Thailand Over Water Huts?
Mar 6th, 2011, 02:08 PM
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Thailand Over Water Huts?
I have long dreamt of staying in a hut over the water. It needs to be warm, blue, blue water and we actually are ok with rustic but clean (how much time do you spend inside anyway?).
I've heard Thailand is a great idea. (We are open to anywhere - the cheaper the better. Just can't imagine 2 weeks at $1000/night.)
Thanks!
I've heard Thailand is a great idea. (We are open to anywhere - the cheaper the better. Just can't imagine 2 weeks at $1000/night.)
Thanks!
Mar 6th, 2011, 03:02 PM
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Yeah, definitely the wrong country for that. Take mcbg1's suggestions for what you're looking for. Although you're most likely not going to find anything "cheap" in either of those places. You pay for waterfront (or even moreso: ON water) real estate. 
I can't, however, imagine spending 2 weeks on a beach (as much as I love them!)
I can't, however, imagine spending 2 weeks on a beach (as much as I love them!)
Mar 6th, 2011, 03:35 PM
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Bora Bora and the Cook Island of Aitutaki have over water bungalows. I've seen them but have never stayed in one. And yes, they are really expensive! I'm with filmwill... can't imagine two weeks on a beach, even though I always always always enjoy the beach atmosphere. Thailand really isn't the place for over water bungalows, although there are many great resorts (both 5* and more moderate) that are right on the beach... just steps from the sand... and a number of islands from which to choose.
Mar 6th, 2011, 03:50 PM
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There are some over water villas in the Sipadan area of Sabah, Malaysia. This area attracts mostly scuba divers, as it's in most people's top ten dive sites. Have a look at this web site for a sample of what's available:
http://sipadan-kapalai.com/
http://sipadan-kapalai.com/
Mar 6th, 2011, 04:13 PM
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Take a cruise on Paul Gauguin and complement it with a stay in an over water hut. This you will get the best of both worlds the over water experience and the pampering of an all inclusive ship yet casual ship plus a chance to explore a few of the islands in French Polynesia/marquesas/cooks.
Mar 6th, 2011, 04:53 PM
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As other have said there are no real over the water(sea water that is) huts like in the Maldives or Bora Bora. However we do have over the water, fresh water lake, huts but I don't think that is what you're looking for.
If the price of the Maldives etc are not in your budget then perhaps this could serve as an alternative: http://www.nangyuan.com/
If the price of the Maldives etc are not in your budget then perhaps this could serve as an alternative: http://www.nangyuan.com/
Mar 6th, 2011, 07:31 PM
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I agree you are not going to find over-water bungalows in Thailand. (Whatever source gave you that is pretty ill-informed, I would say.) You can, however, find lots of nice hotels right on the beach, in all price ranges, so if you can get over your dream of the water bungalow, Thailand would be a good place to consider. Good food and lovely people. You can add on some days in Bangkok, and altogether a great trip, IMO. One thing to bear in mind is the time of year you would want to go, as there are rainy seasons. For Phuket/Krabi on the west coast, that generally means avoiding the summer months; best time is late November through April. For Koh Samui and the eastern coast, that means avoiding the fall/winter months, late September through early March.
The Maldives offer over-water bungalows at virtually all resorts. There are ways to do the Maldives more inexpensively, as all-inclusive 3- 4 star resorts are actually by far the majority of hotels there, you just only tend to hear about the really expensive 5-star ones. But try places like Veligandu Island Resort http://www.veliganduisland.com/, the various resorts run by the J Resorts group ( see http://www.jhotelsresorts.com/web/home.php) Sun Island, and Paradise Resort (see http://www.sun-island.com/ this group has some other hotels in the Maldives), and Herathera Island (see http://www.heratheraislandresort.com/) These should be more in the US$400- 500 per night range for water villas, and would <i>include</i> full board (a significant savings as food is rather expensive otherwise at most resorts). Even the new Hilton seems to be offering good rates for water bungalows, (esp for advance purchase) although their rates don’t include meals. Also try travel agents and tour operators out of the UK, as the package tour business from Europe is significant. (Italian tour operators would be another choice, but language may be an issue there.) Bear in mind that the Maldives has a rainy season too, best time is December through early May, although for the southern atolls around Gan the summer months are slightly less wet than the north.
Another place to consider would be the Philippines, in particular the El Nido resort, which has water bungalows and is in just a gorgeous setting. Again, watch the rainy season, best time there is November through April. See http://www.elnidoresorts.com/. It’s a bit of a haul to get to, but could easily be combined with a stop over in Hong Kong or Singapore for a few days (Manila, where you will change airports for a flight to El Nido is not as interesting as either Hong Kong or Singapore, so I would not spend time there.)
