Indonesia Overwater Bungalows

Raja Ampat’s Misool Eco Resort is a diver’s paradise! With eight overwater bungalows, a farm and fruit forest, a spa, and a robust dive program, you’ll find that your 7, 9, or 12-day stay isn’t nearly long enough!

The private island resort has a maximum capacity of 40 guests and is located inside the Raja Ampat Shark and Manta Sanctuary. With stunning reefs, rich in marine biodiversity, Misool Eco Resort established the 300,000-acre Misool Marine Reserve in 2005, showing their commitment to the ocean.

The villas are built of reclaimed tropical hardwoods and feature Balinese-style open-air bathrooms, air conditioning, and hot showers. There’s one restaurant that serves a mix of Asian and Western cuisines with a focus on local organic food and the full board package includes four meals (pre-dive mini breakfast, breakfast, lunch, and dinner) plus tea daily.

The resort is good for couples, families, or groups, and can accommodate divers as young as 10 years old.

Menjaga Bay Resort is set on a quiet bay on the edge of the stunning Komodo National Park. The resort is secluded and the overwater bungalows, built in local bamboo style with modern conveniences, are angled towards the sea, offering understated luxury and privacy with stellar views. Enjoy the spa, snorkel, take a dip in the resort’s pool, or take their full-day Komodo tour to see the famous Komodo dragons. The road to the resort is bumpy, so use their boat transfer for a smoother ride. WiFi is available but slow due to the resort’s seclusion, so disconnect and enjoy your break from reality.

Take a 75-min seaplane from Singapore and you’ll find yourself on a six-island archipelago in a 1,000-hectare marine conservation area at Bawah Reserve. The resort’s 36 suites, overwater bungalows, lodges, and villas feature canopy beds, copper bathtubs, and for the overwater bungalows, direct water access. Enjoy drinks at the pool bar or the hillside bar and dine on meals largely sourced from the resort’s organic gardens in the trees at Tree Tops or down at the beach at The Boat House.

Room rates are inclusive of meals, land and sea activities, spa treatments, WiFi, laundry, and taxes.

Located in the Thousand Islands about two hours by boat from the hustle and bustle of Jakarta Pulau Macan Eco Resort is rustic (think open-air rooms with outside showers and mosquito netting) but comfortable. The eco-friendly resort, powered mostly by solar, has no air conditioning in the rooms, but they are west-facing for sunset views and do have direct ocean access.

The resort has power and WiFi, but it’s truly a place where you want to disconnect from daily life and swim, snorkel, and canoe to a nearby private island to enjoy its beautiful beach

With its gorgeous water and open air-restaurant, this private island escape is ideal for couples or families and groups (the sunset oceanfront has 1 queen and 4 single beds).

With its overwater bungalows nicely spaced out across a heart-shaped boardwalk, you’d think PuloCinta is a couple’s dream resort. And it is! But one, two, and three-bedroom villas that sleep 2-6 are available meaning it’s also good for families and groups. The villas are 100% solar with WiFi, freshwater showers, and private sun decks among the amenities.

It takes a bit of doing to get to—a two-hour car ride followed by a 25-minute boat ride and that’s after you’ve flown to Sulawesi by way of Jakarta—but the views, snorkeling and diving, the natural beauty, and nighttime star gazing make it well worth it.

WODA Villa and Spa emphasizes zen with packages that include a daily massage for two. Choose from unique treatments like a Balinese Aromatic Massage, a Royal Chocolate Spa treatment, and a Balinese Boreh body treatment.

Daily breakfast, land transfers, and WiFi are included and the villas accommodate two to three guests, making it ideal for couples. The peaceful vibes of the day don’t carry into the evening as a nearby nightclub can provide a lively soundtrack into the wee hours.

With a beautiful house reef and great dive options nearby, Hamueco Raja Ampat Dive Resort has everything you need for a relaxing dive trip. The accommodations are more basic than some other overwater bungalows (showers are cold and the food is fine but redundant) but the incredible views and friendly staff make up for it!

Built in 1994 Kadidiri Paradise Resort & Dive Center is the first and oldest hotel in the Tongean islands and it’s showing its age. Each of the 30 bungalows has a private bathroom with a European toilet, a sink, a freshwater shower, electricity (from 6-11 pm) and views of the turquoise waters of Tomini Bay, however, numerous recent reviews warn against keeping food in your bungalow so that you don’t attract “jungle mice” (aka rats). With numerous other overwater bungalows in Indonesia, Kadidiri Paradise is best skipped.

Located on the Maratua atoll in the Derawan Archipelago off the East Kalimantan of Borneo, Maratua Paradise Resort is a diver’s paradise that you won’t want to leave! 

The resort has stunning views, clear water, and lots of marine life, ideal for snorkeling and diving. Keep your eyes peeled for Thresher Sharks, Eagle Rasy, Giant Grouper, Mandarin Fish, schools of Barracudas, Jackfish, and Bumped.

With 16 beach chalets and 10 overwater bungalows, the resort is small and feels uncrowded. All rooms have air conditioning, hot showers, bathtubs, as well as a mini-icebox and a work desk.

For a unique option, take an excursion to nearby Kakaban Island can snorkel in Jellyfish Lake among four non-stinging types of Jellyfish. Dolphin watching and whale shark sighting excursions are also available, depending on the season.

Located along the shores of the uninhabited island of Birie in Raja Ampat Papua Paradise Eco-Resort is an adult-centric dive-oriented resort. Keep your eyes peeled for wobbegong sharks, epaulette sharks, pygmy seahorses, blue ring octopus, turtles, and reef sharks.

Peaceful and quiet above and below water, the resort is home to 26 traditional-style bungalows with porches that overlook the house reef. The resort’s jungle meets the sea location means the island is teeming with exotic bird life and lush jungle foliage. 

Enjoy delicious food, nightly turndown service, free laundry service, and an attentive staff. Packages are fairly inclusive but arrival and departure transfers, beer and soft drinks, dive equipment rental, your Raja Ampat Marine Park Entry permit, and a few other items will cost extra.

Taking inspiration from surrounding Malay homes Telunas Beach Resort is built entirely over water. Located a 90-minute boat ride from Batam, the resort has a spotty cell signal, which means it’s perfect for getting off the grid and relaxing.

Comprised of two areas, the Beach Resort has 18 bungalows ranging from individual guest rooms to three bedrooms with a loft. The Private Island is couples-oriented and has 20 exclusive villas with 15 of them being overwater.

The overwater bungalows feature thatched roofs and expansive views, but are eco-friendly, which means no air conditioning and not highly luxurious.

The beach is well-kept and clean with a huge shallow area for swimming. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can rent a kayak or standup paddleboard and explore the nearby Mangrove area. If sitting still and relaxing isn’t your thing, go fishing or shrimping, take an island tour, a pottery lesson, or even learn traditional drumming (Kompang).

Villa Lombok Pahawang is located in Lampung, South Sumatra, and can best be described as a cluster of wooden huts floating on the sea. Each hut has a spacious terrace for sunning and stargazing amidst the beautiful surroundings. Air conditioning and hot water are among the villa amenities and the resort is great for couples, families, or groups.