Secluded resorts for private honeymooners

Small but perfectly formed, Maafushivaru in the South Ari Atoll, has two gloriously wide beaches and a vast shallow lagoon to splash about in. Fans of the colourful underworld can snorkel around the resort’s pristine house reef, and if you sign up for one of the dive centre’s boat trips, you’ve got a good chance of spotting turtles, manta rays and whale sharks. Villas are light and airy, making the most of the spectacular surroundings, and there’s plenty to delight the soul on the dining front with a Mediterranean restaurant and a zingy Japanese. Best of all, with just 48 villas and a strict adult-only policy, there’s little chance of anyone or anything disturbing you from your tropical love bubble.
Insider Tip: Surprise your sweetheart with a picnic or overnight stay on Lonubo, Maafushivaru’s uninhabited sister island.
Local Tip: A lot of the food in the Maldives is flown in from other countries. For something truly local, try a zesty palm heart salad.

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This five-star beauty is one of the smartest resorts on Mauritius. Situated on the west coast amidst 27 acres of tropical leafiness, this is the ideal place to live out your Tarzan and Jane fantasies. All villas come with their own private pools, and with an award-winning holistic spa,daily yoga and meditation classes, the Zen-like vibe, is certain to calm even the most frazzled of city folk. The extensive grounds lend a real sense of space, so you never feel encroached on, and shaded paths crying out for romantic strolls, lead to secret sandy nooks. Foodies will be in heaven at the hotel’s breezy lantern-strewn Asian restaurant and at Breakers bar, there’s live jazz and piano to nudge you even further into a blissful state of relaxation.
Insider Tip: For extra-VIP treatment, request butler service when you book.

Read more about Maradiva Villas Resort & Spa

This is one one of the Caribbean's swankiest eco-retreats. Rooms are off the chart: vast, high-design temples with glittering infinity pools overlooking Saint Lucia’s famous Pitons. Void of technology (no TV, radio or air-con), this is a place to properly switch off. And with a fourth wall missing (think giant picture window), the natural world is allowed to seep into every pore. Tucked up inside a mosquito net at night, it’s just you, the stars and the electrifying raw energy of the surrounding rainforest. Pure magic.
Insider Tip: Scoot across to Anse Mamin, a secret beach with a burger bar, 10 minutes along the shoreline. Its creole baps are the best on the island.

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This sexy newcomer - due to open January 2015 – on Phuket’s south east coast is one of the only hotels to occupy this stretch of powder-soft sand. Contemporary villas have been built into a tranquil hillside, each with a commanding view of the horseshoe bay below. Hipsters will love being among the first to set foot in the hotel’s trendy rooftop bar and to sample the light bites on offer at the beachfront restaurant. Of course, the 33 villas have been built with 21st-century travelistas in mind, and are crammed full of luxury and mod-cons. The largest ones, found at the top of the hill have tremendous views and benefit from a second storey with a generous living room, so you can really make yourselves at home. Hot, happening and immensely private. You heard it here first.
Insider Tip: For a change of scenery, visit Bandara Villas’ nearby sister resort.
Local Tip: If you sign up for a Thai kayaking safari, insist on wearing a life jacket. Tides and rips can be unpredictable.

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This hillside hideaway on the south east coast of Koh Samui is just 30 minutes from the airport and has the perfect balance of comfort and style. The oceanfront pool villa suites (pictured) come with spectacular private infinity pools overlooking the deep blue expanse of the Gulf of Thailand, so there’s no real need to stray from your room. But when you feel like mixing with the outside world, you can slink over to the Height restaurant for an al fresco bite or shimmy down a walkway over volcanic rocks to the resort’s picture-perfect crescent of sand.
Insider Tip:  Fancy flexing your biceps with a Thai boxing lesson on the beach? The instructors at Silvadee will have you punching like a pro in no time.

Read more about Silavadee Pool & Spa Resort

Designed in the form of a miniature Balinese village, Lumbini Villas & Spa benefits from a strong sense of place. Situated at the heart of Jimbaran, one of the island’s most desirable patches, just across the road from the beach (which is epic!), this contemporary haven is perfect for couples seeking something boutique-chic. Each of the hotel’s 24 villas comes with its own private pool, and for added privacy, why not request a sizzling barbecue just for the two of you within the lotus-filled grounds of the resort.
Insider Tip: Jimbaran Beach is lined with feet-in-the-sand restaurants lit by flame torches perfect for a romantic evening stroll.

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Renowned for its hip design hotels across the globe, Viceroy knows how to impress its guests. This outpost, in the arty hilltop community of Ubud, is one of the group’s lesserknown properties, hidden away amidst dense greenery overlooking a dramatic ravine. Very much in touch with nature, it offers tranquillity in spades. With just 25 spacious villas, each with its own plunge pool, you’ve got masses of room to call your own, and the Kuoni Garden Spa Villas – exclusively reserved for Kuoni’s UK guests – include a 60-minute spa treatment each day at the stunning Lembah Spa; perfect for a little extra pampering.
Insider Tip: Speak to the concierge and arrange a helicopter trip along Bali’s breathtaking coastline.

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Listen up eco-goddess, this exquisite resort is one of Vietnam’s most exclusive addresses. Situated on a private peninsula, featuring beautiful thatched villas blending in with the natural surroundings, it is both stunning and sustainable. A world away from the buzzing beach resorts that attract gapyear travellers, this oasis of winding paths, roped walkways and stepping stones will have you entranced from the moment you set foot on the property. Each villa comes equipped with bicycles so you can go off exploring on your own, or set your alarm and head out early for a hike to the top of Heo Mountain – it will just be you, the rising sun and the dissipating dawn mist.
Insider Tip: There’s a lobster farm not far from the hotel. Pick a lobster, bring it back and the chefs will cook up your catch.
Kuoni Travel Secret: Honeymooners get upgrades (subject to availability), a romantic cruise and a 30 minute spa workshop.

Read more about Six Senses Ninh Van Bay

Zanzibar is a top choice for a honeymoon. This intimate eco-resort opened last year, and has taken luxury to a new level. With a natural, stripped-back organic look, lodgings are ultra-stylish, ultra-exclusive and ultra-private. There are just 11 enormous pool villas and a glorious white-sand beach ideal for kite-surfing. Powered entirely by wind and solar energy, a honeymoon here = 100 per cent guilt-free indulgence. The environmental theme continues in the spa, where therapists use local ingredients including coconut husks and fragrant spices from the market.
Insider Tip: Make the most of your outdoor bathroom with twilight, moonlit baths.

Read more about White Sands Luxury Villas & Spa

Forget glamping, this camp in the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Serengeti National Park perfectly blends world-class creature comforts with the raw, untamed power of the bush. Arrival is via a small plane (cue amazing views from on high) followed by a 50-minute jeep ride (spot the giraffe!). Like all safaris; game drives, picnics and sundowners are the order of the day, while in the evenings, for added privacy, you can have your dinner delivered to your tent (one of only 12). What better way to plan your future together than next to a crackling open campfire?
Insider Tip:  Book between June and November and you’ve got a good chance of witnessing the astounding wildebeest migration. It’s one of nature’s best spectacles.

Read more about Serengeti Bushtops