Extreme Hotels (2014) s01e01 Episode Script
Crane Hotel, Groove Cruise, Safari Lodge
1 (ANTHONY MELCHIORRI) Imagine a hotel that floats you through a serene and otherworldly paradise.
Look how beautiful this is! Or a hotel that was once a fortress that now protects guests from the stormy North Atlantic.
This is how you hotel.
Or a hotel perched above the beach where you can fall asleep to the sound of surf underneath your bed.
I'm Anthony Melchiorri, and I've spent 30 years running hotels and resorts.
Now, I'm on a neverending quest to find the most extreme hotels in the world.
Wait till you see this This is amazing.
And right now, I'm gonna take you with me to extraordinary hotels that offer guests exclusive amenities, access to the world's most sought-after beaches, and exotic water paradises.
These are extreme water hotels.
I'm in the Solent, a channel of water just five miles off the coast of Portsmouth, England, heading to a location that's both an extreme water hotel and historic landmark all rolled into one.
And I'm gonna show you a hotel that truly celebrates the water, really in the most unique way possible.
Look at that.
It's actually a fort, and it's called No Man's Fort.
This fort and two others nearby were built during the reign of Queen Victoria to protect the U.
K.
against invasion by France.
It is now 150 years later.
It is one of the most unique hotels in the world.
You're surrounded by water on the outside, and on the inside, you're surrounded by luxury.
It's one of the coolest water hotels you'll ever see.
Captain, let's go.
The boat ride out to the hotel is included with your stay and really makes guests feel like they're part of Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Follow me.
This 240-foot-diameter water fortress was purchased by the current owners in 2012, completely renovated, and has been open year-round since 2015.
But during World War II, No Man's Fort would've housed hundreds of British servicemen.
Now, it only has 22 rooms that can sell for more than $800 a night for up to 44 guests.
And they all gather here when they check in, underneath this beautiful, glass-covered atrium in the center.
Ooh, wow! You get a feeling of being on the outside on a deck, almost like on a cruise ship, but it's first-class Look at the wood, the tile.
What do you think about this place? Brilliant.
Absolutely fantastic, yeah.
Lovely, gorgeous.
No there's nowhere like it, at all.
Yeah, amazing.
You're free to do what you want, explore at your leisure.
So relaxing, isn't it? Relaxing.
Yeah.
You don't wanna leave, right? Nah.
[LAUGHTER.]
(ANTHONY) The fort features two guest floors where gun turrets used to be, a roof deck, and a lower level where ammunition was once stored.
Every area of this fort has been completely repurposed with the guest's comfort in mind.
I'm getting a behind-the-scenes look at the fort with Kyle, who's everything you'd expect a buttoned-up British hotel manager to be.
So this is our presidential suite.
It's named after HMS Victory.
(ANTHONY) This is amazing.
They've just did a magnificent job making it luxurious but also very comfortable.
I like the color.
I like everything about it.
Back when this place was less luxurious, these rooms used to be packed with cannons and soldiers, but that history can still be seen everywhere.
This would've been where the larger guns were.
You'd have the 50-ton gun, you'd have almost like a rail track underneath it, and you've got hooks and eyes on the railed ceilings to lift these cannons up.
They were incredibly heavy, and they all face out to sea.
These little hooks on the walls, they would've been used for hammocks and cots, and this would've been someone's home for around nine months at a stretch without getting off, so a lot of challenges compared to the sort of luxury we're in now.
(ANTHONY) And nothing says five-star like the fort's restaurant, wine bar, lounge, and roof deck, which has an unobstructed, 360-degree ocean view.
Oh, isn't this lovely? What's great about this I feel like I'm in a park, but I get a sense of a fort because of the things that I see around The lighthouse, the cannons And I love that.
Running a world-class destination five miles from dry land has some unique challenges.
No Man's Fort is so far out to sea that they have to generate their own power, and it uses the same artesian well that was dug in the 1860s to give fresh water that flows right underneath the seabed.
Every day, the housekeepers, managers, and chefs that run No Man's Fort have to take a boat several miles from Portsmouth to work, but a boat isn't the only way to get here.
No Man's Fort has a helicopter pad for guests who don't like traveling by sea.
This is just beautiful! So just up here, we get a great view of the three major forts So if you look out over there, we've got Horse Sand Fort, which is an identical twin to No Man's Fort.
It's now a museum, and then directly behind me, you've got Spitbank Fort.
(ANTHONY) These three forts were connected by a massive chain that could stop an enemy navy dead in the water.
This massive chain was laid 150 years ago, and it was built that you have some kind of mechanism that lifts the chain and sinks the ship.
Yeah, it's called the submarine barrier.
It's still on your GPS even today, so if you get the tide wrong, and someone does every year, you'll still sink your ship going across.
And it happens every year.
Every year, someone has an accident, and you will perish.
You will perish.
Yeah.
He says it with a smile on his face.
Well [LAUGHS.]
, very British, isn't it? It is very British.
[LAUGHTER.]
(ANTHONY) Kyle's taking me to the basement to show me what's called the Diver's Passage.
It's an area that's as old as the fort and something few guests ever see.
(KYLE) Head on through.
Not a lot of room here, huh? No, it's very tight in here.
So right here is where the chain would come up and basically sink another ship.
This passageway they used to climb over and, uh, maintain the chain.
If this isn't unique, I don't know what is.
And before I kiss you, let's leave.
Okay.
[CHUCKLES.]
(ANTHONY) Even though the hotel is now known for its hospitality rather than its hostility, No Man's Fort still has some fight in it.
But this time, it's the guests who do battle, and it's one of the fort's most popular activities.
And just suit up with a vest.
What are we doing? We'll have a little bit of a laser battle.
Are you serious? This is what makes this place great.
I didn't expect to have laser tag at my disposal.
(KYLE) It goes completely around the fort, in two different levels.
(ANTHONY) Oh.
(KYLE) You've got an outer ring and an inner ring.
Give you a head start? All right, hold on, let me put my helmet on.
[LAUGHS.]
Let's go.
Amazing.
(ANTHONY) Little does Kyle know, I served five years in the United States Air Force, and this airman doesn't go down easily.
Okay, so what I'm gonna do is count to 12.
I've been down here thousands of times, so go ahead.
Try and find somewhere to hide.
You're gonna give me A head start.
(ANTHONY) Okay, this is the true James Bond experience, isn't it? (KYLE) It really is, yeah.
Melchiorri, Anthony Melchiorri.
[GUN BEEPS.]
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven (ANTHONY) I've seen some unique things in the hotel business, but a laser battle in the basement of a luxury hotel that used to be a fort? This is extreme.
[LASERS SHOOTING.]
[GUN BEEPS THREE TIMES.]
[LASERS SHOOTING.]
Fee, fi, foh, fum! I smell the blood of an Englishman! [LASERS SHOOTING.]
[LASERS SHOOTING.]
[LASERS SHOOTING.]
Okay, how much did I beat you by? I got 150 What did you get? I got Uh, 900 you got.
Good game.
Good game.
(ANTHONY) No Man's Fort is a truly extreme water hotel that mixes modern luxury and British history all under one roof.
It's very comfortable.
It feels very first-class.
But it's very unique That's what this is about.
