On Location: Maldives

Marie Claire's beauty team splashes down in the Indian Ocean

Marie Claire's beauty team splashes down in the Indian Ocean

We stayed at...

The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi (thesunsiyam.com/irufushi), a five-star resort on Noonu Atoll with 221 beachfront and over-water villas, 11 bars and restaurants and a wealth of activities for couples and families. In July deluxe beach villas cost from £312 per night with breakfast, or Southall Travel (southalltravel.co.uk) offers seven nights from £1,195 per person including return flights with Turkish Airlines, transfers and breakfast.

White nights: a deluxe beach villa with pool at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi

Our top five things to do...

Snorkel or dive in that blissful water.

Try kite-boarding.

Dine on freshly-caught tuna at the Islander's Grill.

Visit the spa for traditional Maldivian, Chinese and Ayurvedic treatments.

Read Gatecrashing Paradise: Misadventures in the Real Maldives (£10.99; Nicholas Brealey), an entertaining travelogue that visits the corners of the Maldives most tourists never see.

Calm waters: if you want to truly relax, it has to be the Maldives

Let's go...

British Airways (ba.com) flies direct from Gatwick to Malé between October and March, from £769 return. Seaplane transfers to Iru Fushi take 40 minutes. Peak season is December through to April when temperatures average between 26°C and 30°C. The rainy season begins in May through to November, but the weather is still warm and prices lower. Maldives (£14.99; Lonely Planet) covers the islands, useful websites are visitmaldives.com and sevenholidays.com.

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