Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru

Landaa Giraavaru is one of the larger resort islands in the Maldives, and it uses the space well: villas sit far apart among banyan trees and thick vegetation rather than lined up along a single strip of sand. Bicycles are the usual way to get around, and a good part of the island is left deliberately unmanicured, which is unusual in a country where most resorts are groomed to within an inch of their lives.

The resort sits inside the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and its Marine Discovery Centre runs a long-standing coral restoration and manta ray research programme in partnership with visiting scientists. Between roughly May and November, plankton blooms draw manta rays and whale sharks into nearby Hanifaru Bay, and guests can join monitored snorkelling trips out to the feeding aggregations.

Wellness is taken seriously rather than treated as an add-on, with a dedicated ayurvedic retreat, resident practitioners and multi-day programmes running alongside the more conventional spa treatments. Dining spans a beachfront grill, a tasting-menu restaurant and an overwater venue, and families are well catered for with a large children's club and dedicated teen space.