15 Beautiful Jungle Hotels Around the World

Calling all eco adventurers: If your dream vacation involves braving a private suspension bridge into your Costa Rican canopy villa, scanning the treetops for brilliantly plumed birds, or trekking through wild Rwandan terrain in hopes of spotting an elusive mountain gorilla, we have some great jungle hotel ideas for your next big adventure. From Brazil to Vietnam, these unique lodges and eco-resorts offer complete seclusion and total immersion in their paradisial, wildlife-filled surroundings. Here's a look at some of the world's most beautiful jungle hotels.

Gaia Amazon EcoLodge, Ecuador

This rustic, 20-guest lodge offers simple rooms, cabins, and open common areas overlooking the thick, wildlife-rich greenery and meandering waterways of the Amazon. Its eco ethos and remote location deep in a forest of cacao trees provide a genuine connection to the near-mythical surroundings.

Even stays as short as one night include all meals and guided activities such as rain forest trekking, chocolate-making classes, and a (motorized) canoe tour down the Napo and Arajuno rivers. That said, you should really stay longer to add a visit to the butterfly farm or a shamanic cleansing ritual, among other unique options, to your itinerary. It's a place of such beauty and peace that nearly everyone who visits is profoundly moved by the experience.

Shinta Mani Wild — A Bensley Collection, Cambodia

This luxury eco-camp is in a private nature sanctuary within Southern Cardamom National Park. The vast, untouched wilderness is one of Cambodia's few surviving habitats for wild elephants, monkeys, and other endemic species. Getting to the property requires a ride in a chauffeured 1960s-era army jeep — if you want to make an entrance, you can fly over the forest on the in-house zip line and be greeted with a congratulatory cocktail.

The camp's seclusion and mission to protect the area from poaching, mining, and logging make it truly special, though its impeccable service, inclusive dining and adventure programming, and Bill Bensley-designed luxury tents along the riverbank more than hold their own. A typical day might include tracking gibbons, a foraging and cooking workshop, joining a Wildlife Alliance anti-poaching patrol through the woods, unlimited spa treatments, or a boat expedition along the winding waterways.

Wilderness Bisate Lodge, Rwanda

Wilderness Bisate Lodge sits on a semicircular slope — the eroded remnant of a volcanic cone — that fittingly provides clear views of Volcanoes National Park and its eponymous landforms. On top of the special setting, the resort (rightfully) prides itself on its jaw-dropping architecture: spherical wood, brick, and thatch villas tucked into the forest, each with views of the volcano.

The hotel gives guests the opportunity to plant indigenous trees and go on daily treks to try to glimpse silverback gorillas and golden monkeys in their natural habitat. Sample delicious Rwandan-influenced international dishes, prepared with a farm-to-table philosophy and local ingredients like kale, chilies, avocado, climbing beans, wild honey, and a seemingly endless array of fresh fruits.

Mango Bay Resort, Vietnam

Large-scale development in the early 2000s transformed Phú Quốc, Vietnam's biggest island, from a remote jungle paradise to a hotbed of tourist activity complete with big-brand hotels, five-star resorts, clubs, and casinos.

And yet there is an eco-minded flip side to the touristy hubbub, one exemplified by places like Mango Bay. The beachside bungalow oasis was built using sustainable materials, including local woods and rammed earth. Dedication to energy, water, and nature conservation is found in every corner, from composting and low-water toilets in the open-air bathrooms to beds cooled by a low-energy alternative to traditional air-conditioning.

Aarunya Nature Resort & Spa, Sri Lanka

The name of this eco-lodge alludes to the Sanskrit word for "first rays of the sun," and it's an apt reference. Aarunya's east-pointing hilltop perch affords the sight of sunrise breaking through the mist of the Knuckles Mountain Range, a UNESCO-recognized natural treasure covered in dense forest.