This is about something you can't get anywhere else.
The only way this place could be better is if the water was warmer.
The Solent doesn't get higher than 65 degrees even in the height of summer.
But 5,000 miles to the southwest is the warm Caribbean, where I'll explore my next extreme water hotel, which is splendor on stilts.
Then, I'm going to my own private island and to my most exotic extreme hotel where every single room has an incredible waterfront view.
(ANTHONY) I'm on an epic journey to find the world's most extreme water hotels Right now, I'm in the Caribbean on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, which is famous for its archeological sites, impenetrable rainforests, and its accessibility.
It's just a short flight from almost every major city in the U.
S.
I'm in Tulum, 90 miles away from Cancun.
Now, if you want energy, you want noise, you want excitement, go to Cancun.
If you want relaxation, if you want beautiful water, and you want peace, you come to Tulum.
And nobody capture the spirit of Tulum better than Azulik.
This rugged-looking, 47-room, eco-friendly resort is a nature lover's dream and one of the world's most extreme waterfront hotels.
Why? Because every inch of this five-star resort is on stilts so the sea can flow freely beneath your feet.
And everything is connected by a web of suspended bridges.
This is absolutely stunning.
This is basically the hallway.
(WOMAN) Yes.
(ANTHONY) This is the hotel hallway.
The idea is you can see all these paths elevated up in the air, so the trees can grow freely, and we don't cut them out.
This is absolutely beautiful.
The coconuts are right there, too you can pick 'em.
And these walkways lead guests to what Azulik is famous for, their incomparable seaside villas.
As soon as you walk in, you feel like you're home.
You don't feel like you're in a hotel room.
This is gorgeous.
This rustic retreat is made entirely from native materials, from the walls to the roof, even to the beautiful mosaic Mayan bathtub It's hand-carved from a single tree trunk and pumps crystal clear water from a nearby cenote.
So this is my favorite, uh, part of the cabana.
It's just fantastic.
The resort is all about water, and you can't get more about water than this right now.
The Azulik is designed to disconnect us from the outside world, so there's no TV, internet, or phones in any of the rooms.
There isn't even any electric lighting.
The entire property is lit by candlelight.
So what do you do when you want room service? Now the room service is called "drop your balls.
" Drop my balls? Yes.
(ANTHONY) The way it works is you write what you want on a piece of paper, you roll it up, you stick it in a coconut ball, then drop it outside of your room.
I've seen a lot of things I haven't seen this.
You order something, you put it here, Yes.
And you drop my ball right here.
Yes, It's a tube system it travels down to the bar we should hear a little gong.
So go for it.
And boom.
[BELL DINGS.]
Oh, so that's the bell.
Yes.
So every ball goes down, there's a bell knowing it was received.
So even if I need anything, I need a bellman, I need luggage assistance pshoom! Yes, yes.
You want room service or clean my room, drop it, and it travels all the way down.
How cool is that? (ANTHONY) The Azulik markets itself as a seaside sanctuary of relaxation by offering unique amenities to help you unwind.
Now that's a swing! Like one of their shore view swings.
I've never felt so at peace so quickly.
You can sweat your stress away in a hot steam spa while being serenaded by traditional Mayan music.
[FLUTE BLOWING.]
Or stretch out any anxiety in a yoga dome.
Left hand down, right hand, and cross.
Just stand there.
This is very peaceful.
All this relaxation makes guests hungry, so they go to the Azulik's Kin Toh restaurant, which is known for their enormous indoor hammocks.
Didn't you always want a treehouse and a hammock when you were a kid? Whoa! That was not cool.
[LAUGHS.]
That was not done on purpose, but it got me to the position I really wanna be in.
Each hammock is attached to a table in the restaurant, allowing a guest to digest its seaside views after their gourmet, organic meal.
But Azulik's most exclusive dining experience is this.
It's called the Bird's Nest, and I hear this table has a secret surprise that's even more memorable than its incredible location.
You can see the ocean behind us with the treehouses, on the other side, the jungle, and then the secret just pops up.
Hello.
[LAUGHS.]
Hello.
Hello.
How are you? Good, how are you? Fine, thank you.
Okay, that's about the coolest thing that's ever happened.
Your waiter and your private chef who serves your food here.
So they only serve from here? Yes.
That's brilliant.
There's nothing more than I love than creative hospitality.
That's creative hospitality.
We've all been to a billion bars, a billion restaurants, been served a billion drinks, but when you're served it in this setting that way It's fantastic.
Thank you.
So to Azulik.
Cheers.
To that beautiful sunset.
Mm.
That is delicious.
Azulik was built for this Hanging out in nature That's it.
Nothing else to get in your way.
Now I'm going to visit another reason Azulik makes it onto my list of extreme water hotels.
The concierge has arranged for me to explore a local cenote just a short drive away.
It's rappel into cenote time.
A cenote is a subterranean cave that's filled with fresh water.
First, you have to rappel down 100 feet into sheer darkness One, two, three, go.
until you reach the water, which can be more pristine and clear than any earthly jewel.
Bye, everyone.
Here we go.
(MAN) Yes.
Good position.
Perfect.
(ANTHONY) This is fun this is beautiful! How beautiful is this? (ANTHONY) I'm about to explore one of Mexico's most mysterious natural attractions A cenote in the Yucatan Peninsula.
The ancient Mayans believed that their water god lived in one of these underground caves.
Now, I see why.
This is fun This is beautiful! How beautiful is this? That was fantastic! Can we do that again? [CHUCKLES.]
Whoo! Thank you! Wow.
Look at this place! This cenote is called Rio Secreto, or Secret River.
It's over 5 million years old and stretches over 24 miles.
It's filled with rainwater that is naturally purified as it seeps through these limestone formations.
You see how many of these stalactites have that shiny bead on the tip of them? (ANTHONY) Yes.
(RODRIGO) This is the water running through them.
So basically, the earth acts as a filter system.
(RODRIGO) All the organic matter is filtered by the rock and by the limestone.
(ANTHONY) You can't get cleaner water than that.
Exactly.
If you were to touch any of the formations, the oils that you have in your hand would clog the formation, and the water that runs through them would be blocked, so it's important So not allowed to touch 'em.
Not allowed to touch them.
Come this way.
Check this out We have our own natural swimming pool.
Wow! I've never seen water so pure.
It looks like you have a pool team keeping this crystal clear, and the hotel is just down the road, so this is my own VIP pool.
One, two, three.
Ah! So was it cold, okay? That is so good.
It's cool but not too cool.
So if you want to be stylish about it, the best way is just to lie down on your vest, cross your feet, and then just paddle forward.
I'm very stylish, young man.
There you go.
I never knew on earth I can swim through pure water like this Uh-huh.
And see such beauty This is truly a privileged tour.
Yeah.
(ANTHONY) One of the best parts of swimming in the cenote is having it all to myself, and that's what it's like at my next extreme water hotel, which is also on the Caribbean but 350 miles to the south in Belize.
[CHOPPING NOISES.]
[CHOPPING NOISES CONTINUE.]
Good morning, I'd like to order room service.
(MAN) Good morning, Mr.
Melchiorri.
How may I help you? Good morning, how are you? May I please have a tomato and mushroom omelet with wheat toast and orange juice? (MAN) Sure, your breakfast will be ready in 15 to 20 minutes.
