Maldives

The Maldives is all luminous water, white sand and the sort of luxury that makes time feel deliciously loose. I remember it in shades of blue and green: overwater villas with steps straight into the Indian Ocean, beach lunches with crab curry and sandy feet, breakfast in pyjamas above the water, slow resort days and one unforgettable lunch in an underwater room where the fish drifted past as if they owned the place.