The Atolls and Overwater Villas

The Maldives, a nation of over a thousand tiny coral islands scattered across a chain of turquoise atolls in the Indian Ocean, is the ultimate tropical paradise, a byword for barefoot luxury and honeymoon romance. Each classic resort occupies its own private island, ringed by powder-white sand and impossibly clear, warm lagoons in every shade of blue. The signature image is the overwater villa, a thatched bungalow perched on stilts above the reef, with steps straight down into the sea, offering seclusion, serenity and unrivalled tropical beauty.

What you actually see

• The overwater villas - the iconic stilted bungalows above the lagoon.
• The lagoons and beaches - the powder-white sand and turquoise water.
• The house reefs - the coral and marine life off each island.
• The sunsets and stars - the ocean sunsets and clear night skies.

When to go

November to April, the dry northeast-monsoon season, for the sunniest, calmest weather and best visibility; the wetter season from May to October brings more rain and wind but lower prices and good manta and whale-shark activity. The lagoons are warm and swimmable year-round.

Honest expectations

The Maldives is expensive, and the private-island resort model means you are largely confined to one island with resort dining and activity prices, so it is a splurge destination for relaxation rather than exploration or budget travel; local-island guesthouses offer a cheaper alternative. Low-lying, it is acutely threatened by rising seas. For sheer tropical beauty and serenity, though, few places on earth compare.

Nearby

The capital Malé and the local islands lie among the atolls.