Taj Coral Reef Resort & Spa

Vivanta by Taj Coral Reef Maldives, in spite of (or perhaps by virtue of) its unwieldy name, is the sort of place that needs very little by way of explaining. It’s an overwater villa resort on a pocket-sized Maldivian island, and as is so often the case when it comes to this sort of hotel, in this part of the world, a significant portion of our readership will be already packing its bags. But for those who require some elaboration — or for those who need a capsule explanation of the genre — we’ll indulge in a little description.

The Taj group are no new hands when it comes to high-end hospitality. And the Maldives aren’t exactly rookies when it comes to the whole desert-island castaway fantasy. Half of the sixty-odd thatched-roof villas are of the overwater variety, with ladders in place so that it’s only a couple of steps from the bedroom to the shallow lagoon. The beach villas, however, are scarcely less impressive, boasting added indoor and outdoor space to make up for the unspeakable privation of opening straight onto the beach rather than straight into the water. It’s perhaps a matter of personal preference but we can’t imagine anyone’s complaining.

Just be sure you’re ready to disconnect for a bit. Electronic communications are of course effortlessly provided, but don’t expect to stroll into town or shop the local galleries. There aren’t any. Once you’ve completed the sub-one-hour speedboat ride from Malé airport you’re alone with your thoughts, your companion and the sea. Which is, needless to say, more or less entirely the point.