The Maldives: Which island to choose?

Even if you visited an island a day, it would take over three years to see every exquisite coral island in the Maldives. Not all the islands are open to tourists but as over 80 have been transformed into idyllic holiday retreats, you'll still have an enormous range to chose from.

Skilfully designed and constructed to complement the natural beauty of their surroundings, these island resorts range from medium class three-star to deluxe five-star and each has a style and personality of its own.

But how do you choose which one? To help you with your decision we've highlighted five fantastic resorts and stated why we think they're worth a visit. We even sent a journalist to check them out first and let you know what to expect.

Wherever you stay, you'll find immaculate powder-soft white sand beaches and shallow lagoons perfect for swimming and reef snorkelling.

Most islands also have a range of room types to suit all budgets (from comfortable beach bungalows to luxurious water villas), indulgent spa centres, thrilling watersports and a selection of international restaurants.

Many can be reached within an hour by speedboat, but the outlying resorts are more easily accessible by seaplane. A journey in one of these twin-engine tubs is a treat in itself as it is only from the air that their true beauty is revealed.

Atolls stretch away like vast necklaces of sparkling jewels – ruby-coloured reefs encircling lagoons of brilliant turquoise and perfect desert islands, each a dab of verdant green fringed with white gold, all set against the deep, velvety, midnight blue of the Indian Ocean.