Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Maldives

Character and identity

Set on Emboodhu Finolhu, a private island ringed by one of the Maldives' largest lagoons, this 64-villa resort delivers the postcard idea of the archipelago: thatched overwater villas with wood-lined interiors, blinding white sand, leaning palms and panoramic Indian Ocean views from every terrace. The pace is deliberately slow, the design unflashy and tropical rather than architecturally bold. Jiva Spa runs Indian-rooted therapies with a resident Ayurveda physician on hand, and dining stretches from Deep End's European cooking to a Japanese restaurant and elaborate set-pieces: Tree Top, Dug-out Beach, Ocean Pavilion and, tides permitting, Sandbank Dining. Service register is warm and attentive.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What you're paying for here is the lagoon itself and the quiet: an overwater villa from which you slip directly into clear water teeming with reef life, then a sunset cruise or candlelit dinner on the sand. Book an overwater villa rather than a beach category, prioritise a sandbank or Ocean Pavilion dinner during your stay, and aim for the drier months when in-water visibility is at its best.