Thought spa-based relaxation couldn’t get any better than shutting out the world around you? Think again. For an experience you’ll never forget, look to our favourite overwater spas… and some underwater experiences too.
With massages beneath the sea to therapies suspended over turquoise lagoons (and even ice fields), the most unforgettable spa experiences today can totally immerse you – sometimes quite literally – in nature. Overwater spas in iconic locations such as the Maldives as well as lesser-known finds in Sweden, Dubai and Bora Bora offer all the luxury and relaxation you could ask for, perfect for honeymoons, wellness retreats and stunning memories.
These are six of our favourite overwater spas.
Sundara Spa at Oil Nut Bay, British Virgin Islands
Suspended above the Caribbean’s most crystalline waters, the first overwater spa in Virgin Gorda might be fairly small, with just two treatment rooms, but that exclusive access comes complete with glass floor panels and wraparound sea views so captivating that you feel totally enveloped by the ocean’s gentle waves. As you lie down on your massage table and look straight down into the ocean, the treatments are just as praise-worthy, with lush VOYA seaweed wraps, high-tech LED facials and perfectly choreographed deep tissue massages that echo the rhythm of the water beneath you. The space has an incredibly soothing atmosphere too – credited to the soft un-bleached timber and sleek open-air design – which makes it feel more like a private floating sanctuary than a spa. Plus, there’s an overwater yoga and Pilates deck (temperature-controlled for sunrise meditations or sunset sound baths), alongside meditation, a herbal infusion bar and a salon for post-massage hand and feet pampering.
Song Saa, Overwater Spa, Cambodia
In Cambodia’s Koh Rong archipelago, Song Saa is an eco-luxe haven with a ‘spa without walls’ philosophy, meaning you never feel like you have to be pulled away from the spectacular natural surroundings. Treatments are offered both in the jungle and on overwater salas. Designed to leave you feeling immensely grounded, not just momentarily relaxed, the treatment menu is divided into three categories: ‘stillness’ to help quiet your mind; ‘healing’ to restore; and ‘blessings’ to celebrate the island’s natural beauty. Best of all, all options draw on Buddhist healing traditions, native ingredients, and mindful meditation practices, with a particular highlight being the signature “blessing” massage, designed to encourage emotional release. Between treatments, you can wander barefoot to a meditation cave or take a sunrise yoga class on a floating deck. It’s wellness but without the pressure of a structured retreat.
Arctic Bath, Floating Spa Hotel, Swedish Lapland
This spa hotel in Sweden is proof that it’s not just warm-weather wellness that offers breathtaking memories (in this case the waters will literally take your breath away too). Designed as a circular floating spa, with wood-pellet saunas and treatment rooms encircling a central plunge pool of pure Arctic water, Arctic Bath is a Nordic wellness haven like no other. Revitalising in a way that only true hot-cold rituals can be, the experience starts with the dry heat of a sauna and ends with a cosy hot tub session, but the main event is all about the cold – specifically a icy fresh water dip. There are multiple benefits for the brave including boosted circulation, clearer skin and enough endorphins you’ll find your face aching from the smiles (and squeals). Plus, don’t miss the treatments, especially the wild lavender scrub and healing stone massages. Go with your girl friends – and stay in a floating cabin surrounded by pine forests – for a group spa session that will live long in the memory, especially if you spy a Northern Light show too.
Four Seasons Resort, Overwater Spa, Bora Bora
It’s no surprise that happy honeymooners flock to Four Seasons Bora Bora for an effortlessly elegant overwater spa experience. The spa sits on stilts above the island’s almost impossibly turquoise lagoon, and the luxurious, light-filled couple treatment suites, complete with glass panels under the treatment beds, sit within thatched-roof pavilions that open out onto incredible views of Mount Otemanu. The fresh ocean breezes that drift through each treatment room only make the atmosphere more soothing, Treatments are highly personalised but delivered with a relaxed island charm – in fact, it’s the kind of place where you lose all sense of time, thanks in part to the signature experiences, rooted in traditional Polynesian techniques. There’s the two-hour Taurumi Mind and Body scrub and massage, which uses local oils, applied with rhythmic strokes across stress-worn bodies. Or, facials using skin-smoothing crystals to help you recapture your glow. Whatever you choose, you’ll float off the treatment bed in the best kind of dreamlike state, ready to further recline in the open-air vitality pool or in the shade-dappled relaxation lounge. It’s island style wellness of the highest quality.
Huvafen Fushi, Underwater Spa, Maldives
Want to go one step further? There are many beautiful overwater spas in the Maldives, but Huvafen Fushi is home to the world’s first and only truly underwater spa. Located in the North Malé Atoll of the Maldives, some of its treatment rooms are actually submerged beneath the surface of the Indian Ocean, offering panoramic views of coral gardens and marine life as you receive world-class therapies. Whether you’re enjoying a hydrating facial or a hot stone massage, the sensory experience – from the sight of swimming fish to the refracted light beams and muffled sounds – is unmatched, offering a kind of meditative immersion that’s difficult to replicate above ground. Try the Underwater Dream treatment for a massage and breath work experience that will leave even seasoned spa goers speechless. There’s overwater options too, and nothing quite beats spotting a stingray through the glass floor below your treatment bed, as your knots dissolve under the care of your experienced massage therapist. No wonder this spa is such a popular option for honeymooners in-the-know.
Atlantis The Palm Spa & Underwater Suites, Dubai
For indulgence turned up to an eleven (in true Dubai fashion), book yourself in at Atlantis The Palm to experience a hotel that does underwater wellness like nowhere else in the world. About to undergo an even glossier renovation, The Lost Chambers Aquarium doubles as an underwater space for Hatha yoga and sound healing meditation, meaning you can take a grounding breath and stretch your limbs in the company of thousands of marine friends, courtesy of floor-to-ceiling glass walls. The Awaken spa – home to soothing pools and tailored treatments combining energy healing with traditional Arabian techniques – isn’t waterside, but if the thought of a hot stone massage while mantra rays twirl before your eyes sounds too good an opportunity to pass up on, book to stay in one of the iconic Underwater Suites – here you can enjoy a truly unforgettable in-room massage, where deep R&R is delivered straight to you.
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Lead Image Credit: Huvafen Fushi
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