Maldives

‘Luxury beach vacation’ is now synonymous with the Maldives. This tiny sprinkle of paradise in the Indian Ocean is expensive. It’s usually reserved as a honeymoon destination – the one time in your life that is considered special enough to justify the outlay.

Whilst now there is a growing number of independent guesthouses amongst the local towns and some form of public transportation between the islands, the name of the game in the Maldives is high-end luxury resorts. Each resort is its very own island – no mingling with any outside riff raff, or anyone at all if you so wish. You could actually spend your entire vacation/honeymoon not seeing anyone else. Just you, powder-fine sand, crystal clear ocean, and the underwater utopia of coral reefs and marine life.

Choose a resort based on your (hopefully unlimited) budget and your purpose. There’s resorts optimised for those who want to focus on lots of water sports, particularly diving, or those that are best for a family vacation, or those uber-romantic ones for newlyweds.

When it comes to ‘what to do in the Maldives’, it’s fairly simple. Relax. Absorb the pure serenity. Enjoy the most opulent resort you’ll ever find yourself in. Snorkel. Swim. Repeat.