Strung across a shallow coral reef in Raa Atoll, roughly 55 kilometres north of the nearest inhabited island, a double spine of thatch-roofed water villas extends from a densely palmed sandbank into the Indian Ocean like a compass needle pointing toward the horizon. Emerald Faarufushi Resort & Spa, which opened in 2021 as part of the Italian-owned Emerald Collection, arranges its 80 villas — split between overwater and beach categories — across one of the more remote atolls in the Maldivian archipelago, where seaplane transfers and genuine isolation remain the governing conditions of arrival. The interiors navigate a tension familiar to contemporary Maldivian resort design: how to deploy tropical vernacular structure — exposed hardwood roof trusses, pitched thatch, louvred timber screens — without the result feeling either rustic or generic. The overwater villas answer this with a polished counterpoint, pairing the warmth of natural oak joinery and sliding barn-style doors in a woven grey panel against grey porcelain floors and white marble vanities, with brass pendant lights and woven-rattan outdoor chairs keeping the palette anchored in the warm end of the spectrum. Beach villas take a different, warmer register entirely, with wide-plank teak flooring and amber-lit cove ceilings giving bedrooms the feeling of a well-crafted cabin rather than a hotel room. The main restaurant, open to the lagoon on one side, draws the structural language together through bundled-timber column screens and oversized rattan pendant lights above teak tables set with cobalt glassware.

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Emerald Faarufushi Resort & Spa, a new Deluxe All-Inclusive Resort, is a proud member of The Leading Hotels of the World, where tropical landscapes and swaying palm trees are the gateway to the refined fusion of nature and indulgence, creating an enchanting atmosphere of barefoot elegance. The Resort located in the Raa Atoll, in the northern part of the Maldives archipelago, lies on a lush private 7-hectares island with 1.2 km of white sandy beach, and it is surrounded by a gorgeous 100-hectares lagoon with one of the finest coral reefs in the Maldivian ecosystem. Designed with the discerning traveller in mind, Faarufushi stands out for its minimalist but modern architecture, authentic cultural experiences and meticulously refined services that defy pretence. The island boasts 80 luxurious villas, split into six different categories of which are 38 beach villas and 42 overwater villas.