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.
Thatch Caye, Belize If you’re planning a honeymoon, consider this private-island all-inclusive. The idyllic setting is a 25-minute boat ride from the mainland but feels a world apart, with five cottages and a large villa perched on stilts above the turquoise water that washes Belize’s barrier reef.
Cayo Espanto, Belize
This all-inclusive enclave three miles offshore from San Pedro has six villas, each with its own private dock. But Casa Ventanas, the resort’s dreamy over-water bungalow, is our pick for downtime a deux.
Eclypse De Mar Aqua Lodge, Panama
Panama On Bastimentos Island off the Caribbean coast, seven overwater bungalows with glass floors offer the perfect retreat for natureloving eco-warriors. WI-fi and complementary room service make it a good choice for more high-maintenance travelers, too.
CocoView Resort, Honduras
Roatan, the tourism hub on Honduras’ Caribbean coast, is home to a number of eco-focused properties. But the CocoView hotel is home to overwater bungalow heaven, with four over-the-water bungalows connected the resort by wooden walkways.