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A Luxurious Return to Nature in the Maldives

If you really want to get away from it all, head to two sublime island resorts in the Indian Ocean.

By Simone Girner

Print A Luxurious Return to Nature in the Maldives

The freestanding -- or floating -- Crusoe Residences at Soneva Gili can be reached only by boat.

The two-story Presidential Villa at Soneva Fushi showcases the resort's trademark natural aesthetic with its airy architecture and abundance of weathered wood.

A wooden jetty leads to the over-the-water Six Senses Spa at Soneva Gili.

Owners Eva and Sonu Shivdasani at Soneva Fushi.

Dark wood and white linen dominate in a Crusoe Residence bedroom.

One of the many lunch options at Fushi is the freshly prepared stir-fry.

Gili's thirty-eight villas are clustered around three long jetties.

Ideal for those seeking privacy, the Jungle Reserve, on the eastern side of Fushi, has a tree house, a separate bedroom villa and a living room built right over an infinity pool.

Watching the sun melt into the Indian Ocean is especially memorable aboard a traditional Maldivian <i>dhoni</i>.

The freestanding -- or floating -- Crusoe Residences at Soneva Gili can be reached only by boat.
PHOTO: Roy Zipstein

The two-story Presidential Villa at Soneva Fushi showcases the resort's trademark natural aesthetic with its airy architecture and abundance of weathered wood.
PHOTO: Roy Zipstein

A wooden jetty leads to the over-the-water Six Senses Spa at Soneva Gili.
PHOTO: Roy Zipstein

Owners Eva and Sonu Shivdasani at Soneva Fushi.
PHOTO: Roy Zipstein

Dark wood and white linen dominate in a Crusoe Residence bedroom.
PHOTO: Roy Zipstein

A spa therapist.
PHOTO: Roy Zipstein

One of the many lunch options at Fushi is the freshly prepared stir-fry.
PHOTO: Roy Zipstein

Gili's thirty-eight villas are clustered around three long jetties.
PHOTO: Roy Zipstein

Ideal for those seeking privacy, the Jungle Reserve, on the eastern side of Fushi, has a tree house, a separate bedroom villa and a living room built right over an infinity pool.
PHOTO: Roy Zipstein