Amanpulo, Pamalican Island

Amanpulo is the only resort on Pamalican Island, a private island in the Cuyo archipelago of northern Palawan. White coral sand runs for about 5.5 kilometres around a green, jungled interior, and the sea is clear and calm, with a coral reef starting around 300 metres offshore. There's no road in and no town nearby, which is the point. You can walk the whole island barefoot.

You fly from Manila to Clark International Airport, then take Amanpulo's 12-seat private turboprop to the island's own airstrip, about 90 minutes each way. The resort can arrange a car transfer between Clark and its private lounge for same-day connections.

There are several places to eat, and menus lean on seafood and produce from the island's own organic farm. The Clubhouse restaurant serves Filipino and Southeast Asian dishes beside the main pool. The Beach Club is the place for Mediterranean food and sunset drinks, the Lagoon Club serves Japanese dishes on the island's quiet east side, and the Picnic Grove does wood-fired pizzas under the trees. The Beach Club, Lagoon Club and Picnic Grove open seasonally. You can also have a private dinner on the beach or a picnic in a hidden cove, and the floating Kawayan bar is a bamboo platform on the water for drinks at sunset.

The Aman Spa sits on the island's hilltop in a set of separate pavilions with sea views, with visiting wellness practitioners adding extra treatments through the year. There's also a gym, a yoga and Pilates pavilion, and floodlit tennis courts and a multi-sport court.

The main draw for active guests in on, o runder, the water:

Walk or cycle the island's trails, spot turtles and birds, and look at the stars through the resort's telescope. There's also a jungle obstacle course, and the runway occasionally turns into a go-kart track. Electric club cars take you around, and there's a kids' club and a boutique.

A perfect luxury resort for couples, honeymoons and anyone wanting total privacy with serious diving or kitesurfing on the doorstep.