wonderful water-world is hard to beat. With some 1,190 coral islands spread across 34,750sqm of the Indian Ocean, where only some 202 are inhabited, the Maldives offers a true Robinson Crusoe experience unlike any beach resort. From my seaplane, strings of these little palm-fringed islands appear as floating poached eggs in Tiffany blue. Guests arrive in Mal the crowded, chaotic capital city at an airport floating on an island. From here, most of the resorts are accessible via a boat or plane ride away, tucked away in isolated islands about five minutes to sometimes over an hour away. Offering complete seclusion from all worldly cares, these charming oceanic playgrounds are home to some of the most luxurious hotels, where often only one occupies an entire island. For example, the newly rebranded Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, owned by local Maldivian businessman Ahmed Siyam Mohamed, who is also a Member of Parliament. The Sun Siyam epitomises the culmination of Ahmed's rags to riches story. He started as a resorts worker before serving as a transport assistant, receptionist, reservations manager, PR officer and airport representative. In 1990, he launched what became the highly successful Sun Travels business. Today, Ahmed owns and operates the Olhuveli Beach and Spa Resort, Vilu Reef Beach and Spa, and Beach House Iruveli in Maldives, as well as the Beach House Pasikudah in Sri Lanka.