Maldives
Establishment
neighborhood
Soneva Jani
Medhufaru Island, Noonu Atoll
At Soneva Jani, zipping across the island on bikes, barefoot, is the norm. The spa occupies two complexes, one perched over the jungle and the other over the sea. (You can do a full-on panchakarma program with the resort’s resident Ayurveda experts, or follow up your massage with an hour in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber.) Every accommodation is a one-to four-bedroom house on the beach or over the water, with private pools and full kitchens. In the master bedrooms, retractable roofs allow for stargazing from bed. Restaurant options abound.
This property is especially good for families; kids cruise for sunset dolphin sightings and learn their way around a surf break. And nearly every villa has a two-story waterslide, which plunges either into the pool or directly into the turquoise sea.
Soneva Fushi
Kunfunadhoo Island, Baa Atoll
The Soneva family of resorts may be situated on some of the most gorgeous land in the world, sure, but what really gets our hearts beating faster is their dedication to a form of tourism that goes even beyond sustainable. It’s called Slow Life, which breaks down to: Sustainable-Local-Organic-Wellness Learning-Inspiring-Fun-Experiences. Here, you truly disconnect from all the business at home, and connect instead with a stunningly, pristine landscape (including a UNESCO protected coral reef). There are 55 villas here, which have anything from three to nine bedrooms (making this epic for a big group of friends or family reunion), and the focus is equally on ensuring that kids have a great time, whether it’s in the open-air cinema, at the observatory, or riding bikes around the island. (It doesn’t hurt that they offer 60 kinds of ice cream.)