Inle Lake, Myanmar

Real-life Waterworlds? In most of these water villages and towns, houses are built on stilts over the water and residents travel by boats, forming picturesque scenes that appeal to tourists. Their locations may be somewhat inaccessible and travelers may want to stay away during poor weather, but visiting these floating island communities offers a glimpse into a unique way of life that makes for a one-of-a-kind experience.

After years of military rule that sparked a tourism boycott, Myanmar has opened its doors to tourists and is , according to USA Today. And Inle Lake has become one of Myanmar's most popular attractions. It's easy to see why. Green hills surround this body of water, about 350 miles north of Yangon, and it's home to numerous floating villages that feature stilted wood-and-bamboo houses, colorful markets and even floating tomato gardens. Another sight to see? Villagers using a unique leg-rowing method to steer their boats.

Giethoorn, Netherlands

This beautiful village in the Dutch province of Overijssel may just be the perfect definition of "idyllic." Dubbed the "Venice of the North," Giethoorn has no roads (there are now bike paths), and the only access is by water over the many canals or on foot over its wooden arch bridges, according . To explore Giethoorn, which has 4 miles of canals, tourists take canal tours and view farmhouses with thatched roofs dating back to the 18th century.

Wuzhen, China

A boat floats on a canal at Wuzhen Township in Tongxiang of Zhejiang Province, China. (Credit: China Photos/Getty Images)

A water town rather than a water village, Wuzhen is a historic town located in Tongxiang, in the Zheijang Province in China. The scenic settlement, with a history of more than 1,300 years and a population of 60,000, has antique houses (most of the buildings were built during the Ming and Qing dynasties 1368-1912), ancient bridges, heritage hotels, workshops and markets built over a network of canals and rivers, fed by the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. The best time to visit Wuzhen is in the fall and spring. Tourist are advised to avoid visiting during hot summer days, as there is little shelter from the sun.

Floating Islands of Uros, Peru

The Uros people live on floating islands made of reed that grow on Lake Titicaca, Puno, Peru. The Uros use bundles of dried totora sees to make reed boats, and build the islands themselves. , each island has a collection of simple, reed houses and the biggest island has a watchtower. The larger islands house about 10 families, while the smaller ones (about 30 meters wide) house only two or three. According to the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism's report on Puno, the Uros islands sit at 380 meters above sea level and are five kilometers west from Puno port.

Halong Bay, Vietnam

In 1994 and 2000, UNESCO recognized Halong Bay, located in Quang Ninh province in Vietnam, as a , citing its "multitude of limestone islands and islets rising from the sea in a variety of sizes and shapes and presenting picturesque, unspoiled nature," as one of its outstanding features. But another of its outstanding features has to do with its floating villages, perhaps the most famous of all water villages. These tight-knit communities are who live on boats and floating wooden houses in the core-zone of Halong Bay, dozens of kilometers away from the mainland, according to World Monuments Fund. According to Lonely Planet, weather during the , but the fog "adds an ethereal air to the place." During the summer months tropical storms are frequent, and tourist boats may have adjust their schedules.

Ganvie, Benin

In the fishing village of Ganvie, Benin, located in West Africa, houses on stilts float in the middle of Lake Nakoue. HOme to approximately 20,000 residents, Ganvie is the largest water village in Africa. According to Lonely Planet, the founders of the village escaped to this remote area to avoid warriors of a brutal kingdon. The village is now popular with tourists and was added to . According to Atlas Obscura, a school is the . The village is located several miles from the nearest shoreline (boats from the lakeside village of Abomey-Calavi can take visitors to Ganvie) and is about a four-hour journey from the capital.

Zhouzhang, China

Tourists visit an ancient canal by boats in Zhouzhuang Town of Jiangsu Province, China. (Credit: China Photos/Getty Images)

Zhouzhang, located in Jiangsu Province, is China's oldest water town built in 1086. , the town's location near Shanghai and Suzhou also makes it easily accessible for tourists, according to CNN. Visitors to Zhouzhang enjoy the well-preserved ancient residential houses, the elegant watery views and the colorful local traditions (even the gondoliers sing traditional folk songs as they take tourists on boat rideson the lantern-lined canals). On February, Zhouzhang holds a Lantern Festival. Boats decorated with lanterns of all shapes and sizes float down the water playing stringed music, while visitors light lotus flowers and make wishes.

Kampong Ayer, Brunei

Home to about 40,000 people (representing roughly about 10 percent of Brunei's population) and inhabited for over 1,300 years, Kampong Ayer is one of the biggest water villages in the world. The settlement is comprised of a cluster 40 villages, and all the buildings are constructed on stilts over the Brunei River. Despite this, , with schools, emergency services, satellite television channels and even accessible Wi-Fi, according to Travel Weekly. To preserve the site, the Brunei government has provided Kampong Ayer with facilities including foot-bridges, concrete jetties, piped water, electricity supplies telephones, mosques, clinics, a police station and a marine fire station.

Ko Panyi, Thailand

Ko Panyi (Koh Panyee) is a stilted fishing village known for being built by Muslim fishermen at the end of the 18th century. Now, the settlement is home to about 250 families and 1,500 people, according to . Located on a tiny island on the west coast of Thailand, the floating village features winding walkways, restaurants, markets and even a floating football pitch, which lure tourists from the resorts in the nearby island of Phuket. The rainy season may bring dangerous water conditions so tourists are advised to visit during the dry months of December to April.

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