water”) Residence at at Como Laucala Island, which hangs over the emerald lagoon
Laucala was previously owned by the publisher of Forbes magazine and turned into a billionaire’s retreat by the Red Bull cofounder Dietrich Mateschitz. A 50-minute flight north-east of Fiji, the 12 sq km island paradise is now run by the Singapore-based Como group, which has added a Como Shambhala wellness retreat to the glass-encased lap pool, a 240-acre organic farm and a championship golf course. The 25 secluded villas are an elegant take on the Fijian bure and set on the beach, in the rainforest or on a hilltop; the split-level Wai (“Water”) Residence hangs over the emerald lagoon with two bedrooms, a swimming pool in the rocks and a private jetty from which to head out on dolphin excursions, picnics on sandbars and tropical barbecues on the beach — all organised by the villa’s butler.
Vital statistics: 2,000 sq m; sleeps four. From £8,600 per night, with a minimum of four nights, comohotels.com
John Jacob Astor Estate at the St Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, Dhaalu Atoll, Maldives
Villas at the John Jacob Astor Estate are inspired by the shape of manta rays
This 77-villa resort in the southern Maldives certainly makes a striking first impression: arriving on the 45-minute flight from Malé, guests gaze down on a bar that looks like whale shark, a spa that resembles a lobster and villas inspired by the shape of manta rays. The biggest is at the end of the jetty, with the master suite on the top and two others below, all with private spa suites and indoor and outdoor showers. It’s named after the founder of the St Regis New York (and the richest man to go down with the Titanic); no doubt he would have approved of the 92 sq m infinity pool, cinema, gym, kitchen and staff accommodation. Bespoke adventures on a four-cabin Azimut Flybridge 66 yacht named Norma (after John Jacob Astor’s yacht) can be arranged.
Vital statistics: 1,726 sq m; sleeps 12. From £18,500 per night, marriott.com
Four-bedroom villa with infinity pool at Bawah Reserve, Anambas archipelago, Indonesia
The four bedroom villa with infinity pool at Bawah Reserve
This far-flung eco-retreat opened in 2018 on the initiative of Singapore-based shipping magnate Tim Hartnoll to preserve a pristine stretch of the South China Sea. It takes a bit of getting to: from Singapore, guests are chauffeured to a ferry which takes them to Batam Island and a 75-minute seaplane flight to the Anambas archipelago. The reward is a 7,500-acre marine conservation area with six islands, 13 pristine white beaches, three turquoise lagoons and 250 acres of rainforest — an idyllic backdrop for hiking, paddleboarding, watching turtle-hatching and stargazing. The 36 “earth-conscious” standalone suites showcase local and recycled woods and include a 750 sq m four-bedroom villa with an infinity pool and 11 overwater bungalows.
Vital statistics: 105 sq m; sleeps 3. From £2,113 per night, bawahreserve.com, reservations@bawahreserve.com
Private Reserve at Gili Lankanfushi, North Malé Atoll, Maldives
The Private Reserve at Gili Lankanfushi is the largest standalone overwater villa in the world
Gili Lankanfushi began life as Soneva Gili before reopening in 2019 under Singapore-based HPL. It continues to take its environmental responsibility seriously: it has EarthCheck Gold certification and all 45 rustic-luxe villas are built with recycled driftwood and local thatch. If it’s a bit busier here, only 20 minutes northeast of Malé by seaplane, the ease of access and beauty of the lagoon make up for it. The Private Reserve has two master and two guest bedrooms, as well as a spa, gym, open-air cinema, water slide and 21m infinity pool. Its location, set 500m apart from the coral island at the heart of the resort, makes it the largest standalone overwater villa in the world; guests are given their own motor boat to zoom around in — or get their own Mr/Ms Friday to ferry them.
Vital statistics: 1,700 sq m; sleeps 8 adults and 4 children. From £6,200 per night, gili-lankanfushi.com
Seven bedroom Royal Villas Ensemble at Shebara, Sheybarah Island, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia
The futuristic, stainless-steel and eco-friendly orbs floating over the Red Sea at Sheybarah Island
This development from Red Sea Global (RSG) — part of crown prince Mohammed bin Salman’s vision to diversify income from oil — was also conceived as an eco-resort. It is off-grid, and its water and energy come from its own desalination plant and solar farm. But the vibe is less Robinson Crusoe, more Dune, with 73 stainless-steel orbs by Dubai-based Killa Design rising from Saudi Arabia’s pristine Red Sea coast line like giant bubbles or alien spacecraft, half on the beach, half over the water. They set the tone for the naturalistic-futuristic style of the resort as a whole, which includes space dust massages, breakfasts on floating platters and a seven-bedroom Royal Villas Ensemble on its own islet. The resort is a 45-minute boat ride or 30-minute seaplane ride from the mainland, unless you come by helicopter or superyacht. The biggest overwater villa has two bedrooms and a private terrace with a sunken lounge and infinity pool.
