The Maldives holidays

The Maldives is the Indian Ocean's most-iconic beach archipelago — 1,200 coral islands across 26 atolls south-west of Sri Lanka, with the world's lowest natural high-point (just 2.4 metres above sea level), and a tourism model based around the "one island, one resort" concept (each resort occupies its own private island, accessed by speedboat or seaplane from the capital Malé). The overwater bungalow originated in French Polynesia but the Maldives perfected it — virtually every resort offers overwater villas with direct-lagoon-access, glass-bottom floors, private plunge pools, and personalised butler service. Headline experiences beyond the resort: house-reef snorkelling (the corals come right up to the beach at most resorts, with reef-sharks, eagle rays, sea turtles, vast schools of reef fish), manta-ray cleaning stations at Hanifaru Bay (June-November), whale-shark spotting in South Ari Atoll (year-round but best November-April), the dive sites at Maaya Thila, Fish Head, Banana Reef, and Kuredu Express.

A 7-10 day Maldives trip: Malé arrival → transfer to your chosen island (speedboat for North Malé and South Malé atoll resorts, 30-60 minutes; seaplane for the further-out atolls including Baa, Lhaviyani, Noonu, and Dhaalu, 45-60 minutes) → 6-9 nights at one resort with daily activities: snorkelling, diving (often with the resort's PADI 5-star centre), sunset dolphin cruises, sandbank picnics, spa treatments (the Maldives spa scene is consistently world-class), private dinner on the beach. Resort selection is the trip-defining decision — the splurge tier (Soneva Fushi, Soneva Jani, Joali, Cheval Blanc Randheli, Anantara Kihavah, Velaa, Vakkaru, Naladhu) costs £1,500-5,000/night; the high-mid tier (Six Senses Laamu, Park Hyatt Hadahaa, Constance Halaveli, Niyama, COMO Cocoa Island, Conrad Rangali) £700-1,500/night; the entry-luxury tier (Kuramathi, Kuredu, Reethi Beach, Centara Ras Fushi) £350-700/night.