Elite Traveler Spring 2021

EXPLORE MALDIVES

ISLAND-HOPPING IN THEMALDIVES

by Luke Abrahams

Unrivaled island luxury, stunning white-sand beaches and a truly otherworldly underwater environment make the Maldives one of the world’s most unique and coveted places. Ask anyone who’s been lucky enough to visit, and they’ll tell you that it’s home to the best beaches on the planet — truly paradisiacal scenes. They are not lying. There is nowhere else in the universe that can compete with the consistently perfect, whiter-than-white powder sands and luminous cyan-blue waters of this remote paradise. The 26 vast atolls that sprawl throughout the Arabian Sea shine like a shimmering broken necklace. So the only question is —where to stay? Exclusivity rules supreme here — practically every resort is its own secluded slice of private island living, with major hotels constantly competing to conquer all the on-trend perks of off-the-scale luxury. Countless retreats have private lap pools, over-the-water villas (many with slides) and even underwater restaurants and suites. Beyond the romance of the five- and

six-star palaces, nature awaits. The Maldives is a must for anyone who has a soft spot for marine life: dazzling coral reefs, majestically colored caves, rainbow schools of fish, manta rays, turtles and huge whale sharks lurk in the depths. Of course, with such a plethora of nature and wildlife, most resorts have stellar eco-credentials, too — from solar-powered structures to coral nurseries and designated eco-centers. Now that we’ve tempted you, Elite Traveler has chosen some of the grandest, iconic and most exclusive Maldivian hideaways where you can enjoy your next lazy hazy summer, from grand dames to Robinson Crusoe castaways and the most fabulous private islands known to man. While you can certainly hop from island to island (seaplanes are the norm here, or sail through the turquoise waters to get to your next destination), there’s so much to do (or not to do, depending on your preference) that it’s easy to spend your whole vacation on just one island for a true escape from it all.