Okay.
Thank you.
That is called the Shellphone.
How cool is that? This hotline to the front desk is just one of the many unique amenities that make this shore-side resort world-famous.
I'm at the Turtle Inn in Placencia, Belize.
This private seafront escape is lined with shimmering white sands and crystal blue waters.
Each of its 28 thatched roof cottages here feature plush beds, Balinese furnishings, and stunning views just steps away.
And this resort is a very green resort.
They really care about the earth, and they care about sustainability, so you have some electricity, but you don't have any plastic, you don't have any air conditioning, but you do have all the essentials you need when you're in the middle of nowhere.
The Turtle Inn is owned by the godfather of hotels in Belize, Francis Ford Coppola, he created this, and he didn't build this place to make a fortune.
He did it to protect the environment and help the local economy in Belize.
He makes no money from it.
But the most extreme aspect of this hotel is Coral Caye, the private island for a select few guests.
It's a 20-minute boat ride across the bay.
Very few people know about this because they just opened just a few months ago.
Just wait until I show it to you.
And then I'll take you to an extreme hotel which is halfway around the world but absolutely worth the trip.
(ANTHONY) I'm in search of paradise at the world's most extreme water hotels.
My journey's taken me to the Turtle Inn in Belize, where guests can rent their very own private island, Coral Caye.
It was once a commercial fishermen's camp and is now a hideaway for only one party of select few guests at a time.
Welcome to Coral Caye.
This is gonna be my island? This is gonna be your island.
The ultimate hideaway experience.
(ANTHONY) Look how beautiful this is! Here, your only neighbors are the coral sands, the tranquil waters, and man's best friend.
Who's that? This is our little island dog, Goldie, who, uh, rules the island when we're not here.
Hey, Goldie what's up buddy? How you doing? So you're in charge? [DOG PANTING.]
That's a great welcome.
The island features two guesthouses and a larger third cottage called the Great House.
This is cool.
You know what I like about this? As soon as you walk in, the first thing you notice is that it's sand.
There's no wood, there's no tile floor.
You still feel like you're outside.
It's, uh, no shoes, no shirt, no problem, right? There's a specialness to this You literally go from your bed, watch this, you go from your bed, you come out of your bed, and you're one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten steps to the water.
[CHUCKLES.]
I mean, does it get any cooler than that? This is very much different, it's not like any other resort I've been to, um, but it has the amenities and the comfort levels.
These incredible island views aren't the only things you can feast on.
But here at Coral Caye, in order to eat, you dive for your dinner.
So what are we doing? We're gonna go looking for some conch right now.
Here's an old shell Now, you'll be looking for the shape of this.
(ANTHONY) Conch is a culinary staple here in Belize.
They're large sea snails who live in their massive shells along the seafloor, but sometimes, those shells are taken over by another more hostile tenant.
You may find an old shell like this it can be really dangerous.
There can be a big hermit crab living in here, and if you put your finger under here, it can pinch your finger off, so Pinch it off? Look to the back first before you pick it up.
My own island, my own conch.
[LAUGHS.]
Let's go! One two three! [MUFFLED.]
I got another one! [NORMALLY.]
I mean, I got another one! I think we did a good day of diving.
So now you're gonna make this for me? Let's go eat some conch.
You've gotta hit it a bit harder, right there.
Come out of your shell! That's good enough.
Okay.
Now, this is the part where the skill comes in, right? Oh, that wasn't skillful? Uh, no, that was real skillful and fast.
Give a little twist this way.
Okay.
Okay, let me see if she's ready to come out.
(ANTHONY) I'm sorry.
Wow.
All right.
(ANTHONY) Look at that! That's the queen conch.
That's beautiful, and we're gonna eat that.
First, you remove the gut and spiked horn.
Then you peel off any excess skin.
This is how we do it.
[SPITS.]
That's it.
(ANTHONY) You can either cook it like a lobster or eat it raw like the locals do.
So I just bite into it? Just bite into it right here, that's the softest spot.
That's a good conch.
Probably tastes a little bit better with lemon, but it's very fresh.
Goldie, where are ya? I got some conch for ya! Guests of Coral Caye not only get extreme seclusion but extreme access to activities you can only do here in Belize, like scuba diving in the Caribbean's largest reef and swimming with this guy.
Yup, you can also swim with the whale sharks, the largest fish in the world, as they migrate through this area every spring.
And the resort's boat captain can bring you back to the mainland for some incredible, land-based adventures, like this A jungle survival safari.
Sixty-percent of Belize is wilderness.
The dense jungles here are home to monkeys, snakes, and even jaguars.
The hotel uses these guys to teach guests how to survive in this rugged and sometimes hostile environment.
Whenever you are lost in the jungle or you want to survive in the jungle, the first thing we'll go for is copal.
(ANTHONY) Copal is a tropical tree, which grows here in Belize.
There, you can see a bit of oil coming out and smell like citronella.
(ANTHONY) The seeds can be used as insect repellant.
So I survive the bugs now.
You survive the bugs.
All right, let's go.
(ANTHONY) Melvin says there's actually one insect in the jungle you'd be lucky to find.
Here in Belize, termites are like proteins.
These are termites? These are all termites.
And you could eat them.
All right? (ANTHONY) Apparently, a few handfuls of these critters is equal to eating a protein bar.
That's if I can control my gag reflex enough to swallow any.
All right.
Okay.
I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it I'm in control! (MELVIN) You could open it bigger so that they could come out.
[SCRAPING NOISES.]
Oh, my god, I got a lot of protein right there.
That's my lunch.
Mm.
So good.
All right, go ahead If you're hungry, go ahead.
A couple days ago, I was in Vegas having a nice steak dinner.
Today, I'm in the jungle in Belize, eating termites.
Yeah, and you're trying steak.
Termite steak.
Termite steak.
(MELVIN) Yes.
How many termites would I have to eat to feel full? At least 10,000.
I'd have to eat 10,000 termites? 10,000.
(ANTHONY) Check, please.
Everything here at the Coral Caye and Turtle Inn moves to the rhythm of nature, and when the sun sets, guests move to another rhythm.
[RHYTHMIC DRUM BEAT.]
Ohhhhh Garifuna music can only be heard in this region of the Caribbean, and guests of the Turtle Inn and Coral Caye can get their own private lesson.
[SLOW DRUM BEAT.]
Yeah, give me the rhythm.
That's the rhythm right there? Yeah.
Play it.
Okay.
[FAST DRUM BEAT OVER SLOW DRUM BEAT.]
[DRUM BEAT ACCELERATES.]
If you're like me, then you won't be able to keep from dancing.
[INDISTINCT EXCLAMATION.]
[DRUM BEAT AND SINGING.]
Pretty good, man.
That was great.
(ANTHONY) I'm continuing my journey to find extreme water hotels.
Now I'm starting the longest leg of it yet.
I'm flying 10,000 miles That's halfway around the world To Vietnam.
[HORN HONKS.]
[WOMAN SPEAKING VIETNAMESE.]
(ANTHONY) And in one of their most revered waterways is my next extreme water hotel.
It's not a secluded island or built on stilts, but it does one thing no other hotel can It floats.
