Outstanding Stays: JOALI, Maldives

The Look

Occupying a mere dot of an isle in the impossibly pristine Raa Atoll - a scenic whoosh from Malé by seaplane - this has to be one of the most heart-swelling stays in the Indian Ocean.

Lassoed by talcum-white sands and fronded by gently swaying banana palms, it’s a masterful combination of boundary-pushing design and barefoot loveliness. Hawksbill turtles, eagle rays and clown triggerfish grace the cerulean shallows, curved wooden boardwalks snake their way past cushion-strewn cabanas, and scattered amid the dense, jungly foliage is a stupendous slew of immersive artworks, some of them sizeable enough to climb into for a postprandial snooze.

The thatch-roofed villas - tricked out in a soothing palette of sorbet shades - echo their paradisiacal surrounds with muslin-draped beds, hints of bamboo, and great sliding glass doors that lead out onto stilted, ocean-gazing sundecks.

The Feel

Such is the glorious sense of seclusion here, you could joyfully while away an entire week without glimpsing another soul. Days float by in a sun-splashed rapture of contented sighs and knockout vistas; the warm, pellucid waters are just right for lolling about in, service is silky-smooth as can be, and the soulful, beachy playlist is the cherry on top. It’s the kind of place you can kick off your shoes upon arrival and pay them no mind until check out rolls around - a paean, if you will, to out-and-out island bliss.

The Experience

Though you’d be forgiven for spending the best part of your trip splayed out supine on the icing-sugar shores, well-thumbed paperback in hand, there’s such a lot to take in should you muster the motivation to get out and explore, from islet-hopping aboard a traditional wooden dhoni to snorkelling beside gargantuan manta rays. Afternoons are best punctuated with trips to the ice cream counter for mouthwatering scoops of tangy mango sorbet, and if the mood strikes to slow the pace again, there are perception-shifting meditation sittings with a roll call of visiting healers. Not one thing has been left to chance here and yet it all feels oh-so-effortless. Time it so you’re down on the beach for the last of the day’s rays, combing for shells and drinking it all in - the skies segue into the most extraordinary shade of peachy-pink come sunset.

Insider info

Those keen to get better acquainted with the world beneath the water can dive into the vast expanse of blue with resident marine biologist, Samantha, who’s been in the throes of an applause-worthy reef restoration project since the hotel flung open its doors.

Getting There

Fly direct to Malé International Airport from London Heathrow. From there it’s 45 minutes on a seaplane to JOALI.