Vakkaru Maldives

The Maldives are synonymous by now with the concept of overwater bungalows. This tiny island nation’s most salient cultural export is that most extravagant of hospitality forms, where the shallow, crystalline waters of the Indian Ocean lap gently at the deck of your luxury villa. Actually, to focus too much on the overwater villas is to sell Vakkaru Maldives short; the beach villas are scarcely less extraordinary, and are ideal for guests who prefer to stride across a stretch of soft sand on their way from the bedroom to the water.

As you may have gathered, life at Vakkaru Maldives is not exactly difficult. Upon arrival at Malé Airport you’ll be whisked to a separate seaplane terminal for the 25-minute flight to the island. (Or you’ll fly commercial to Baa Atoll, and arrive via speedboat). Your villa, whether on the beach or over the water, will contain all the luxe necessities, from espresso machines and Bluetooth audio to butler service. Some, incredibly, add private pools — for when the ocean isn’t quite enough — and at the high end they grow to palatial proportions, culminating in the four-bedroom Overwater Pool Residence.

Villas like these are hard to leave, but Vakkaru offers plenty of inducement, from the simple pleasures of the beach and the spa to the dive center, your ticket to the incredible undersea environment of Vakkaru’s lagoon. There’s even a marine biologist on staff, as well as excursions by speedboat or dhoni to watch dolphins or explore the surrounding atoll.