Reached by a 45 minute luxury boat transfer, or a 20 minute seaplane flight.

22 miles from Malé in the North Malé Atoll.

Each of the 122 villas is either set on its own secluded patch of sandy shore or on stilts over the water. Beach Villas have one or two bedrooms and are a good choice for families, while Water Villas exude romance and so are perfect for couples. All feature stylish natural furnishings, flat screen satellite TV, surround sound, iPod docking station, a DVD/CD player and personal 24-hour Villa Concierge to see to your every need. As well as a large soaking bath and cascading shower, each villa also has its own verandah or over-water deck. The popular Water Villas with Pool are a great choice for their generous outdoor living space, including a private infinity pool hovering over the lagoon. Grand Water Villas with Pool feature a separate living room, outdoor dining space and 23 sq metre private pool, and we also like the exceptional three bedroom Grand Sunset Residence with fully equipped kitchen and personal chef.

The resort’s 7 restaurants are all superb and the imaginative menus include fresh seafood, chargrills and sushi. Reethi Restaurant fuses Mediterranean and Far Eastern flavours, while Tapasake is a first class Japanese restaurant. Fanditha is a feet-in-the sand Middle Eastern themed affair with a laid back ambience and the Beach Club serves delicious Latin American cuisine. We can highly recommend Botanica, which offers al fresco dining under the Banyan tree, utilising island grown produce and Rabarbaro for authentic Italian cuisine in the most picturesque spot on the island. There is also the option to enjoy a candlelit dinner in the privacy of your own villa.

• Bed & Breakfast

A one week stay is long enough to gain a PADI Open Water Dive qualification and you’ll be amongst some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. Deep sea fishing, sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing and snorkelling are all available, as are gentler pursuits such as dolphin watching and desert island picnics. The resort has a large central lap pool facing the ocean and dedicated KidsOnly and OneTribe Clubs (4-11 yrs). Do save some time for the award-winning One&Only Spa, which offers Ayurvedic and authentic therapies and includes saunas, steam rooms, vitality pools and a beauty centre offering manicures and pedicures by French Podiatrist Bastien Gonzalez and his team. There is also a Chi Pavilion offering Tai Chi, yoga and Pilates.

Parents must sign a waiver for children under 12 yrs staying in a Water Villa.