There鈥檚 no better way to get away from it all than by spending a few nights in a hut, suspended above the warm, blue waters of paradise. (Unless you鈥檙e a sleep walker, or there’s a tropical storm, that is). You can find dozens of resorts on stilts around the world, varying in comfort from rock-star luxury to spare like a monk鈥檚 cell. These are my choices. As for that margarita, you鈥檙e on your own.
Punta Caracol Acqua Lodge, Panama
Located in the island town of Bocas del Toro, is almost exactly the way you鈥檇 dream up a cozy overwater cabana resort. It consists of nine brightly colored two-story thatch-roofed huts, strung together by a wooden walkway. There are no TVs or internet connections, electricity comes from solar panels, and the activities on-site are limited to swimming off your porch, kayaking, or lazing on a hammock with a book. Rates start at $316. 聽
Club Bali Hai, Moorea
The South Pacific is the world capital of overwater cabana resorts, and one of the most affordably appealing is on the Tahitian island of Moorea. The best feature of these huts on stilts isn鈥檛 the swimming off the deck but the view of surrounding Cook鈥檚 Bay and the mountains across the water. There鈥檚 a pool and tennis court, and the bar is one of the liveliest on the island. Though you won鈥檛 get thousand-dollar linens on your bed or a lot of pampering, there鈥檚 plenty of character and Tahitian charm. Rates start at $275 per night.
Soneva Gili Resort, Maldives
I鈥檇 be remiss if I didn鈥檛 include one high-end resort where you can pretend you鈥檙e a one-percenter for at least a few days. The choice here is Soneva Gili, owned by the . Its 45 wooden overwater villas, reachable only by boat in a shallow lagoon off Landanfushi Island, boast open-air bathrooms, rooftop sun decks, overwater decks, and roomy dining areas. There鈥檚 also a spa, two restaurants, a bar, tennis court, and dive center. Rates start at $1,300 a night.聽
Coral Lodge, Panama
You won鈥檛 find a more remote getaway than . The resort, on the fringe of the San Blas Islands on the Caribbean Coast, is only reachable by a half-hour boat ride. Once there, you鈥檒l find six overwater thatch-roofed huts, each adorned with a hammock on the front deck and stairs that lower into the water. You can snorkel among the coral in the clear shallows, laze on the beach or poolside, take a day-long dive trip, or never leave your cabana. You choose. Rates start at $105 per night.