Maldives

An enduring favourite of TransIndus clients, Coco Palms Dhuni Kolhu is a low-key resort half-an-hour by sea plane northwest of Malé airport. Offering a luxurious experience without charging the sky-high prices of some of its competitors, the resort has also won accolades for its environmental management.

Every room faces the beach and the sand here is exquisitely soft and powdery, tapering into a dazzling, D-shaped lagoon. Access to the reef drop-off is easiest from the Deluxe Villas on the east side, but the Beach Villas on the west are more secluded and private. Terracotta tiles, conical thatched roofs and uneven walls create a pleasantly rustic feel. Finally, the diving is excellent: the reef attracts manta rays year round and, between June and November, numerous whale sharks.