PARADISE FOUND

Lucy Halfhead savours the extraordinary soul-soothing pleasures of slow luxury on the sandy shores of the Maldives

There's always a sunrise and always a sunset, and it's up to you to choose to be there for it ... Put yourself in the way of beauty," wrote Cheryl Strayed in her 2012 memoir, Wild. Admittedly, that has been easier said than done in the past two years, given the number of travel restrictions to navigate. But things are thankfully easing up and it has become much easier for determined travellers to enjoy the azure skies, pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters so famously offered by the Maldives.

As over a quarter of its economy is dependent on tourism, the country has been hit especially hard by the pandemic but, as my friend and I discover, the Indian Ocean idyll is ready to reclaim its title as the world's ultimate luxury beach destination.

After a 40-minute seaplane flight from the international airport at Malé, we arrive at Niyama Private Islands Maldives, a heavenly resort spread languidly across two islands. There are 134 villas and pavilions, some nestled among the lush foliage on the shoreline, others branching out from long jetties that extend over the lagoon. If you're looking for the white sands, swaying palm trees and cerulean water with which the Maldives have become synonymous, you won't be disappointed. But Niyama offers so much more, challenging the country's conventional "honeymoon destination" label with an abundant array of activities and a pervading sense of fun for guests of all ages.