On the resort are just six rooms of a very different type. They are Tented Pool Villas. Yes, this is a settled Maldives safari camp combining the very highest standards of personal service and desert island decor.

The game, of course, is all underwater, rather than on the island. The house reef is considered a very good one and beside this, snorkelling safaris are regular events, as is the dolphin cruise and the various fishing excursions. Unusually for this class of resort, all the regular excursions and the meals are included in the package.

Banyan Tree is a natural fit for the Maldives, specialising as it does on environmental concerns, fine cuisine, wonderful Asian service and a spa experience second to none. Yet this, as I say, is a first for the Maldives and I can't yet say if it another brilliant success or it doesn't quite work for some reason.

I look forward to visiting the resort in the near future and answering that question. In the meantime, if you have your own opinion on this, do join in.