(ANTHONY) I've been traveling for weeks, visiting the most extreme water hotels in the world No Man's Fort, a one-of-a-kind, five-star sea fortress, the Azulik resort, which is splendor on stilts, and Coral Caye, your own private island.
So far, it's been an unforgettable journey, but I'm not done yet.
I've just traveled 10,000 miles to find my last and most extreme water hotel, and it's here in Vietnam.
Vietnam is about the same size as New Mexico, but unlike New Mexico, it's got coastline.
In fact, Vietnam has more than double the miles of coastline than California.
Vietnam is linked to water in hundreds of ways, and I'm about to see one of the most unique Water puppetry.
[SHOUTING.]
This is cool.
Water puppet shows like this started in Vietnam.
It's an art form that has been performed continuously since Europe was in the Dark Ages.
These performances depict rural farm life and are accompanied by traditional Vietnamese music.
The puppeteers controlling the whole show are behind the screen, and I've been invited back stage to see how they do it.
Hello.
Hello.
How are you? I'm fine, thank you.
What a great show.
I was told that I can come back here to learn how to do this.
Yes.
Yes? Yes.
(ANTHONY) The puppets are carved out of wood of the local trees and covered with layer upon layer of paint and lacquer to protect them from the water.
The puppeteers control them with a combination of bamboo rods, ropes, and pulleys that make the puppets spin and dance.
Whoa.
Whoa, hey! [LAUGHTER.]
Ooh sorry, sorry.
This was fun, but you know what my favorite part of that show was? When the chicken laid the egg.
Can we do that sequence? And the artists have given me a role that I can relate to.
Is the reason you asked me to the egg is because I look like an egg? All right, so let's do it.
They're flirting, they're looking at each other.
They're playing chicken.
Oooh.
Umm and back.
(ANTHONY) How you doin'? Oh-ho, I got an egg! Excuse me can I just come over this way? Thank you.
[GRUNTS.]
[SINGING IN VIETNAMESE.]
How you doing? Hello.
[SINGING IN VIETNAMESE.]
Where are you from? I'm from New York.
But I like Vietnam I love Viet It's the first time I've been in Vietnam.
You want to take a selfie? Can we take a selfie? Come on.
(ALL) Yay! Oh! [laughs.]
Everybody get in the picture! Squeeze in! How do you say cheese in Vietnamese? (ALL) Cheese! Cheese! What's the one thing in Vietnam I should see? What? Halong Bay? Let's go.
Halong Bay's on the northeast coast of Vietnam, about 100 miles from Hanoi.
Vietnamese legend says that a family of dragons lived here and spit jewels out of their mouths that became the islands that covered the bay.
Those islands stopped foreign invaders, because they were mesmerized by the island's beauty.
Today, Halong Bay is still mesmerizing foreigners.
Over 7 million people come here every year for vistas like this.
And I'm here to visit a hotel unlike any other I've ever been to.
Some hotels are near the water, but this one is literally on the water.
So this is a real water hotel, that's for sure.
Okay, this is my home for the next 24 hours.
This is the Red Dragon Junk Boat, which is a floating luxury hotel in one of the most surreal places in the world.
Okay.
Welcome on board! Well, we have the welcome drink to be here for you.
Oh, hi, how are you? How do you say cheers? Ah, we sing a song.
Mot hai ba yo! Mot hai ba yo! Mot hai ba yo! That's a good drink.
That's good? Very good.
You know what that means? Uhh That means we're gonna have a good cruise.
Thanks.
(ANTHONY) This 82-foot, 400-ton wooden wonder has been sailing Halong Bay for almost a decade.
It only hosts 11 guests at a time with seven staff members on hand to tend to their every need.
Let me ask you a question We're on a junk boat.
When I hear junk boat, I think of junk.
Where's the name "junk boat" come from? (ANTHONY) Right.
Junk boat means half-moon.
The half-moon.
(ANTHONY) In 2012, this was nominated as one of the seven wonders of nature.
And I can see why.
I mean, everywhere you look, all you see is a beautiful formation How old are these formations? Millions of years? Well, this is 400 million years old.
400 million years old.
So does my room live up to this view? Well, it will have a big window to see the views.
Yeah? Let's go see my room.
Yeah, okay.
What I love about this room It never lets you forget you're in Vietnam From the view to the décor to the sheets and to my favorite thing in the room.
Kimono.
I can get used to this.
It just feels luxurious.
Look at that view! My view's always changing, because my hotel's always moving.
But before I let myself get rocked to sleep by the waters on Halong Bay, I want to experience them the way the Vietnamese do.
This is an authentic, handmade junk owned by a fisherman from one of the famous local fishing villages.
My floating hotel offers sunset fishing trips as an amenity.
Look how beautiful this is! Look at the limestone rock.
Look how close you are! This is a special place.
There are only two floating fishing villages, and they are home to about 400 families.
There's my ride! Hello.
This is a cool ride.
Okay, so we're gonna row out there? Okay, show me how to do this.
[SPEAKING VIETNAMESE.]
Right, right, yeah.
Right, right, yeah.
[SINGING.]
Row, row, row your boat gently down the creek.
[NORMALLY.]
I'm doing good? Yeah? No.
No.
Oh, my god, wait It's much harder by myself.
I got this.
Okay, another thing I realize I suck at.
[SPEAKING VIETNAMESE.]
Okay, I got it.
Here we go.
[SPEAKING VIETNAMESE.]
Okay.
You're a tough boss, you know that? [SPEAKING VIETNAMESE.]
Oh, wow Look how beautiful that is.
Nowadays, these fishermen get most of their catch from the fish farms in their villages, but they wanna teach me the traditional method of fishing, which is way different than the way we fished in Brooklyn.
[SPEAKING VIETNAMESE.]
Both of them? Bang.
[BANGING NOISES.]
I was always told not to make noise when you're fishing.
The technique is to scare any fish around the boat into the floating nets.
[BANGING NOISES.]
Now it's time to get the net.
Can I help? Make believe I know what I'm doing.
Oh, wow now that's the smallest fish I've ever seen in my life.
Oh, crab! We got a crab.
So a lot of little fish.
Not a lot of big fish.
[SPEAKING VIETNAMESE.]
That's my big catch of the day right here.
That's why they call it fishing and not catching.
A lot of fishing and no fish, but it was beautiful.
All right, I'm tired.
Long day have a good night.
I'll see you in the morning.
Next, I'll show you how to take advantage of the largest hotel swimming pool in the world.
(ANTHONY) It's the last day of my journey and my last day on the floating extreme water hotel, the Red Dragon Junk in Halong Bay, Vietnam.
Being on a junk boat in Halong Bay, there's nothing like it The formations, the limestone, it's all shaped by water.
This whole area has been shaped by water, and if you're out here long enough, you feel like you're being shaped by water.
You don't have thousands of people around you.
You're just almost in a postcard going through Halong Bay and feeling the history and experiencing it.
That really makes you feel that you're living 200 years ago that's amazing.
But before this trip's over, I wanna do one thing you definitely can't do at any other hotel.
This is how you hotel.
This is my hotel.
This is my swimming pool.
How cool is that? Seventy-one percent of the world is covered by water, and the hotels that line the majestic shorelines from Mexico and Belize to the U.
