Sun Siyam Iru Fushi with Free Transfer

Set on a private island in the Maldives, Sun Siyam Iru Fushi is built around spacious beach and overwater villas, plenty of food and drink, and enough going on to keep non-divers occupied without turning the place into a theme park. Couples get private corners, sunset-facing bars and water villas; families get larger accommodation, a kids' club and room to spread out.

The resort is designed for days that can go either way. You might spend the morning in the lagoon, the afternoon at the spa and the evening listening to live music, or simply retreat to your villa with the air conditioning on and the minibar within reach. The hotel's website is available in English, French, Spanish and Italian.

You are in Manadhoo, Maldives, on a private island in Noonu Atoll with the resort directly on a white-sand beach. The island setting keeps the sea very much in the foreground: villas open towards the beach or lagoon, and the house reef is part of the appeal rather than a distant excursion.

The usual arrival is a scenic seaplane flight of around 45 minutes from Malé International Airport. Maafaru International Airport is about 10 miles away as the crow flies, while Madivaru Airport and Ifuru Airport are around 20 miles away. The important practical point is that this is an island resort, so the transfer is part of the journey rather than a quick taxi ride at the end of it.

The choice is mainly between sand and lagoon. Beach villas give you a private terrace and beach cabana, while the water villas put the view and the lagoon immediately outside. Selected villas have a private pool, which is the obvious choice if you like the idea of a swim without leaving your own patch of island. Larger retreats suit families or groups who need more than a bedroom and a chair.

Inside, the useful after-diving details are all present: air conditioning, a ceiling fan, a refrigerator, an electric kettle, a seating area and free Wi-Fi. The bathrooms include a bath or shower, and the villas also have an outdoor rain shower. A flat-screen television, wardrobe, slippers and bathrobes cover the less glamorous parts of holiday logistics.

The villa range includes family accommodation and options for couples, but check the individual room conditions carefully: many listed villas carry a minimum seven-night stay for two guests. Some room categories also use a sofa bed or provide extra sleeping arrangements, while larger retreats offer several bathrooms. Extra beds are available for guests aged 15 and over when requested, but cots are not available.

The all-inclusive format is backed by a broad spread of restaurants rather than one buffet doing all the heavy lifting. Bamboo serves South-East Asian favourites on a beach terrace, Flavours takes French cooking over the water, and Islander's Grill focuses on seafood with Maldivian touches. Taste of India faces the sea, while The Trio sits on stilts with Italian dishes and Indian Ocean views.

There is also Teppanyaki for Japanese cooking and sushi, Iru Restaurant for international food, La Cremeria for ice cream and coffee, and The Spa Cafe for lighter, health-focused food throughout the day. Breakfast covers continental, Italian, full English or Irish, vegetarian, vegan, halal, gluten-free, Asian, American and buffet choices. That is useful range when several days of diving leave you hungry at inconvenient times.

Drinks are spread across several distinct places. Bubble Lounge is a champagne bar over the water, No Mistake is the beach stop for inventive cocktails and shisha, and Reflections is an adults-only pool bar aimed at sunset. Waters Edge brings jazz and live music, The Cellar handles wine tastings and private dinners, Fluid sits beside the family pool with snacks, and Sun Siyam Beach Club keeps the beach day moving towards the evening.

Two different pool moods are built into the resort: an adults-only infinity pool looking towards the Indian Ocean and a family pool set among tropical surroundings. Sun loungers and umbrellas give you somewhere to stop between swims, while the private pools attached to selected villas offer a more solitary version of the same plan. There is also a hot tub, sauna, steam room and fitness centre, plus yoga classes and a tennis court.

The Spa by Thalgo at Iru Fushi is the serious reset button. Its menu combines Thalgo treatments with Ayurvedic therapies, traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, Gua Sha, moxibustion, cupping, Maldivian treatments and a range of massages, including Thai, Balinese, Swedish and Japanese Shiatsu. Couples' massage lessons, a hydrotherapy area, plunge pools and a resident Ayurvedic doctor give you more to work with than a quick shoulder rub before dinner.

For a more active afternoon, the resort offers paddleboarding, sailing, windsurfing, jet-ski activities, canoeing, tennis, badminton, table tennis, billiards and darts. There are nature walks, cooking and craft classes, walking tours, movie nights and moonlight cinema, as well as a dolphin cruise and an excursion to Thanburudhoo with island time, snorkelling and lunch on the beach. Families also have a Kids' Club for children aged three to eleven, indoor and outdoor play areas, and evening entertainment including jazz and live music.

Check-in starts from 14:00 and check-out runs until 12:00. The front desk is open around the clock, with concierge service, luggage storage, private check-in and check-out, a tour desk and daily housekeeping. Room service is available, as are laundry, ironing and dry-cleaning services. Wi-Fi covers the rooms and public areas.

The resort can arrange either a private or shared seaplane transfer from the airport; reserve the transfer with the hotel. Complimentary seaplane transfers apply to a maximum of two guests staying for at least seven nights, with a stated seasonal exclusion around the end-of-year period. Airport shuttle services are also available. The individual villa conditions matter here, particularly where minimum stays, occupancy and transfer arrangements are concerned.

Children of all ages are welcome, and up to two children under 15 can stay and eat free when sharing a villa with two adults under the family offer. Extra beds are for guests aged 15 and over and depend on the chosen accommodation; cots are not available. Pets are not allowed, and a doctor can be requested if medical assistance is needed.

The resort runs a conservation snorkelling activity with a marine biologist. You can explore the lagoon and house reef while helping collect observations about coral health and fish populations, then discuss what you have seen with the biologist.

That makes the reef more than scenery for a photograph. It gives you a practical way to understand the marine environment around the island and contribute observations while you are there.