Once you've arrived, the Maldives is about savouring a handful of perfect experiences rather than rushing between sights:

• An overwater villa night — even for one night, sleeping above a glowing lagoon is worth the splurge.

• Snorkelling the house reef — dawn brings manta rays, turtles and reef sharks gliding over the coral.

• A private sandbank picnic — be dropped on your own sliver of sand with nothing but sea and sky.

• The bioluminescent shore — on certain nights, glowing plankton light the water an ethereal blue.

Resist the urge to over-plan. The greatest luxury here is unstructured time — long, slow, and entirely your own.