K.
and all the way to Vietnam are some of the most extreme water hotels you'll ever see, so get out there, and get wet.
Look how beautiful this is! Or a hotel that was once a fortress that now protects guests from the stormy North Atlantic.
This is how you hotel.
Or a hotel perched above the beach where you can fall asleep to the sound of surf underneath your bed.
I'm Anthony Melchiorri, and I've spent 30 years running hotels and resorts.
Now, I'm on a neverending quest to find the most extreme hotels in the world.
Wait till you see this This is amazing.
And right now, I'm gonna take you with me to extraordinary hotels that offer guests exclusive amenities, access to the world's most sought-after beaches, and exotic water paradises.
These are extreme water hotels.
I'm in the Solent, a channel of water just five miles off the coast of Portsmouth, England, heading to a location that's both an extreme water hotel and historic landmark all rolled into one.
And I'm gonna show you a hotel that truly celebrates the water, really in the most unique way possible.
Look at that.
It's actually a fort, and it's called No Man's Fort.
This fort and two others nearby were built during the reign of Queen Victoria to protect the U.
K.
against invasion by France.
It is now 150 years later.
It is one of the most unique hotels in the world.
You're surrounded by water on the outside, and on the inside, you're surrounded by luxury.
It's one of the coolest water hotels you'll ever see.
Captain, let's go.
The boat ride out to the hotel is included with your stay and really makes guests feel like they're part of Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Follow me.
This 240-foot-diameter water fortress was purchased by the current owners in 2012, completely renovated, and has been open year-round since 2015.
But during World War II, No Man's Fort would've housed hundreds of British servicemen.
Now, it only has 22 rooms that can sell for more than $800 a night for up to 44 guests.
And they all gather here when they check in, underneath this beautiful, glass-covered atrium in the center.
Ooh, wow! You get a feeling of being on the outside on a deck, almost like on a cruise ship, but it's first-class Look at the wood, the tile.
What do you think about this place? Brilliant.
Absolutely fantastic, yeah.
Lovely, gorgeous.
No there's nowhere like it, at all.
Yeah, amazing.
You're free to do what you want, explore at your leisure.
So relaxing, isn't it? Relaxing.
Yeah.
You don't wanna leave, right? Nah.
[LAUGHTER.]
(ANTHONY) The fort features two guest floors where gun turrets used to be, a roof deck, and a lower level where ammunition was once stored.
Every area of this fort has been completely repurposed with the guest's comfort in mind.
I'm getting a behind-the-scenes look at the fort with Kyle, who's everything you'd expect a buttoned-up British hotel manager to be.
So this is our presidential suite.
It's named after HMS Victory.
(ANTHONY) This is amazing.
They've just did a magnificent job making it luxurious but also very comfortable.
I like the color.
I like everything about it.
Back when this place was less luxurious, these rooms used to be packed with cannons and soldiers, but that history can still be seen everywhere.
This would've been where the larger guns were.
You'd have the 50-ton gun, you'd have almost like a rail track underneath it, and you've got hooks and eyes on the railed ceilings to lift these cannons up.
They were incredibly heavy, and they all face out to sea.
These little hooks on the walls, they would've been used for hammocks and cots, and this would've been someone's home for around nine months at a stretch without getting off, so a lot of challenges compared to the sort of luxury we're in now.
(ANTHONY) And nothing says five-star like the fort's restaurant, wine bar, lounge, and roof deck, which has an unobstructed, 360-degree ocean view.
Oh, isn't this lovely? What's great about this I feel like I'm in a park, but I get a sense of a fort because of the things that I see around The lighthouse, the cannons And I love that.
Running a world-class destination five miles from dry land has some unique challenges.
No Man's Fort is so far out to sea that they have to generate their own power, and it uses the same artesian well that was dug in the 1860s to give fresh water that flows right underneath the seabed.
Every day, the housekeepers, managers, and chefs that run No Man's Fort have to take a boat several miles from Portsmouth to work, but a boat isn't the only way to get here.
No Man's Fort has a helicopter pad for guests who don't like traveling by sea.
This is just beautiful! So just up here, we get a great view of the three major forts So if you look out over there, we've got Horse Sand Fort, which is an identical twin to No Man's Fort.
It's now a museum, and then directly behind me, you've got Spitbank Fort.
(ANTHONY) These three forts were connected by a massive chain that could stop an enemy navy dead in the water.
This massive chain was laid 150 years ago, and it was built that you have some kind of mechanism that lifts the chain and sinks the ship.
Yeah, it's called the submarine barrier.
It's still on your GPS even today, so if you get the tide wrong, and someone does every year, you'll still sink your ship going across.
And it happens every year.
Every year, someone has an accident, and you will perish.
You will perish.
Yeah.
He says it with a smile on his face.
Well [LAUGHS.]
, very British, isn't it? It is very British.
[LAUGHTER.]
(ANTHONY) Kyle's taking me to the basement to show me what's called the Diver's Passage.
It's an area that's as old as the fort and something few guests ever see.
(KYLE) Head on through.
Not a lot of room here, huh? No, it's very tight in here.
So right here is where the chain would come up and basically sink another ship.
This passageway they used to climb over and, uh, maintain the chain.
If this isn't unique, I don't know what is.
And before I kiss you, let's leave.
Okay.
[CHUCKLES.]
(ANTHONY) Even though the hotel is now known for its hospitality rather than its hostility, No Man's Fort still has some fight in it.
But this time, it's the guests who do battle, and it's one of the fort's most popular activities.
And just suit up with a vest.
What are we doing? We'll have a little bit of a laser battle.
Are you serious? This is what makes this place great.
I didn't expect to have laser tag at my disposal.
(KYLE) It goes completely around the fort, in two different levels.
(ANTHONY) Oh.
(KYLE) You've got an outer ring and an inner ring.
Give you a head start? All right, hold on, let me put my helmet on.
[LAUGHS.]
Let's go.
Amazing.
(ANTHONY) Little does Kyle know, I served five years in the United States Air Force, and this airman doesn't go down easily.
Okay, so what I'm gonna do is count to 12.
I've been down here thousands of times, so go ahead.
Try and find somewhere to hide.
You're gonna give me A head start.
(ANTHONY) Okay, this is the true James Bond experience, isn't it? (KYLE) It really is, yeah.
Melchiorri, Anthony Melchiorri.
[GUN BEEPS.]
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven (ANTHONY) I've seen some unique things in the hotel business, but a laser battle in the basement of a luxury hotel that used to be a fort? This is extreme.
[LASERS SHOOTING.]
[GUN BEEPS THREE TIMES.]
[LASERS SHOOTING.]
Fee, fi, foh, fum! I smell the blood of an Englishman! [LASERS SHOOTING.]
[LASERS SHOOTING.]
[LASERS SHOOTING.]
Okay, how much did I beat you by? I got 150 What did you get? I got Uh, 900 you got.
Good game.
Good game.
(ANTHONY) No Man's Fort is a truly extreme water hotel that mixes modern luxury and British history all under one roof.
It's very comfortable.
It feels very first-class.
But it's very unique That's what this is about.
This is about something you can't get anywhere else.
The only way this place could be better is if the water was warmer.
The Solent doesn't get higher than 65 degrees even in the height of summer.
