SIPADAN-KAPALAI DIVE RESORT

There's an air of the Maldives about this incredible place, where all the buildings are built on the water, like the villages of the sea gypsies. There is no island to speak of at Kapalai, just an incredible outcropping lagoon and a tiny spit of sand. A luxurious ambience pervades the vast, tastefully decorated villas on stilts. Internet, shower and bath, terrace, tea and coffee-making facilities are all standard.