I also have to throw in a good word for the east coast of Malaysia, which has the water colour and sand you are looking for (no over water bungalows yet as far as I know). This is also less expensive as it is less-developed. Try Redang (a nice hotel is the Berjaya see http://www.berjayaresorts.com/beachresort_redangspa.htm
or the really lovely (and rustic) Rawa see http://www.rawasfr.com/. Their water front bungalows are on the rocks over the water and perhaps close enough to over-the-water to qualify for you. (US$350 a night including full board.) The Tanjgong Jara Hotel, take a look at http://www.tanjongjararesort.com is also worth considering for its lovely beach location and ability to access charming fishing villages nearby as well as the national rainforest areas. The rainy season in that part of Malaysia is October through the end of March, roughly the same as for the east coast of Thailand (which is just north). For Rawa, you can fly to Singapore and then take a bus or hire a taxi or even drive yourself the 3 hours or so to Mersing, where you get a little ferry for Rawa. For Redang or the Tanjong Jara, you can fly to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore and then take a flight from there.
There are over-water bungalows on the west coast of Malaysia at Pankor Laut, however, IMO, the water colour and sand colour really are not as nice as other places, and as the hotel is fairly expensive, I would not spend my money there, you may as well spend that kind of money in the Maldives. See http://www.pangkorlautresort.com/ I don’t think there are any over water bungalows on the island of Langkawi or Borneo, but you might want to check.
Agree on the Sipdan area, however unless you want to dive, that is a long way to travel.
Fiji, Bora Bora and places in the south Pacific would over water bungalows. They do tend to be on the espensive side, esp Fiji.
The Maldives offer over-water bungalows at virtually all resorts. There are ways to do the Maldives more inexpensively, as all-inclusive 3- 4 star resorts are actually by far the majority of hotels there, you just only tend to hear about the really expensive 5-star ones. But try places like Veligandu Island Resort http://www.veliganduisland.com/, the various resorts run by the J Resorts group ( see http://www.jhotelsresorts.com/web/home.php) Sun Island, and Paradise Resort (see http://www.sun-island.com/ this group has some other hotels in the Maldives), and Herathera Island (see http://www.heratheraislandresort.com/) These should be more in the US$400- 500 per night range for water villas, and would <i>include</i> full board (a significant savings as food is rather expensive otherwise at most resorts). Even the new Hilton seems to be offering good rates for water bungalows, (esp for advance purchase) although their rates don’t include meals. Also try travel agents and tour operators out of the UK, as the package tour business from Europe is significant. (Italian tour operators would be another choice, but language may be an issue there.) Bear in mind that the Maldives has a rainy season too, best time is December through early May, although for the southern atolls around Gan the summer months are slightly less wet than the north.
Another place to consider would be the Philippines, in particular the El Nido resort, which has water bungalows and is in just a gorgeous setting. Again, watch the rainy season, best time there is November through April. See http://www.elnidoresorts.com/. It’s a bit of a haul to get to, but could easily be combined with a stop over in Hong Kong or Singapore for a few days (Manila, where you will change airports for a flight to El Nido is not as interesting as either Hong Kong or Singapore, so I would not spend time there.)
I also have to throw in a good word for the east coast of Malaysia, which has the water colour and sand you are looking for (no over water bungalows yet as far as I know). This is also less expensive as it is less-developed. Try Redang (a nice hotel is the Berjaya see http://www.berjayaresorts.com/beachresort_redangspa.htm
or the really lovely (and rustic) Rawa see http://www.rawasfr.com/. Their water front bungalows are on the rocks over the water and perhaps close enough to over-the-water to qualify for you. (US$350 a night including full board.) The Tanjgong Jara Hotel, take a look at http://www.tanjongjararesort.com is also worth considering for its lovely beach location and ability to access charming fishing villages nearby as well as the national rainforest areas. The rainy season in that part of Malaysia is October through the end of March, roughly the same as for the east coast of Thailand (which is just north). For Rawa, you can fly to Singapore and then take a bus or hire a taxi or even drive yourself the 3 hours or so to Mersing, where you get a little ferry for Rawa. For Redang or the Tanjong Jara, you can fly to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore and then take a flight from there.
There are over-water bungalows on the west coast of Malaysia at Pankor Laut, however, IMO, the water colour and sand colour really are not as nice as other places, and as the hotel is fairly expensive, I would not spend my money there, you may as well spend that kind of money in the Maldives. See http://www.pangkorlautresort.com/ I don’t think there are any over water bungalows on the island of Langkawi or Borneo, but you might want to check.
Agree on the Sipdan area, however unless you want to dive, that is a long way to travel.
Fiji, Bora Bora and places in the south Pacific would over water bungalows. They do tend to be on the espensive side, esp Fiji.
