HOME AND AWAY

Beyond glorious ocean views and delectable menus with a sustainable focus, the Hilton Maldives Amingiri cocoons guests in its heartfelt hospitality.

- Joe Tan

The Maldives is one of an exalted handful of travel destinations that has achieved almost mythological status. Even though stories of its natural beauty have been retold countless times, it somehow still manages to thrill the sense of being when one actually takes in its sights and sounds for the first time.

Comprising 26 atolls—ring-shaped natural landscapes formed by extinct volcanoes—stretching north and south of the Equator, the Maldivian Archipelago is roughly 99 percent water and one percent land, and it is here that some of the world’s most exclusive resorts have been built.

The latest is the Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa, the fourth property under the Hilton portfolio in the island nation. Occupying the entire Amingiri Island in the North Malé Atoll, the resort has 109 beach and overwater villas. Accessible from Velana International Airport via a 20-minute luxury speedboat service provided by the Hilton, you can sink your toes in powdery white sand within an hour of your arrival.

From the patio of my one-bedroom overwater villa, the impressive sight of the Indian Ocean and cool breeze promises to ease the senses from the get-go. Those with the willpower to pull themselves out of bed in the early dawn are rewarded with a world-class view of the water glistening like iridescent fabric in the golden sun. Looking up in the small hours, I can see the stars on a cloudless night as clearly as though it was day— di’ erent from the sunrise yet just as awe-inspiring.