But 5,000 miles to the southwest is the warm Caribbean, where I'll explore my next extreme water hotel, which is splendor on stilts.
Then, I'm going to my own private island and to my most exotic extreme hotel where every single room has an incredible waterfront view.
(ANTHONY) I'm on an epic journey to find the world's most extreme water hotels Right now, I'm in the Caribbean on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, which is famous for its archeological sites, impenetrable rainforests, and its accessibility.
It's just a short flight from almost every major city in the U.
S.
I'm in Tulum, 90 miles away from Cancun.
Now, if you want energy, you want noise, you want excitement, go to Cancun.
If you want relaxation, if you want beautiful water, and you want peace, you come to Tulum.
And nobody capture the spirit of Tulum better than Azulik.
This rugged-looking, 47-room, eco-friendly resort is a nature lover's dream and one of the world's most extreme waterfront hotels.
Why? Because every inch of this five-star resort is on stilts so the sea can flow freely beneath your feet.
And everything is connected by a web of suspended bridges.
This is absolutely stunning.
This is basically the hallway.
(WOMAN) Yes.
(ANTHONY) This is the hotel hallway.
The idea is you can see all these paths elevated up in the air, so the trees can grow freely, and we don't cut them out.
This is absolutely beautiful.
The coconuts are right there, too you can pick 'em.
And these walkways lead guests to what Azulik is famous for, their incomparable seaside villas.
As soon as you walk in, you feel like you're home.
You don't feel like you're in a hotel room.
This is gorgeous.
This rustic retreat is made entirely from native materials, from the walls to the roof, even to the beautiful mosaic Mayan bathtub It's hand-carved from a single tree trunk and pumps crystal clear water from a nearby cenote.
So this is my favorite, uh, part of the cabana.
It's just fantastic.
The resort is all about water, and you can't get more about water than this right now.
The Azulik is designed to disconnect us from the outside world, so there's no TV, internet, or phones in any of the rooms.
There isn't even any electric lighting.
The entire property is lit by candlelight.
So what do you do when you want room service? Now the room service is called "drop your balls.
" Drop my balls? Yes.
(ANTHONY) The way it works is you write what you want on a piece of paper, you roll it up, you stick it in a coconut ball, then drop it outside of your room.
I've seen a lot of things I haven't seen this.
You order something, you put it here, Yes.
And you drop my ball right here.
Yes, It's a tube system it travels down to the bar we should hear a little gong.
So go for it.
And boom.
[BELL DINGS.]
Oh, so that's the bell.
Yes.
So every ball goes down, there's a bell knowing it was received.
So even if I need anything, I need a bellman, I need luggage assistance pshoom! Yes, yes.
You want room service or clean my room, drop it, and it travels all the way down.
How cool is that? (ANTHONY) The Azulik markets itself as a seaside sanctuary of relaxation by offering unique amenities to help you unwind.
Now that's a swing! Like one of their shore view swings.
I've never felt so at peace so quickly.
You can sweat your stress away in a hot steam spa while being serenaded by traditional Mayan music.
[FLUTE BLOWING.]
Or stretch out any anxiety in a yoga dome.
Left hand down, right hand, and cross.
Just stand there.
This is very peaceful.
All this relaxation makes guests hungry, so they go to the Azulik's Kin Toh restaurant, which is known for their enormous indoor hammocks.
Didn't you always want a treehouse and a hammock when you were a kid? Whoa! That was not cool.
[LAUGHS.]
That was not done on purpose, but it got me to the position I really wanna be in.
Each hammock is attached to a table in the restaurant, allowing a guest to digest its seaside views after their gourmet, organic meal.
But Azulik's most exclusive dining experience is this.
It's called the Bird's Nest, and I hear this table has a secret surprise that's even more memorable than its incredible location.
You can see the ocean behind us with the treehouses, on the other side, the jungle, and then the secret just pops up.
Hello.
[LAUGHS.]
Hello.
Hello.
How are you? Good, how are you? Fine, thank you.
Okay, that's about the coolest thing that's ever happened.
Your waiter and your private chef who serves your food here.
So they only serve from here? Yes.
That's brilliant.
There's nothing more than I love than creative hospitality.
That's creative hospitality.
We've all been to a billion bars, a billion restaurants, been served a billion drinks, but when you're served it in this setting that way It's fantastic.
Thank you.
So to Azulik.
Cheers.
To that beautiful sunset.
Mm.
That is delicious.
Azulik was built for this Hanging out in nature That's it.
Nothing else to get in your way.
Now I'm going to visit another reason Azulik makes it onto my list of extreme water hotels.
The concierge has arranged for me to explore a local cenote just a short drive away.
It's rappel into cenote time.
A cenote is a subterranean cave that's filled with fresh water.
First, you have to rappel down 100 feet into sheer darkness One, two, three, go.
until you reach the water, which can be more pristine and clear than any earthly jewel.
Bye, everyone.
Here we go.
(MAN) Yes.
Good position.
Perfect.
(ANTHONY) This is fun this is beautiful! How beautiful is this? (ANTHONY) I'm about to explore one of Mexico's most mysterious natural attractions A cenote in the Yucatan Peninsula.
The ancient Mayans believed that their water god lived in one of these underground caves.
Now, I see why.
This is fun This is beautiful! How beautiful is this? That was fantastic! Can we do that again? [CHUCKLES.]
Whoo! Thank you! Wow.
Look at this place! This cenote is called Rio Secreto, or Secret River.
It's over 5 million years old and stretches over 24 miles.
It's filled with rainwater that is naturally purified as it seeps through these limestone formations.
You see how many of these stalactites have that shiny bead on the tip of them? (ANTHONY) Yes.
(RODRIGO) This is the water running through them.
So basically, the earth acts as a filter system.
(RODRIGO) All the organic matter is filtered by the rock and by the limestone.
(ANTHONY) You can't get cleaner water than that.
Exactly.
If you were to touch any of the formations, the oils that you have in your hand would clog the formation, and the water that runs through them would be blocked, so it's important So not allowed to touch 'em.
Not allowed to touch them.
Come this way.
Check this out We have our own natural swimming pool.
Wow! I've never seen water so pure.
It looks like you have a pool team keeping this crystal clear, and the hotel is just down the road, so this is my own VIP pool.
One, two, three.
Ah! So was it cold, okay? That is so good.
It's cool but not too cool.
So if you want to be stylish about it, the best way is just to lie down on your vest, cross your feet, and then just paddle forward.
I'm very stylish, young man.
There you go.
I never knew on earth I can swim through pure water like this Uh-huh.
And see such beauty This is truly a privileged tour.
Yeah.
(ANTHONY) One of the best parts of swimming in the cenote is having it all to myself, and that's what it's like at my next extreme water hotel, which is also on the Caribbean but 350 miles to the south in Belize.
[CHOPPING NOISES.]
[CHOPPING NOISES CONTINUE.]
Good morning, I'd like to order room service.
(MAN) Good morning, Mr.
Melchiorri.
How may I help you? Good morning, how are you? May I please have a tomato and mushroom omelet with wheat toast and orange juice? (MAN) Sure, your breakfast will be ready in 15 to 20 minutes.
Okay.
Thank you.
That is called the Shellphone.
