Almost all beaches in the Maldives is perfect, but in terms of luxury, Soneva Gili Resort was still at the top. Each villa is equipped with private butler who will take you to a quiet private beach complete with hammocks and a picnic on request.
The Madives offer spectacular diving in the Indian Ocean, with warm, shallow lagoons that are perfect for beginners and deeper channels with faster currents for the more experienced. If you’re looking for wrecks, the Maldives Victory will provide your fix. It hit the island of Hulhulé in 1981 and, along with building materials and provisions, met its watery grave.
If coral is more your thing, Banana Reef has all the colored coral and marine life you could ask for, complete with fish that swim up close. Finally, if you’re the kind of diver who isn’t happy until you’ve stared into the beady black eyes of a killer shark, then Shark Point may be the dive site for you: Expect gray reef and whitetip reef sharks to keep you company.
Maldives
The perfectly named Cocoa Island has it all: silky white sand underfoot, a lagoon that couldn’t be bluer if it tried, and a specifically built five-star resort that, for once, matches the pictures in the travel brochure. Set over water, 33 villas are available for guests to check into, while facilities include beautifully manicured gardens, shimmering swimming pools, an on-site spa, yoga pavilion, water-sport center, and an elegant restaurant offering lip-smackingly good Thai food. The beach is very beautiful and natural. The actual island itself is about as eco-friendly as it gets, with a strict green policy that ensures its pristine natural environment remains pristine. Think Castaway, but with romantic teak decking.
