Six Senses Laamu is the only five-star resort on the remote Laamu Atoll in the southern Maldives, reached by a 65-minute seaplane flight from Malé. Villas sit either on stilts over the water or on the beachfront among the vegetation, and resident dolphins, rays and parrotfish swim along the shores. Days can be spent exploring uninhabited islands, island hopping or relaxing on secluded sandbanks. Board basis and the villa total are not published on the resort site, so check both before you book.

Fifteen villa categories are published, from Lagoon Water Villas and Ocean Water Villas to Lagoon Beach Villas with Pool and Family Beach Villas with Pool. Two Bedroom Beach Villas with Pool suit larger parties, while The Retreat offers three and four bedrooms. Choose water villas for an upper dining deck and a glass sunken bathtub, or the beachfront for more space.

You can surf the Yin Yang break with Tropicsurf, or try windsurfing, wakeboarding, water skiing and catamaran sailing. Diving, snorkelling and fishing are available, and the resort has volleyball, football, badminton, table tennis and a Jungle Cinema. Children have the complimentary Snorkeling Den, and the Maldives Underwater Initiative runs a junior marine biology programme.

A free-form pool of 700 sq.m. is the main place to swim. Six Senses Spa has nine treatment nests set on the beach or among the landscaping, plus a steam room, a juice bar, a nail bar and a relaxation and biohacking area. Programmes cover sleep, fitness and detox, and the spa is open daily from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm. For exercise there is a fitness centre, a yoga studio and a rooftop yoga pavilion.

Six restaurants and an ice cream parlour share the island. Leaf is adults-only, with Mediterranean cooking built on produce from the organic gardens. Zen serves Japanese fusion, Kaji offers teppanyaki, Sip serves pizzas and grills beside the pool, and Longitude opens the day with a breakfast buffet. Altitude pairs a five-course dinner with four wines in a cellar of over 300 labels.

The resort is the only one in the Laamu Atoll, so the surrounding islands, sandbanks and house reef are the main sights. Turtle Safari snorkelling and island hopping are among the experiences. High season runs from November to April, surf season from April to October, and turtles may nest near villas from May to September. Spinner and bottlenose dolphins are commonly spotted at sea, and the Sea Hub for Environmental Learning in Laamu is based on the island.