NIVA Velassaru, Universal Resorts Verified listing

NIVA Velassaru is a private island retreat on the tiny 35 km island of South Malé Atoll in the Maldives. It is the choice for a serenity-luxury escape, a barefoot honeymoon away from it all: pristine white sands, crystalline water in aquamarine shades,  swaying palms. The adventure starts from your Malé airport pick-up – a 25-minute private boat escort across the expanse of the Indian Ocean. At the hotel, a glass of complimentary champagne sets the tone for proceedings. For the happy couple, we vote for a villa on the archipelago of overwater bungalows on the lagoon, complete with private deck and pool, or a beachfront villa, which give the lucky recipients private access to their own vista view (naturally all decked out with L’Occitane scrubs and Nespresso coffee). NIVA Velassaru elevates the post-wedding unwind with an in-house spa on the lagoon: treatments incorporate indigenous ingredients like a scrub with Maldivian coral sand and cult products from Margaret Dabbs’ London line. Sunset Ashtanga, Hatha and stretch yoga sessions are available on the sand, alongside Pilates and barre in dedicated studios and diving, windsurfing, coral planting or a couples’ doubles tennis match. And if all that sounds a bit too appealing, NIVA Velassaru also offers bespoke destination weddings: you can say your “I dos” on a private sandbank or a secluded beach.