Soneva Fushi

The Maldives are an oddity, a vast archipelago of a thousand tiny islands seemingly tailor-made for tourism — and this particular island, home to Soneva Fushi, is perhaps the archetypal Maldives destination. Here a spectacular soft white sand beach rings a modest expanse of jungle and looks out into the impossibly blue Indian Ocean, over crystal-clear waters home to some of the world’s best diving and snorkeling.

It’s only natural that a Maldives resort should be a model of sustainability, as even a modest rise in ocean levels would wipe many of these islands off the map. No worries there: Soneva Fushi’s low-impact, renewable approach has won it the President of Maldives’ Green Resort Award not once but twice.

Soneva Fushi is not a small resort, but it feels exceedingly intimate; the sixty-plus thatched-roof villas are scattered along the coastline, tucked away in the foliage along the edge of the jungle, and the private owners encourage a casual atmosphere — shoes, for example, are removed for the duration of your stay.

The accommodations are nothing if not luxurious, though traditional in style. Modern conveniences like CD stereo systems and televisions with DVD players are hidden from view, and rooms of all sizes come with outdoor sitting areas and indoor/outdoor bathrooms. The aim at Soneva Fushi is to offer a kind of experience that is as if each villa were on a private desert island, with its own white sand beach just steps away.

However you’re certainly not alone on this island. A world-class dive center provides equipment and instruction to those guests who are here to see the undersea life, and a spa and fitness center will see to those who favor dry land. There are two bars, one exclusively used at sunset, and two restaurants serve a decadent Asian or Mediterranean cuisine accompanied by an extensive wine list. And should you wish for an even more intimate venue, you’ll be ferried out to a remote and tiny private island for a “desert island picnic” — as close to the real experience as you’re likely to want to get.

How to get there:
From Malẻ International Airport, guests are escorted to the Soneva Fushi lounge at the seaplane terminal. Vacation adventures begin with the 30-minute flight north to the island of Kunfunadhoo in the Baa Atoll. The water landing is at the Soneva Fushi airport pontoon, from which guests are transferred by motor boat to the island’s jetty.