The Maldives consist of more than a thousand islands, each surrounded by a lagoon and coral reef. Back in the 1970s, the term ‘Robinson Crusoe Tourism’ was coined here. Since then tourism has largely taken over from fishing (by dhoni boat) as the main source of income for Maldivians, but that takes nothing away from the setting.

These islands are the stuff of dreams; visitors kick off their shoes the moment they arrive, then sit back to take stock of their surroundings – the shimmering lagoons, the flawless beaches, the peace, the pampering and the last word in luxury amenities. Picking your resort is also a matter of picking an island – most are idyllic ‘private island resorts’ protected by a ring of coral reefs and just a short boat ride from some of the best dive sites in the world.