When you think of Mexico, what comes to mind? Is it the pop culture depicture of sepia-toned deserts? Is it the bustling city of Mexico City itself? Is it a trip you took over spring break to Cancun?

For some people, the first thing to come to mind is Playa del Carmen. Located just a short distance from Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula, Playa del Carmen is a resort city dedicated to tourism. It’s one of the fastest-growing communities in Latin America and with good reason.

After all, who doesn’t love pristine white sand beaches, vibrant turquoise waters, rainbow reefs of coral under the waves, and stunning rainforests just a short distance away?

If you want to experience everything Playa has to offer, one of the best ways to do so is in an overwater bungalow. The question is, which one should you choose? Let’s talk about it!

Why Choose an Overwater Bungalow?

Overwater bungalows are a relatively recent invention, with the first of them being constructed in Tahiti in the 60s. Since then, they’ve become somewhat popular, and pretty much anywhere with relatively calm tropical waters has spent some time constructing at least a few for enterprising tourists to enjoy.

This includes places where the waves, storms, or other factors make it inconvenient to construct overwater bungalows right out over the sea itself. Often, in places where the near-shore seabed is protected, where the weather gets rough, or where there just isn’t zoning permission, resorts might even construct inland overwater bungalows. These end up situated on man-made lochs, which lose some of the charm of a wide-open view but at least save the beaches for everyone to enjoy.

What are the benefits of overwater bungalows? Why might you choose them? There are a lot of nice perks to overwater bungalow resorts.

One of the biggest benefits is that you have prime ocean views. If your bungalow is constructed over the open water, you will have some of the best ocean views possible. You end up essentially surrounded by the open ocean (and the remainder of the bungalows, of course), and it’s like having your own very small private island. You can bask in the sun, jump right into the ocean from your resort room, and have super easy access to all of the amenities of your resort right at hand.

If you’re a huge fan of ocean views, water you can dive right in, and the sound of gentle water lapping at the piers right beneath your feet, an overwater bungalow is a great option. Some people find this immensely comforting. Others are irritated by the noise, though, so keep that in mind; whether or not you can sleep with the ambient sound can impact the quality of your stay.

Personally speaking, we love overwater bungalows. Our honeymoon highlight is staying in two of the best in the world, and we’re always looking for more around the world to enjoy.

Are There Downsides to Overwater Bungalows?

The unfortunate reality is that overwater bungalows, while they have excellent experiences attached, aren’t always the best option for your vacation. A lot of it depends on what you want to do and what you want to get out of your trip.

For one thing, while the bungalows themselves are secluded, they aren’t always completely private. Depending on where you are, you might have boats and parasailers a dozen feet from your balcony, and there are always other visitors in other bungalows nearby. Since there are few or no walls, you can hear other people, too.

Overwater bungalows are also often somewhat isolated. They’re usually all-inclusive resorts, so everything from your food to your tour options can be handled by the resort, but if you’re anything like us and like just wandering out and exploring the area, it can be a hike just to leave the grounds. Food options and other activities might require more travel to reach.

In our opinion, everyone should try to stay at an overwater bungalow at least once in their lives. Maybe you’ll love it, and it’ll be your first choice anywhere you go. Maybe you won’t! That’s fine, too. It’s definitely an experience worth having, regardless.

What Options Do You Have for Overwater Bungalows in Playa del Carmen?

When it comes to Playa del Carmen, we have good news and bad news as far as overwater bungalows are concerned.

The good news is that you have a couple of options. The bad news is that “a couple” is right. There are actually only three resorts that offer overwater bungalows in all of Playa del Carmen. What’s more, only one of these is actually over the ocean; the other two are sequestered a short distance inland from the beach.

While all three offer overwater bungalow experiences, they have a few distinct pros and cons, so be sure to do your research and make sure they offer what you want to get out of your stay in Playa.

Our biggest tip, if you take anything away from this post, is that you need to book well in advance. There are very limited overwater bungalows in Playa del Carmen, and they’re part of 5-star resorts, so they go very quickly. If you’re not careful, you won’t be able to find a bungalow, and you’ll have to settle for a normal near-the-water resort instead. There’s definitely no shortage of those, at least!

Note that as these rooms get more and more popular, it’s possible that other hotels and resorts will construct their own. Check back in a few years; the options might look pretty different. For now, though, these are really your only choices.

Option 1: Rosewood Mayakoba

First up, we have the Rosewood Mayakoba resort. This resort has a wide range of villas and suites available, most of which are more traditional resort rooms with terraces that open out into their lagoon. Only a few of their rooms are overwater. They’re relatively small – one bedroom rather than some of their larger suites – and are meant for just a couple of people.

Rosewood is an all-inclusive 5-star resort and comes with a wide range of amenities, from fresh fruit replenished daily to butler service to high-end WiFi, sound systems, and satellite television. Of course, if you’re spending your time watching TV, what are you even doing in Playa?

