Sapphire, indigo, cobalt, aquamarine, turquoise, powder blue. On Naladhu Island, one of the tropical atolls that make up the Maldives, I awoke to more hues of blue than I thought possible. They, like the many relaxing distractions on the island, stretched for as far as the eye could see.

My first morning on Naladhu, which means beautiful island, presented me with a kaleidoscopic array of pleasures to pursue. I could call Andre, the resident yoga instructor, and arrange to salute the sun in fine style on the expansive deck overlooking the Indian Ocean, upon which shells washed up overnight. I could dive into the glistening green plunge pool, then, while waiting for breakfast, I could stretch out on the sun-lounge and watch moray eels and electric-blue gropers dart about below. Or I could kick back in the huge, swinging daybed and sip my freshly brewed gourmet coffee while sea-birds pranced in the shallows and flying fish formed sparks of silver. There were as many options as there were shades of blue.

Blue wonders

The Maldives is a name that has long suspended itself in my imagination, much like the seductively salty air that enveloped our bungalow. It is a place whose beauty and promise of supreme luxury and heady escapism are spoken of in almost reverential tones; and, from first sight, the Maldives presented themselves as a jewel-like arrangement of lapis, emerald and glittering, diamond-coloured sand.

As is apt for a watery wonderland, Male airport occupies an island all its own and, rather than the usual scrum of taxis, speedboats and seaplanes stand by to whisk visitors to their island fantasy. Poised for serious sybaritic exploration, I sipped a cocktail and gazed longingly at the ocean, broken occasionally by pods of dolphins and shimmering flying fish. Any lingering detritus of urban angst blew away with the breeze that ruffled my hair.

Our butler on Naladhu Island, Mastooq, welcomed us with a warm smile and a cool, lemongrass-scented towel. We realised we hadn’t merely travelled to another country; we had, in fact, journeyed into an altogether different realm. Our very private and super-spacious “house” combined old-world colonial charms, such as antiques, whirring fans, lemongrass incense, a vanity area complete with handcrafted jewellery boxes, a double bed-sized love swing and art palette, with every mod con imaginable. The sense of this being an all-encompassing pleasure zone was confirmed by the choice of four outdoor lounging spots, an outdoor bathroom with luxurious herbal potions, steam room and huge bathtub festooned with rose petals, ín–house dining, spas and meditation lessons.

But beyond the stylish, lowkey glamour of our house lay temptations well worth stirring for. Some days, we’d kayak out to the reef’s edge and swim amid a whirl of incandescent fish and intricate corals, or —hop aboard a dhoni, a traditional Maldivian sailboat, and seek out dolphins, empty islets and seascapes rendered all the more surreal by the deep, violet-hued water.

Snorkelling in these parts practically guarantees you will see something so mesmerising you will lose yourself in the mélange of colour. Each time we sought out a new section of reef, time dissolved and a planned short snorkel somehow segued into an underwater epic. Many a time, I’d emerge feeling so blissed out from the aquatic magic I would have to reschedule an afternoon activity or session in the superb over-water spa on sister island, Anantara. That’s the beauty of Naladhu: you get the best of both worlds — the private rarified beauty of nature and the exotic luxury provided by world-class destinations such as Anantara.

At day’s end, there were few dilemmas. The only place to be was in our private beach cabana, sipping champagne as we enjoyed the slow–motion sorbet sunset and watched as the moon rose over the water and the sounds of small, lapping waves sent us drifting into sleep.