Maldives

It takes around forty minutes by sea plane to reach Kuredu Island, on Lhaviyani Atoll, in the northern Maldives. Roughly a kilometre in length, the islet tapers to a sharp spit of sand, fringed on all sides by brilliant turquoise water.

Seven grades of accommodation are on offer here, ranging from cosy garden bungalows to stilted water villas and, at the top of the range, the ultra-luxurious Sulthan Villas, which come with their own private pools. Facilities include a 6-hole, par-3 golf course with driving range, and a gym. The snorkelling’s exceptional too: excursions on to the reef take you to a site where giant rays gather in numbers, and dolphins routinely appear at sunset time.