How cool is that? This hotline to the front desk is just one of the many unique amenities that make this shore-side resort world-famous.
I'm at the Turtle Inn in Placencia, Belize.
This private seafront escape is lined with shimmering white sands and crystal blue waters.
Each of its 28 thatched roof cottages here feature plush beds, Balinese furnishings, and stunning views just steps away.
And this resort is a very green resort.
They really care about the earth, and they care about sustainability, so you have some electricity, but you don't have any plastic, you don't have any air conditioning, but you do have all the essentials you need when you're in the middle of nowhere.
The Turtle Inn is owned by the godfather of hotels in Belize, Francis Ford Coppola, he created this, and he didn't build this place to make a fortune.
He did it to protect the environment and help the local economy in Belize.
He makes no money from it.
But the most extreme aspect of this hotel is Coral Caye, the private island for a select few guests.
It's a 20-minute boat ride across the bay.
Very few people know about this because they just opened just a few months ago.
Just wait until I show it to you.
And then I'll take you to an extreme hotel which is halfway around the world but absolutely worth the trip.
(ANTHONY) I'm in search of paradise at the world's most extreme water hotels.
My journey's taken me to the Turtle Inn in Belize, where guests can rent their very own private island, Coral Caye.
It was once a commercial fishermen's camp and is now a hideaway for only one party of select few guests at a time.
Welcome to Coral Caye.
This is gonna be my island? This is gonna be your island.
The ultimate hideaway experience.
(ANTHONY) Look how beautiful this is! Here, your only neighbors are the coral sands, the tranquil waters, and man's best friend.
Who's that? This is our little island dog, Goldie, who, uh, rules the island when we're not here.
Hey, Goldie what's up buddy? How you doing? So you're in charge? [DOG PANTING.]
That's a great welcome.
The island features two guesthouses and a larger third cottage called the Great House.
This is cool.
You know what I like about this? As soon as you walk in, the first thing you notice is that it's sand.
There's no wood, there's no tile floor.
You still feel like you're outside.
It's, uh, no shoes, no shirt, no problem, right? There's a specialness to this You literally go from your bed, watch this, you go from your bed, you come out of your bed, and you're one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten steps to the water.
[CHUCKLES.]
I mean, does it get any cooler than that? This is very much different, it's not like any other resort I've been to, um, but it has the amenities and the comfort levels.
These incredible island views aren't the only things you can feast on.
But here at Coral Caye, in order to eat, you dive for your dinner.
So what are we doing? We're gonna go looking for some conch right now.
Here's an old shell Now, you'll be looking for the shape of this.
(ANTHONY) Conch is a culinary staple here in Belize.
They're large sea snails who live in their massive shells along the seafloor, but sometimes, those shells are taken over by another more hostile tenant.
You may find an old shell like this it can be really dangerous.
There can be a big hermit crab living in here, and if you put your finger under here, it can pinch your finger off, so Pinch it off? Look to the back first before you pick it up.
My own island, my own conch.
[LAUGHS.]
Let's go! One two three! [MUFFLED.]
I got another one! [NORMALLY.]
I mean, I got another one! I think we did a good day of diving.
So now you're gonna make this for me? Let's go eat some conch.
You've gotta hit it a bit harder, right there.
Come out of your shell! That's good enough.
Okay.
Now, this is the part where the skill comes in, right? Oh, that wasn't skillful? Uh, no, that was real skillful and fast.
Give a little twist this way.
Okay.
Okay, let me see if she's ready to come out.
(ANTHONY) I'm sorry.
Wow.
All right.
(ANTHONY) Look at that! That's the queen conch.
That's beautiful, and we're gonna eat that.
First, you remove the gut and spiked horn.
Then you peel off any excess skin.
This is how we do it.
[SPITS.]
That's it.
(ANTHONY) You can either cook it like a lobster or eat it raw like the locals do.
So I just bite into it? Just bite into it right here, that's the softest spot.
That's a good conch.
Probably tastes a little bit better with lemon, but it's very fresh.
Goldie, where are ya? I got some conch for ya! Guests of Coral Caye not only get extreme seclusion but extreme access to activities you can only do here in Belize, like scuba diving in the Caribbean's largest reef and swimming with this guy.
Yup, you can also swim with the whale sharks, the largest fish in the world, as they migrate through this area every spring.
And the resort's boat captain can bring you back to the mainland for some incredible, land-based adventures, like this A jungle survival safari.
Sixty-percent of Belize is wilderness.
The dense jungles here are home to monkeys, snakes, and even jaguars.
The hotel uses these guys to teach guests how to survive in this rugged and sometimes hostile environment.
Whenever you are lost in the jungle or you want to survive in the jungle, the first thing we'll go for is copal.
(ANTHONY) Copal is a tropical tree, which grows here in Belize.
There, you can see a bit of oil coming out and smell like citronella.
(ANTHONY) The seeds can be used as insect repellant.
So I survive the bugs now.
You survive the bugs.
All right, let's go.
(ANTHONY) Melvin says there's actually one insect in the jungle you'd be lucky to find.
Here in Belize, termites are like proteins.
These are termites? These are all termites.
And you could eat them.
All right? (ANTHONY) Apparently, a few handfuls of these critters is equal to eating a protein bar.
That's if I can control my gag reflex enough to swallow any.
All right.
Okay.
I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it I'm in control! (MELVIN) You could open it bigger so that they could come out.
[SCRAPING NOISES.]
Oh, my god, I got a lot of protein right there.
That's my lunch.
Mm.
So good.
All right, go ahead If you're hungry, go ahead.
A couple days ago, I was in Vegas having a nice steak dinner.
Today, I'm in the jungle in Belize, eating termites.
Yeah, and you're trying steak.
Termite steak.
Termite steak.
(MELVIN) Yes.
How many termites would I have to eat to feel full? At least 10,000.
I'd have to eat 10,000 termites? 10,000.
(ANTHONY) Check, please.
Everything here at the Coral Caye and Turtle Inn moves to the rhythm of nature, and when the sun sets, guests move to another rhythm.
[RHYTHMIC DRUM BEAT.]
Ohhhhh Garifuna music can only be heard in this region of the Caribbean, and guests of the Turtle Inn and Coral Caye can get their own private lesson.
[SLOW DRUM BEAT.]
Yeah, give me the rhythm.
That's the rhythm right there? Yeah.
Play it.
Okay.
[FAST DRUM BEAT OVER SLOW DRUM BEAT.]
[DRUM BEAT ACCELERATES.]
If you're like me, then you won't be able to keep from dancing.
[INDISTINCT EXCLAMATION.]
[DRUM BEAT AND SINGING.]
Pretty good, man.
That was great.
(ANTHONY) I'm continuing my journey to find extreme water hotels.
Now I'm starting the longest leg of it yet.
I'm flying 10,000 miles That's halfway around the world To Vietnam.
[HORN HONKS.]
[WOMAN SPEAKING VIETNAMESE.]
(ANTHONY) And in one of their most revered waterways is my next extreme water hotel.
It's not a secluded island or built on stilts, but it does one thing no other hotel can It floats.
(ANTHONY) I've been traveling for weeks, visiting the most extreme water hotels in the world No Man's Fort, a one-of-a-kind, five-star sea fortress, the Azulik resort, which is splendor on stilts, and Coral Caye, your own private island.
