Huvafen Fushi Beach bungalows

Huvafen Fushi Ocean Pavilion, originally uploaded by weirdcreep.

Best for: Celebs, city slickers and trend setters - anyone whose paradise is a buzzy contemporary setting. Huvafen Fushi is the Maldives' answer to the Touessrok on Mauritius.

Beach bungalows get their own patch of sand and have bathrooms opening out onto plunge pools in a walled garden with a deck for sunbathing and Thai massage. There are lots of high-tech gizmos, from remote-controlled light switches to large plasma screen televisions.

Those staying in over-the-water villas can cool down in their private plunge pool or simply jump into the warm sea surrounding them. The water is the key theme here - all rooms have a sea view, and there's an over-the-water restaurant whose roof is made to look like an upturned dhoni hull, as well as an over-the-water gym and yoga pavilion. Expect to see an underwater bar within a year.