By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
CJ Travel Editor

You wake up with just the sound of the waves, in touch with the elements. It’s your own aquatic paradise. But the overwater bungalow fantasy isn’t limited the Pacific — there are a handful of tucked-away hotels in the Caribbean offering precisely that. All you have to do it look to the west and you’ll find such places in destinations like Belize, Panama and Honduras. Here are five worth considering.

Punta Caracol Acqua Lodge, Panama

If you like your retreats rustic and remote, you’ll love this cluster of nine two-story cabanas on Isla Colon in the Bocas Del Toro archipelago, accessible only by 30-minute boat ride from Almirante. Cabins are comfortably simply furnished, don’t have a/c, and only limited electricity, so this one’s definitely for low-maintenance travelers.