Maldives

Getting to Kuredu is half the fun. You land in Malé, walk to the seaplane jetty and fly low over atolls and reefs that look like someone spilled turquoise paint on the ocean. Then you step off onto a white sand island with overwater villas, thatched umbrellas and a heron walking the beach like he owns it, which he probably does.

I did almost nothing for a week, and it was perfect. The house reef was right off the beach, with turtles and reef sharks cruising by while I snorkeled. Evenings were sunsets, dinner and more sunsets. The Maldives is expensive and doesn't pretend otherwise, and it's not the place for culture or nightlife. It's the place to turn your brain off and look at water that's so clear your photos look fake.