Passionate, romantic and secluded, a handful of traditional bungalows are strung like pearls along the edge of a coral atoll. This is Manihi Pearl Beach Resort, a tiny treasure luxuriating in the tropical waters of French Polynesia.

Days are filled with sublime nothing or heightened adventure. Dive these exceptional waters in search of schools of gentle manta rays, or ply them in an outrigger canoe. Better still, opt for the famed Motu picnic on your own deserted islet and luxuriate with the company you bring. If you prefer, simply wander the beach by the resort, allowing silken sand to slip between your toes, before plunging into the infinity pool.

Under an impossibly blue sky, the turquoise waters deliver up a bounty of delicacies for guests’ dining pleasure. And if all you dream of is to dine privately by candlelight as the sun sinks below a blushing horizon, this too is a pleasure awaiting.