Inle Lake, Myanmar, Myanmar (Burma)

This beautiful complex of thatched, stilted huts nestles on the bucolic eastern shore of Inle Lake. It can only be reached by water – teams of local leg rowers paddle guests up the channel leading to the the teak-floored villas, ranged around a lush tropical garden dotted with lotus ponds. Some face the water; others look inland across the fields to the Shan mountains. All, however, have wonderfully decadent bathrooms featuring tubs in the shape of boats. There’s also a restaurant, bar and luxury spa – in short, a superbly exotic launch pad for explorations of the lake and its environs.