The Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru is situated just 30 minutes north of Male and reached by sea plane. Flying over the sandy islands of the Maldives, the myriad of azure shades is an arresting sight to behold.

The Four Seasons Land-Sea combination proves to be a seamless experience. The staff at Landaa Giraavaru already know our names, and they greet us with the same warmth we have experienced throughout our trip. They are even aware of our preference for chilled Sauvignon Blanc!

This Four Seasons resort is unlike anything else we have experienced. It has a wild natural beauty blended with luxurious seclusion. The resort occupies the entire 44 acres of the island, and gently slopes into a stunning two metre lagoon, achingly beautiful even by Maldivian standards.

The architects chose to embrace the island's raw wilderness, rather than over-develop it and it has a refreshingly different feel. Its understated level of luxury encourages us to kick off our shoes and tune into the natural beauty of our surroundings.

The resort is built following traditional Maldivian and Sri Lankan architectural principles and was designed by Sri Lanka's most celebrated interior designer, Geoffrey Bawa. Entry to each residential villa is through a turquoise gate where coral walls and lush vegetation achieve maximum privacy. Each bungalow and villa features a private plunge pool, day bed and decked living and dining pavilions. The 102 thatched beach and water bungalows and villas are truly extravagant with their abundance of personal indoor and outdoor living space.

This time, we stay in a Water Villa with a private pool, located along a jetty. The sunrise and sunsets are spectacular; best enjoyed from our outdoor deck where late afternoon drifts easily into evening. The deck has a separate lounge and dining area, sea level shower deck and a sea-gazing loft accessed by a spiral staircase where we soak in the spectacular Indian Ocean views.

For those seeking a truly unique experience, the Four Seasons have introduced a first for the Maldives; a new Villa concept of ‘Land and Ocean' Villas. Combining the attraction of land based accommodation and private water frontage with the appeal of sleeping over the water; it's truly the very best of both worlds.

True to form, The Fours Seasons Landaa Giraavaru lives up to the exceptional dining experiences of its sister resorts. ‘Blu', the Italian restaurant with two separate restaurant and bar pavilions flank a ‘sunset' swimming pool, while overlooking the seemingly endless lagoon where the ocean meets the sky.

In true Four Seasons style, every conceivable need and want was satisfied. They have perfected the art of friendliness combined with professionalism. From the moment we  arrived to the moment the staff waved good bye, the Four Seasons Maldives Land - Sea experience was unforgettable.

By Toby & Kirsten MacKelden