A weekend away in the Maldives is a special adventure, whether you’re headed to a divers paradise, honeymoon hotel or even embarking upon a working retreat, the azure blue of the sea is as mesmerising out of the plane window as it is from the island itself. A short sea-plane ride from the capital lies Niyama, an island that’s got plenty for you to explore with 4 km’s of jungle and beach, that you can wander around by bicycle. 
From the beach villas, looking out on your private pool is as postcard-worthy as it is stepping out beyond onto your slice of beach. You could get lost watching the waves gently take back some of their land with every kiss of the beach, as the sun slowly dips below the horizon, casting an electric orange glow across the open ocean that lies in front of you. If like me you’re only missing an umbrella-clad coconut from this picture… rest assured there’s plenty around. 
A whole host of restaurants dot the shoreline that vary from themed a la carte offerings to bespoke fish markets with plenty of fresh catch to choose from. The reef fish is a must-try, a little disconcerting if you’ve just been snorkeling with them at sunset mind but you’ll soon learn to adjust to island life. 
What’s totally unique if you’re not too keen on getting to grips with the marine life the more traditional way (by getting wet) is their underwater restaurant, located on it’s own little sunset hotspot just off the island’s coast. A quick pontoon ride away and you’ve landed at ‘Subsix’ which turns in to a nightclub and a bit of a glow party once the sun goes down. Dancing with the fish is a new one on me…
The pièce de résistance for me is the newly opened a fully functioning surf bar at the very tip of the island. A shoreline entry with some beautifully cresting waves on the most impossibly clear water. Don’t be surprised if a turtle pops his head up to say hello too!
