Vacation On The Water In Hut
Are you looking for a relaxing vacation on land? Are you tired of the urban life and would like to experience the ways of a traditional village community? If so, you should never miss the chance to visit Hut Village and enjoy a perfect vacation.
As a rental property manager in Jersey City I am always looking for unique vacation rentals to accommodate my clients’ needs. Just the other day a client called and wanted me to check out a new listing for resort living style on the water. And I have to say that I was certainly impressed by the pictures of this luxury villa in Sunset Islands, Miami.
Hidden away on Michigan’s Traverse Bay is an unassuming cabin that offers a unique getaway vacation. This “Hut on Grand Traverse Bay” was built by three cousins and their families and opened as a vacation rental in 2004.
With everyone in the world all of a sudden enamored with travelling and vacationing, and all of us as of late living such way of life, and even more so given the way that we do things, it is becoming increasingly urgent for all to find and lease a place for our vacations. The ideal accommodation for vacationers alongside water activities (boating, water skiing or what have you) can be considered boats. Which those near water transport facilities like close beaches and islands which could be visited on excursions.
According to the North Carolina Department of Commerce, there were 8.5 million vacationers to the state in 2010. It is projected that this number will reach 10 million by 2015. That’s a lot of people looking for fun in the sun and many of them are choosing to spend their vacations on the water while they’re here.
Vacation On The Water In Hut
There was a time when highly coveted overwater bungalows were a figment of travelers’ imagination. Those seeking the ultimate island paradise in places like Fiji, the Maldives, and Tahiti had only two options: a hotel room or a villa on the beach. It’s almost hard to imagine now, when the plane descent into one of these destinations displays a full spectrum of bungalows lined up along long pontoons, jutting out over the crystalline cerulean waters that made these places famous.
In 1967, on the island of Raiatea—which, without a sandy beach, was proving a challenging sell for tourists—a trio of Californians known as the Bali Hai Boys conceived the game-changer of a dream accommodation: the overwater bungalow. At the time they assured the government that, like traditional Tahitians’ fishing huts, they would not harm the coral with their pandanus leaf–thatched roof structures, and that edict still holds true. Their trio of bungalows at Bali Hai Hotel became a craze that spread to Bora Bora and beyond; after all, the charming stilted cottages offered immersion into the magic of the sea, sans snorkel mask or air tank. Now 50 years old, the iconic honeymoon hideaways, sought-after spots for not just romance but easy access to throngs of Technicolor sea creatures below, are looking better than ever.
In the last half-century the overwater bungalow has gone from simple to over-the-top opulent in some cases, although there are also plenty of very affordable, basic versions around the world. Its homeland, the Islands of Tahiti, lays claim to nearly 900 of them, from Moorea (where the Sofitel forbids motorized activities to protect its pristine lagoon) and Tikehau (by night, sharks swim beneath Tikehau Pearl Beach Resort’s charming perches) to Rangiroa (Hotel Kia Ora’s ten bungalows boast some of the best views of all the islands) and Bora Bora, where Le Meridien’s Mount Otemanu–facing bungalows have the largest glass floors of all. Of course, other destinations have done their best to catch up, and now there are whopping numbers of thatched-roof villas standing over not just the Caribbean Sea, the South China Sea, and the Indian Ocean, but lakes, too.
Wherever they stand, the overwater bungalow tends to comprise similar elements, with design hallmarks tending to stay consistent. Thatched-roof systems made of natural, indigenous materials (which must be replaced every couple years) are standard, as is the layout of bungalows attached to a wooden pontoon walkway. Of course, it’s hardly worth sleeping over the water if there’s no peekaboo window set in the floor. Panoramic views of the countless shades of blue outside are another requisite element. More recently, private overwater pools, jacuzzis, and suspended hammocks, have been introduced along with two-story versions that dwarf a Manhattan studio apartment.
In celebration of the revolutionary structure’s major birthday milestone, we look at some of the most spectacular modern overwater bungalows from around the world.
Photo: Moeava de Rosemont1/21Four Seasons Bora Bora, French PolynesiaWhile all the overwater bungalows at this impeccable property epitomize the genius of the genre with their celebration of the gorgeous environs, the four Otemanu Overwater Bungalow Suites are truly awe-inspiring. Whether you’re in the airy living room, noshing at the dining table, bathing in the sculptural tub, lounging in the palapa, or swimming at the edge of the infinity pool, the lagoon’s beautiful blues are staring back, truly the star of the scene. fourseasons.com/borabora/, Expedia, Tablet
Photo: Courtesy of Song Saa Private Island2/21Song Saa Private Island, CambodiaCambodia might not be the last place you’d expect a breathtaking resort of overwater bungalows, but it’s probably surprising. In 2012, the Koh Rong Archipelago became home to this sustainable Robinson Crusoe–chic property with, among other layouts, a two-bedroom overwater Royal Villa of rough-hewn timber, with a vast glass floor in the living room (alongside driftwood furnishings), a half-moon infinity pool with an expansive terrace, dual oversize sunken bathtubs, a personal chef, and a private jetty complete with a boat for the guests’ exclusive use. songsaa.com, Expedia, TabletADVERTISEMENT
Photo: Laucala Island Photographer3/21Laucala, FijiThe Overwater Villa on this private island property is more like an overwater estate. It’s distinctive not just for its split-level design, but its dramatic outdoor spaces—massive terraces and a large pool carved directly into the rocks on the shore. Guests of the $8,800-per-night two-bedroom stunner are transported to and from the main resort facilities by private yacht (or they can walk on a wooden pathway), but with 3,000 square feet of flawlessly curated luxury and the emerald lagoon at their feet, there’s not much reason to go anywhere at all. laucala.com
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- Photo: Mel Yates4/21One&Only Reethi Rah, MaldivesThere are hundreds of overwater bungalows in the Maldives, but these have the distinction of being some of the most private, since only a couple connect to each pontoon, each facing a different direction in the unbelievably turquoise Indian Ocean for an edge-of-the-earth feel. Lofty wood-beam ceilings keep things light and airy in the Grand Water Villa, but understandably extras like the long infinity pool (complete with built-in submerged chaise), separate jacuzzi, draped outdoor daybed and lounge areas minimize time spent inside. (It’s also worth booking a visit to one of the spa’s overwater couples’-treatment suites.) oneandonlyresorts.com, Expedia, Tablet