Fodor's Expert Review Golden Island Cottages

This immersive hotel experience on one of Myanmar's largest lakes will have you living like a local in a simple over-water cottage built on stilts—even the welcoming public spaces and on-site restaurant serving local cuisine are suspended over the water. Run by the Pa-O minority group as a cooperative project, there are two outposts of cottages: the 25-room Thale-U branch, at the southern tip of the lake about an hour ride from the jetty; and the 52-room Nampan outpost, which is 10 miles from the jetty. Both locations have simple, charming, thatched-roofed, wicker-walled bungalows, and comfortable public spaces. Cabins are a bit rustic, but there's ample electricity, on-site dining, and even (very slow) Wi-Fi, and amenities like earplugs (to block out the boat motors) and bottled water are thoughtfully provided.