JA Manafaru

Banyan trees and screw pines line the sandy paths between villas here, which means the greenery does the privacy work most resorts leave to concrete walls. JA Manafaru is a full private island resort in the Maldives, with beach villas whose enclosed garden pools are among the roomier ones in the archipelago, and overwater villas with glass floor panels for watching fish go about their day. The staff are the kind that remember what you mentioned at breakfast.

Two honors, in evidence: