There are holidays—and then there are holidays that become the stories you tell for a lifetime. Christmas and New Year at Vakkaru Maldives belong firmly in the latter category. Set within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll, Vakkaru is the sort of place where time seems to dissolve into turquoise water and sugary soft sand. Yet during the festive season, the resort becomes even more magical, dressed in understated elegance and island-chic sparkle.

Vakkaru Maldives is just a 30-minute seaplane ride from Velana International Airport and is a secluded reef island, with 113 Overwater and Beach Villas elegantly designed to respect their surroundings, along with six restaurants, two bars, and a wine cellar, as well as an overwater Merana Spa, complete with Ayurveda practice. The resort is perfect for families, with the Parrotfish Club and Coconut Club great for kids and teens, as well as a host of water sports, ocean excursions, private yachts, coral adoption, and tennis training.

Vakkaru Maldives continues to enhance its offerings by adding a new flexible-type Beach Pool Residence to the resort’s collection of luxury accommodations, making it more sought after than ever by luxury travellers seeking an elevated beach getaway.