Voting in the 2023 Telegraph Travel Awards is now open, allowing you to nominate the vacation companies and destinations that have exceeded your expectations. To thank those who take the time to complete our survey, we're giving away ten luxury vacations, including this seven-night stay in the Maldives worth £28,000.
This week-long trip worth £28,000 includes accommodation at the pioneering, Maldivian-owned Baros private island resort as it celebrates its 50th anniversary, staying at the Baros Residence with its lush tropical garden, private pool, sun deck and direct access to the beach. The prize also includes half board, plus a complimentary spa treatment and a special breakfast for two on the floating Piano Deck, as well as two return flights from London to Male.
Full details of the prize
Long praised for its warm soul and authentic ethos, Baros opened in the Maldives in 1973 – and, as one of the first resorts to do so, played a significant role in establishing the isle-specked idyll as a luxury destination.
Your trip begins with a 25-minute speedboat ride from the Maldives International Airport to Baros’s island in the central southern part of North Male’ Atoll, where you’ll check into the exclusive Baros Residence. From then, the week is yours to do with as you wish.
Included in your prize is the option to start your days with a private yoga or meditation session on a secluded sandbank, or to stroll to the Serenity Spa for a tailored treatment inspired by the ancient wisdom of Asia and the healing traditions of Africa.
You might, instead, choose to spend your days snorkelling amongst the un-spoilt corals of the island’s world-class house reef, one which teems with life thanks to Baros’s trailblazing sustainability credentials. The resort features two facilities devoted to marine education and exploration – The Dive Centre and Marine Centre – and you can even contribute to the reef’s regeneration by taking part in the resort’s Eco Explorer programme, led by the resident marine biologist and including a coral-frame planting experience in the coral garden. There are also various Diving by Design programmes – taking advantage of the 30 excellent diving spots to which Baros has direct access – which include the chance to see manta and eagle rays, turtles and sharks, as well as embark on fascinating Fluro Night Dives.
Your prize also includes half board, meaning that each day you’ll have breakfast (once on the the Piano Deck, a unique wooden platform shaped like a grand piano, floating in the middle of the lagoon), then a choice of lunch or dinner at one of the various fine-dining options around the island – with nowhere off limits.
There are three à la carte gourmet restaurants, but you might also fancy lunch in the comfort of your villa’s private terrace, say, or perhaps dinner on the beach, on a romantic cruise at sunset on a traditional wooden dhoni, or atop a secluded sandbank.
The best spot for pre-dinner sunset drinks is the iconic Lighthouse Lounge, which sits above the Baros Lagoon and offers particularly excellent sunset views. Evenings, meanwhile, are best spent at the Sails Bar, where talented Maldivian bands perform live several times a week, creating a perfect soundtrack to nights spent under starlit skies reflected in calm, clear waters.