So far, it's been an unforgettable journey, but I'm not done yet.
I've just traveled 10,000 miles to find my last and most extreme water hotel, and it's here in Vietnam.
Vietnam is about the same size as New Mexico, but unlike New Mexico, it's got coastline.
In fact, Vietnam has more than double the miles of coastline than California.
Vietnam is linked to water in hundreds of ways, and I'm about to see one of the most unique Water puppetry.
[SHOUTING.]
This is cool.
Water puppet shows like this started in Vietnam.
It's an art form that has been performed continuously since Europe was in the Dark Ages.
These performances depict rural farm life and are accompanied by traditional Vietnamese music.
The puppeteers controlling the whole show are behind the screen, and I've been invited back stage to see how they do it.
Hello.
Hello.
How are you? I'm fine, thank you.
What a great show.
I was told that I can come back here to learn how to do this.
Yes.
Yes? Yes.
(ANTHONY) The puppets are carved out of wood of the local trees and covered with layer upon layer of paint and lacquer to protect them from the water.
The puppeteers control them with a combination of bamboo rods, ropes, and pulleys that make the puppets spin and dance.
Whoa.
Whoa, hey! [LAUGHTER.]
Ooh sorry, sorry.
This was fun, but you know what my favorite part of that show was? When the chicken laid the egg.
Can we do that sequence? And the artists have given me a role that I can relate to.
Is the reason you asked me to the egg is because I look like an egg? All right, so let's do it.
They're flirting, they're looking at each other.
They're playing chicken.
Oooh.
Umm and back.
(ANTHONY) How you doin'? Oh-ho, I got an egg! Excuse me can I just come over this way? Thank you.
[GRUNTS.]
[SINGING IN VIETNAMESE.]
How you doing? Hello.
[SINGING IN VIETNAMESE.]
Where are you from? I'm from New York.
But I like Vietnam I love Viet It's the first time I've been in Vietnam.
You want to take a selfie? Can we take a selfie? Come on.
(ALL) Yay! Oh! [laughs.]
Everybody get in the picture! Squeeze in! How do you say cheese in Vietnamese? (ALL) Cheese! Cheese! What's the one thing in Vietnam I should see? What? Halong Bay? Let's go.
Halong Bay's on the northeast coast of Vietnam, about 100 miles from Hanoi.
Vietnamese legend says that a family of dragons lived here and spit jewels out of their mouths that became the islands that covered the bay.
Those islands stopped foreign invaders, because they were mesmerized by the island's beauty.
Today, Halong Bay is still mesmerizing foreigners.
Over 7 million people come here every year for vistas like this.
And I'm here to visit a hotel unlike any other I've ever been to.
Some hotels are near the water, but this one is literally on the water.
So this is a real water hotel, that's for sure.
Okay, this is my home for the next 24 hours.
This is the Red Dragon Junk Boat, which is a floating luxury hotel in one of the most surreal places in the world.
Okay.
Welcome on board! Well, we have the welcome drink to be here for you.
Oh, hi, how are you? How do you say cheers? Ah, we sing a song.
Mot hai ba yo! Mot hai ba yo! Mot hai ba yo! That's a good drink.
That's good? Very good.
You know what that means? Uhh That means we're gonna have a good cruise.
Thanks.
(ANTHONY) This 82-foot, 400-ton wooden wonder has been sailing Halong Bay for almost a decade.
It only hosts 11 guests at a time with seven staff members on hand to tend to their every need.
Let me ask you a question We're on a junk boat.
When I hear junk boat, I think of junk.
Where's the name "junk boat" come from? (ANTHONY) Right.
Junk boat means half-moon.
The half-moon.
(ANTHONY) In 2012, this was nominated as one of the seven wonders of nature.
And I can see why.
I mean, everywhere you look, all you see is a beautiful formation How old are these formations? Millions of years? Well, this is 400 million years old.
400 million years old.
So does my room live up to this view? Well, it will have a big window to see the views.
Yeah? Let's go see my room.
Yeah, okay.
What I love about this room It never lets you forget you're in Vietnam From the view to the décor to the sheets and to my favorite thing in the room.
Kimono.
I can get used to this.
It just feels luxurious.
Look at that view! My view's always changing, because my hotel's always moving.
But before I let myself get rocked to sleep by the waters on Halong Bay, I want to experience them the way the Vietnamese do.
This is an authentic, handmade junk owned by a fisherman from one of the famous local fishing villages.
My floating hotel offers sunset fishing trips as an amenity.
Look how beautiful this is! Look at the limestone rock.
Look how close you are! This is a special place.
There are only two floating fishing villages, and they are home to about 400 families.
There's my ride! Hello.
This is a cool ride.
Okay, so we're gonna row out there? Okay, show me how to do this.
[SPEAKING VIETNAMESE.]
Right, right, yeah.
Right, right, yeah.
[SINGING.]
Row, row, row your boat gently down the creek.
[NORMALLY.]
I'm doing good? Yeah? No.
No.
Oh, my god, wait It's much harder by myself.
I got this.
Okay, another thing I realize I suck at.
[SPEAKING VIETNAMESE.]
Okay, I got it.
Here we go.
[SPEAKING VIETNAMESE.]
Okay.
You're a tough boss, you know that? [SPEAKING VIETNAMESE.]
Oh, wow Look how beautiful that is.
Nowadays, these fishermen get most of their catch from the fish farms in their villages, but they wanna teach me the traditional method of fishing, which is way different than the way we fished in Brooklyn.
[SPEAKING VIETNAMESE.]
Both of them? Bang.
[BANGING NOISES.]
I was always told not to make noise when you're fishing.
The technique is to scare any fish around the boat into the floating nets.
[BANGING NOISES.]
Now it's time to get the net.
Can I help? Make believe I know what I'm doing.
Oh, wow now that's the smallest fish I've ever seen in my life.
Oh, crab! We got a crab.
So a lot of little fish.
Not a lot of big fish.
[SPEAKING VIETNAMESE.]
That's my big catch of the day right here.
That's why they call it fishing and not catching.
A lot of fishing and no fish, but it was beautiful.
All right, I'm tired.
Long day have a good night.
I'll see you in the morning.
Next, I'll show you how to take advantage of the largest hotel swimming pool in the world.
(ANTHONY) It's the last day of my journey and my last day on the floating extreme water hotel, the Red Dragon Junk in Halong Bay, Vietnam.
Being on a junk boat in Halong Bay, there's nothing like it The formations, the limestone, it's all shaped by water.
This whole area has been shaped by water, and if you're out here long enough, you feel like you're being shaped by water.
You don't have thousands of people around you.
You're just almost in a postcard going through Halong Bay and feeling the history and experiencing it.
That really makes you feel that you're living 200 years ago that's amazing.
But before this trip's over, I wanna do one thing you definitely can't do at any other hotel.
This is how you hotel.
This is my hotel.
This is my swimming pool.
How cool is that? Seventy-one percent of the world is covered by water, and the hotels that line the majestic shorelines from Mexico and Belize to the U.
K.
and all the way to Vietnam are some of the most extreme water hotels you'll ever see, so get out there, and get wet.