The Rosewood Overwater rooms are adults-only, but the rest of the resort is family-friendly, so while you won’t have children running around near you in the overwater suite, they may be present elsewhere in the resort. Fortunately, the whole place is generally quite laid-back and casual despite the upper-class clientele, so it’s not bad.

Rosewood is located fairly close to the main Playa del Carmen, so you have relatively easy access to pretty much anything you would want to do in the city. It’s a short hop to the highway and a quick walk to the beach, and of course, there are plenty of options to work with the resort to arrange transportation anywhere you want to be.

Rosewood is very expensive, so be aware of that going into it. To be fair, so are all of the overwater options in Playa since they’re all five-star resorts with ultra-modern amenities. Rosewood ranges from about $1,500 to $3,000 per night, with some of the peak days in December hitting almost $5,000 per night. The further in advance you book, the better the deal you can get, and there are occasionally special deals and bundles you can get.

One of the main draws of Rosewood is actually its spa. The Sense Spa Rosewood is one of the best spas in the world as ranked by Forbes.

One of the main downsides is that, as we mentioned way above, this is one of those “artificial” overwater bungalows. It’s on an artificial lagoon constructed for the resort, and while you’re very close to the ocean, you’re not on the ocean, and the overwater bungalow rooms don’t have the same ocean view as some of the dedicated ocean view rooms.

It’s also a very modern and chic suite. If you’re hoping for something more rustic – the open-walled, thatch-roofed, timber-framed bungalows you would get in the Maldives or Bora Bora, for example – you’ll be left disappointed. Or, rather, you won’t be disappointed because there’s no way you can stay at a place like Rosewood and be disappointed, but it won’t be quite the same experience you expected.

Option 2: Banyan Tree Mayakoba

The second of the three overwater options in Playa is Banyan Tree. This resort shares a lot of similarities to Rosewood. It’s in the same general area – basically the same complex, the same overall lagoon, and even walking distance when you loop around the area – and it’s also a modern, five-star resort.

There are a few differences, though. For one thing, the theming is very different. Banyan Tree is Asian-inspired and leaves you in a sort of fusion between Mexican and Asian influences. There are plenty of native plants, both from cultivated gardens around and potted plants in the rooms, and it can feel quite isolated even when you’re on a rooftop lounge and looking out over the “jungle” around.

The overwater villas are all large double-bed suites with two floors to enjoy. They’re also somewhat isolated from the water they’re perched over; you can go out on the dock/balcony, but you don’t have the open waters, the glass floors, or the other traditional overwater perks. For some, it doesn’t really feel like it’s actually over the water, even if it actually is.

Banyan Tree is actually somewhat less expensive than Rosewood, despite their similarities. Room rates range from about $1,000 per night to $1,500 per night, with $2,500 per night in the peak December days. If you’re very, very lucky, you can book a last-minute room for under $1,000, but we wouldn’t recommend banking on that option.

Banyan Tree is not all-inclusive, though it’s still very accommodating, and it is family-friendly even in the overwater villas. It’s a great option all around, though it doesn’t quite match the overwater bungalow aesthetic you might be expecting.

Option 3: Palafitos El Dorado

Last – and very much not least – is the Palafitos El Dorado resort. Palafitos is an all-inclusive, adults-only, five-star resort made up almost entirely of more traditional overwater bungalows. In fact, they were the first overwater bungalows in all of Mexico, and they’re still the only ones actually built out over the Caribbean Sea instead of in an enclosed lagoon.

Unlike Rosewood and Banyan Tree, Palafitos only has three kinds of rooms, all of which are overwater bungalows, just with varying sizes. They all have fairly modern construction with aesthetically thatched roofs to give them that rustic feel without sacrificing comfort.

This is also where all of your traditional overwater bungalow experiences can be found. Doors that open right into the ocean? Check. Glass floors that let you watch the water directly beneath you? Check. Private docks to use to come and go, take a dip, or bask in the sun? Check. You also have private hot tubs, outdoor showers, and all of the amenities of an all-inclusive five-star resort.

If there are any downsides to Palafitos, it’s these two factors. The first is that it’s somewhat more distant from Playa del Carmen itself – a 20-minute drive – because of its more isolated nature. It’s actually closer to Cancun, though, and since you’ll be flying into Cancun to start your trip, it’s closer and more convenient.

The second is the price. As the only true overwater bungalows, pricing is a bit higher than Rosewood, ranging from around $1,700 per night minimum up to $5,000 per night for some of their peak days in their nicer rooms.

Which Overwater Bungalow in Playa del Carmen Should You Choose?

If you’re budget-conscious, Banyan Tree is the best option. If you want the true overwater bungalow experience, your only actual choice is Palafitos. That’s really what your choice comes down to. Rosewood is great, don’t get us wrong, but it doesn’t have the main benefits of either of the other two.

With the immense popularity of Palafitos, though, we wouldn’t be surprised if more overwater bungalows pop up in the next few years. Keep an eye out, and maybe you’ll be the first to try a new resort!