Contemporary villas and suites are sprinkled across seven acres of jungly garden grounds; many have hot tubs and private plunge pools, while all have incredible views of the mountains and forest. Wander among the cinnamon, coffee, pepper, banana, clove, and avocado trees; try an ayurvedic spa treatment; and relax in the infinity pool.

Pacuare Lodge, Costa Rica

A sibling resort to Lapa Rios, Costa Rica's first eco-lodge, Pacuare Lodge is a sustainable nature retreat fully immersed in virgin rain forest — so much so that the check-in process typically involves rafting down the Pacuare River to reach it (4x4 and helicopter arrivals can also be arranged). Transportation from and to San Jose, three meals, afternoon coffee and treats, and a range of on-site activities are also included in the rates. Zip through the treetops on a canopy tour, try canyoning in a narrow jungle gorge, attend bird-watching walks where your telescope-equipped guide will point out colorful toucans and elegant sunbitterns, and enjoy guided hikes through the 700-acre private rain forest reserve.

Jungle-ensconced luxury villas offer features like outdoor showers and spring-fed pools; the Jaguar Villa has its own bridge over the river and tree platform, while the spectacular Canopy Villa — perhaps the coolest hotel room in Costa Rica — can be reached by a private suspension bridge, offering 360-degree views over the jungle and river.

Islas Secas, Panama

Twenty-seven — that's the maximum number of fellow guests you'll encounter at this private island eco-lodge, located 20 miles off mainland Panama's Pacific coast.

The resort's jungle-clad casitas are all about bridging their indoor space to the outdoor world. There are several room types (including multi-casita options for a dream family vacation), all with chic style, outdoor soaking tubs or private pools, and nice touches like Panama hats and binoculars for exploring the island and its archipelago. You can do that by scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming with turtles, gliding over the clear water on an electric surfboard, or enjoying a beach lunch at UNESCO-listed Coiba National Park. Over pre-dinner cocktails at the Terraza, you might also chat with your casita neighbors and get ideas for the next day's itinerary.

The Datai Langkawi, Malaysia

Set in a mountainous rain forest near a secluded bay, The Datai Langkawi is a veritable jungle escape with gazebo-like rooms, suites, and villas perfectly in tune with their environment. Every category is designed with big bathrooms built around giant soaking tubs and verandas for watching the dusky leaf monkeys chasing each other through the canopy. For the best of both worlds — beach and jungle — opt for a butler-serviced Beach Villa, where elegant sleeping and lounge areas are connected by breezeways and terraces.

The hotel also leads butterfly walks, marine biologist-helmed mangrove kayak tours, and daily nature treks with a resident naturalist so guests can meet hornbills, lizards, and other native rain forest residents. Afterward, claim snorkel gear or a sunbed on the curving, mile-long beach.

Copal Tree Lodge, Belize

While Copal Tree Lodge on the Belizean coast is an all-inclusive Muy'Ono Resort, it's also a working certified organic farm spanning 3,000 acres. Its 16 lavish suites and stunning three-bedroom villa feature lofted ceilings with overhead fans, floor-to-ceiling jungle-view windows in the showers, and screened-in porches strung with hammocks.

Popular activities include kayaking on the Rio Grande, snorkeling in the Caribbean, fly-fishing, bird-watching, and chocolate-making classes. You can also tour the on-site coffee/spice farm and zero-impact rum distillery — the lodge's sustainable Copalli Rum is part of a small group of worldwide certified organic rum distilleries. And there's always sitting by the pool or on your back porch, gazing at the exuberant green, and listening to the sounds of the jungle.

Soneva Kiri, Thailand

Soneva Kiri takes the concept of "getting away from it all" to a new level — even for a secluded island resort in Thailand. You'll start with a 90-minute flight in the hotel's eight-seat plane from Bangkok to its private airstrip, then finish your journey with a five-minute speedboat ride. Once on the island, guests also get their own golf cart and butler, or "barefoot guardian."

