You can’t wait to travel again but the thought of brushing past other tourists is making you think twice about taking a holiday when the time comes. A resort in Maldives has the ultimate solution for you: Book out the entire private island. For US$180,000 (S$250,590). Per night.

Lux North Malé Atoll Resort & Villas in the Maldives has an out-of-this-world proposition for travellers with its Island Buy Out Package that starts from US$180,000 a night. At this pretty price tag, you get the entire six-hectare island — including close to 70 beach and overwater villas – all to yourself. This is next-level safe distancing, okay? Also included in the package is roundtrip speedboat transfers from the airport, and three meals a day at any of the resort’s three restaurants.

The catch? You have to book a minimum of three nights, so your holiday’s going to cost a grand total of at least US$540,000 (S$751,680). That excludes an international flight to the Maldives, and the U$6 green tax per person per night, which probably is chump change to you if you’re spending the equivalent of a five-room flat on a three-night holiday. The package is available until Oct 31, 2021, so you have over one year to, er, save up.

Lux North Malé Atoll Resort & Villas reopens to welcome guests on Jul 15, the day that the Maldives welcomes international tourists again. The Indian Ocean holiday destination will reopen borders to travellers of all nationalities and will not require them to undergo quarantine or Covid-19 tests.

However, anyone displaying symptoms will be required to take a test, and all travellers will be required to stay in one property throughout their time in the Maldives.

And don’t forget, while isolation isn’t required when you arrive at the Maldives, it's still mandatory for you to serve out a 14-day stay-home notice and take Covid-19 tests upon your return to Singapore.

Of course, if you’re a regular pleb like us who’d rather use that money on a BTO flat that you can live in for more than three nights, you can always opt to book individual luxury overwater villas (starting U$563 per person per night) — once we’re given the green light to travel, of course.

Whether you’re going big with the Island Buy Out Package or the pleb option, you’ll still get to enjoy a slice of paradise from one, not 69, villas, luxurious treatments at the resort’s spa, explore private dive spots, corals and reefs, or go surfing at the resort’s own seasonal surf spot, The Lux Break. The resort also organises bespoke excursions on its own catamaran, so you can head out to enjoy picnics on your private sandbank if that tickles your fancy.

Of course, the resort will also implement heightened safety health measures, including hospital-grade cleaning, having an in-resort doctor on standby and introducing minimal contact services like QR code menus for restaurants and the spa.

The Island Buy Out Package starts at US$180,000 per night, and is available until Oct 31, 2021. More info at www.luxresorts.com.
Photos: Lux North Malé Atoll Resort & Villas