The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word KAMPONGS
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
K
A
M
P
O
N
G
S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "some villages" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case some villages = kampongs.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does KAMPONGS mean?
KAMPONGS noun- (Cambodia) A landing, a port; a river town.
- (Brunei) A traditional Malay village.
- A district or suburb where a former kampung stood.