The 32 earth-friendly wood villas are well spread out across the jungle grounds, from down at the beach to up on a cliff. No matter the location, you can expect ample outdoor space with pools, open-air bathrooms, and plenty of deck square footage. Two things not to miss are the ecologist-led waterfall hike and a meal in Soneva Kiri's "tree pod" restaurant, a nest-like bamboo capsule suspended high in the rain forest, where a server delivers food and drink via zip line.

Secret Bay, Dominica

Dominica is a long way from the side of the Caribbean defined by busy cruise ports and mega-resorts. The island has flown under mass tourism's radar, so its natural environment — steaming hot springs, tranquil beaches, and volcanoes blanketed in dense jungle — is largely untouched.

The romantic villas scattered around Secret Bay are among the best accommodations you'll find on the island. Built with sustainable hardwood, each luxurious house features a private plunge pool and sundeck where you can cool off with an iced lemongrass tea. Inside (or outside, for some lucky guests) are modern kitchens, stocked daily with an organic breakfast basket. Villa hosts are standing by via text to bring treats, arrange island excursions such as spearfishing and sunset sailing, and keep everything as easy and seamless as possible. You can also arrange a boat ride to the resort's hidden beach on the far side of the cliff from the main private beach.

Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Indonesia

Situated in the emerald Ubud jungle, Mandapa, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is one of the most lavish resorts in the region. The layout is designed to resemble a traditional Balinese village and many of its on-site features are superlatives in Ubud. For instance, the resort's riverside Sawah Terrace and Kubu restaurants — where you sit in a private beehive-shaped bamboo cocoon — are among the best fine-dining options in town.

Starting at 1,076 square feet, Mandapa's 60 suites and villas are categorically large and luxe. All come with 24-hour butler service and feature outdoor space with views of the rain forest, rice paddies, or the Ayung River. Villa upgrades get you a whopping 3,500 additional square feet, including a private Balinese garden, pool, and outdoor shower.

Hideaway Rio Celeste, Costa Rica

Costa Rica has no shortage of jungle hotels, nearly all of them independent, green-minded, and simply amazing. The enchanting Hideaway Rio Celeste gets a special mention for its proximity to its namesake river in Tenorio Volcano National Park, about a 90-minute drive from Liberia International Airport.

While the property is hidden away in a less-traveled corner of Guanacaste Province, those who make the trek are rewarded with turquoise waters, natural hot springs, and a large waterfall distinct for its ethereal, milky teal hue. The hotel's generous villas are set within the rain forest, and its sizable network of private trails near and along the river gives nature lovers ample opportunities to explore the area's "FernGully"-like flora and fauna.

Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari, Nepal

Your first thought of Nepal may be strenuous hikes at head-spinning altitudes. Yet at the foot of the Himalayas lie jungly, subtropical lowlands home to one-horned rhinos, elephants, crocodiles, and Bengal tigers.

This 30-room luxury safari lodge lies along the river in Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site with breathtaking scenery and rich animal life. Naturalist-led safari excursions are available by foot, canoe, and jeep to help guests explore the surrounding forests, marshes, and grasslands, all set against the mighty Himalayas. Activities are included in some packages; otherwise, you can add them à la carte.

Hotel das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel, Brazil

The only resort located inside Iguassu National Park, Hotel das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel, gives guests the unique opportunity to view the famous falls before and after other visitors. The pastel-pink 1950s-era property also offers access to a luxe spa focused on sustainable treatments and the chance to unwind by the outdoor pool, surrounded by a picturesque junglescape.

Chef Luiz Filipe Souza heads up the on-site Brazilian restaurant, Y, which offers à la carte eats as well as a nine-course tasting menu. As far as accommodations, you'll have a few options ranging from spacious guestrooms to 700-square-foot suites. The highest suite category includes a separate living room and four balconies — it can also be connected to create a two-bedroom super-suite if you're traveling with a group.