Vital statistics: 288 sq m; sleeps seven, including four adults. From £5,795, shebara.sa
Two-bedroom overwater pool residence at Anantara Kihavah, Baa Atoll, Maldives
The aesthetic at Anantara Kihavah is understated and sustainable
Of the three Anantaras in the Maldives, this one, 35 minutes north of Malé, has the most wow factor: standout facilities include an underwater restaurant (Sea), an overwater observatory and cocktail bar with the biggest telescope in the Maldives (Sky), a medi-spa offering Vitamin IV drips and 42 overwater pool villas with glass-bottomed baths. The aesthetic, though, is understated (with lots of white and wood and pops of turquoise) and the ethos sustainable — as it should be in a Unesco Biosphere reserve, where you can swim with whale sharks. The two biggest of the total 80 villas and residences are at the end of an oval boardwalk, with en suite bedrooms and treatment rooms on either side; an expansive deck leads to a private 14m by 5m swimming pool and overwater day beds.
Vital statistics: 1,500 sq m; sleeps 6. From £4,530 per night, including breakfast, anantara.com
Four-bedroom Royal Villa at Song Saa Private Island, Koh Rong archipelago, Cambodia
The Royal Villa on Song Saa Private Island has two en suite bedrooms
CYRIL EBERLE
Song Saa is the barefoot hideaway that put Cambodia’s Koh Rong archipelago on the map without ruining it in the process: one of the first things its Australian owners did when they bought the two islands in 2006 was establish a marine reserve around them. A 45-minute speedboat ride from the wild west port of Sihanoukville, it has 24 stone-and-thatch overwater, beachfront and jungle villas channelling the same driftwood-chic aesthetic as the two restaurants (including Khmer-inspired Vista), plus dreamy Buddhist-inspired spa rituals and opportunities to snorkel with seahorses, kayak through mangroves and swim in bioluminescent waters. The Royal Villa is discreetly positioned with its own private jetty and twin en suite bedrooms on either side of a semicircular infinity pool: the Gulf of Thailand views are particularly spectacular at sunset. songsaa-privateisland.com
Vital statistics: 300 sq m; sleeps 4. From 3,230, songsaa.com
Four-bedroom Ocean Pool Retreat at Pullman Maldives Maamutaa, Gaafu Alifu Atoll, Maldives
The contemporary style master villa at Pullman Maldives Maamutaa
This all-inclusive 122-villa resort in the southern Maldives falls under the Accor hotels umbrella and its master villa is aimed squarely at the new breed of entrepreneur who believes big is best. Standing at the end of a curving jetty, the contemporary-style concrete-and-thatch construction has its own Jacuzzi, 17.5 sq m infinity pool, spa and gym. Back on the lush central island, there’s a purpose-built fitness circuit and a quartet of bars and restaurants to choose from, including veggie/vegan Phat Chamaeleon, while a Padi-accredited Suvadiva Dive Centre offers access to 26 dive sites. The upside of the remote location (it’s a 55-minute flight from Malé to the airport on Kooddoo, followed by a 15-minute boat transfer) is the abundant marine life seen outside the villas.
Vital statistics: 1,474 sq m; sleeps 10. From £8,000 per night pullmanmaldivesmaamutaa.com
Four-bedroom Sunset Water Reserve with Slide at Soneva Jani, Noonu Atoll, Maldives
Soneva Jani is beautiful but fun and fabulous with it
This 58-villa resort is the younger sister of Soneva Fushi, the barefoot luxury resort that showed that upmarket could also be sustainable. A 45-minute flight north of Malé, it’s beautiful, but fun and fabulous with it. Its kids’ club, The Den, has a zip line through a waterfall and its dining hub, The Gathering, includes an overwater restaurant by Mathias Dahlgren. The biggest villa hangs off the end of a jetty that snakes its way from the resort’s main island across an enormous 5.6km-wide lagoon. The master suite has a retractable roof, the outdoor deck segues into a sunken dining area and 13m swimming pool, and a slide curves down from the top deck into the water.
Vital statistics: 1,421 sq m; sleeps 8 adults and 2 children. From £14,000 per night, soneva.com