Admittedly, the aforementioned heavens opened and I lay awake at 3am as my husband slept, listening to the crashing of rain and waves in our water villa at OBLU NATURE Helengeli by Sentido in the Maldives’ North Male Atoll. But the dramatic weather, in the middle of the Indian Ocean, heightened the desert island experience and feels far away from cookie-cutter Instagram images of young couples wearing designer clothes amid luxurious over-water Maldives villas. Reality is far better and when we reached morning to the sounds of exotic seabirds swooping down to breakfast on tiny unseen fish, the sun shone like nothing ever happened. Of course that is not to say perfection (and luxury) wasn’t around us in our romantic escape. But the luxury is not a must-have handbag or designer bikini but the caring, smiling, staff and the incredible array of home-made, carefully sourced, food and wine on offer. It’s in the careful decisions made about renewable materials, planting, and privacy. It’s in the staggering customer service and the never having to pay for anything during our stay thanks to the package. Not forgetting the constantly refreshed mini-bar, the not wearing shoes, and the complete absence of cars on your castaway paradise. Then there’s the elaborately hand crafted swan made of cotton sheets and scattered with rose petals for your arrival - along with a bottle of champagne. The nature in this astonishing part of the world is a luxury in itself. The seas that turn a greenish blue after storms, the stingray making its nonchalant laps around the lagoon, the sharks never far away from the carefully managed reef and the bats flying from tree to tree like ghouls. A privileged moment in time in a fragile world with a finite amount. The unique Maldives experience - and the reason it is a honeymoon favourite - is in the strangeness of the warm and sometimes stormy evenings, sandy roads and transportation via golf buggy and bicycle, and the busy crabs scuttling across their beach domain, stopping only occasionally to touch base with each other. And yes, it’s living in a luxurious wooden villa with a pool above the changeable ocean, far away from home and yet home. There’s a reason Helengeli has clinched the coveted Best of the Best title in the Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards, placing it among the top 1% of hotels worldwide for 2025. We treated our visit as as part one of our long-delayed honeymoon. But for us the trip was not about tanning or starting our lives as we are already well on with the latter and my complexion does not do baking in the sun. Don’t let filtered images of tanned, 20-something, influencer perfection put you off visiting. Everyone here is treated like royalty, greeted by staff members with a wide smile and hello. Nothing is too much, no request too inconvenient, on a resort which is never busy even at full capacity. I can confirm those endless, empty, sandy beaches are not just staged for the ‘gram’. We arrived at Helengeli island after a long flight, arriving at Male airport where we were whisked into a speedboat by a friendly boat crew for the 50 minute journey to the island. Further islands often require a trip by tiny seaplane but Helengeli is boat only and quite unique as it sits away from other islands next to its own house reef, making the snorkelling mind-blowing. For the latter I donned my flippers and snorkel and was treated to my own guided tour. My guide pointed out a large turtle, grazing on the seabed as Nemo and his friends burbled about, seemingly unfazed by the human with flippers staring down wide eyed from the surface. It’s a once in a lifetime experience. Nicola Adam Food and drink is also taken seriously at Helengeli. We were greeted with an astonishing meal paired with wine to showcase parent company’s Atmosphere Core’s dedication to careful and quality sourcing and selection. For context, alcohol consumption in the Maldives is restricted to licensed resorts and boats for tourists and there are also import restrictions. Here they have built significant relationships with global partners through an extensive wine programme with family-owned businesses. These include Champagne Guy Charbaut, Bodegas Viñátigo, Glenelly Estate ( Stellenbosch) and Bodegas Martín Códax ( Rías Baixas ). The sommeliers and teams are not only experts on these offerings but many have also travelled across the world visit the wineries and owners themselves as part of ongoing programme to ensure the best of the best and celebrate the heritage behind each bottle. It’s hard to fault and on a par with many top European restaurants who do not have to fight the red tape - their choices are delicious and attention to detail second to none. Dining experiences are myriad. From the Maldives resort dining experience at The Spice, featuring a turquoise lagoon-facing wooden deck and indoor seating with a natural sandy floor to fine dining at the relaxed Just Grill to progressive Indian cuisine at Raga Route or a chic pools side experience at the Raa Bandhi bar with its over water hammocks. You are never far way from lapping water and sand in the toes. It’s all laced with romance and we were treated to another bookable experience with a candlelight dinner on the beach. And just a reminder to curry lovers that a Maldivian curry is a must on any visit - don’t forget how close the Maldives are to India. There is a mouth-watering selection of curries and accompaniments on offer and I’ve even been known to have it for breakfast. When on holiday... READ MORE: My Maldivian date with a shark Our water villa with pool, one of 153 villas and suites available within eight categories, was perfection. To complement our gigantic bed, positioned to ensure you wake up looking at your panoramic view of the ocean, you have a luxurious bathroom with separate toilet and shower area. You can even stare out to sea from your porcelain throne - but watch out for passing boats (there IS a blind!). The fridges, with water, beer and wine restocked daily, are perfect for grabbing a cold drink and taking to your personal deck complete with sunbeds, plunge pool and steps down into the bluest of water where you can snorkel or just dip your toes and watch passing fish. Exhausted after all this relaxing ( we glimpsed but never quite made it into to the stunning over-water gym ) we headed to the ELE|NA spa. Just entering the spa is an experience, it’s a stunning design with greenery-laced ponds complete with Koi and natural materials - we enjoyed a couples’ full body massage and came away truly fully serene. So we were already at one with nature for our cruise at sunset, where we motored through the gleeful pods of adult and baby dolphins who were keen to show their best leaping. One of those many Maldivian moments imprinted on the memory forever. USEFUL INFORMATION OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO and dive centre partner ‘TGI Maldives’ jointly received the “Outstanding Contribution to Women’s Diving” award from PADI® Website: coloursofoblu.com/oblu-nature-helengeliThe four-star superior resort, a part of the COLOURS OF OBLU brand by Atmosphere Core, was comprehensively renovated in 2023Prices start from £409 per night in August (excl. taxes and fees), based on two adults staying in a Deluxe Beach Villa Nicola stayed at OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO as a guest of Atmosphere Core but this review remains her unedited opinion