A few years ago I was lucky enough to travel to the Seychelles, and was blown away by it all. The beaches are picture perfect- imagine acres of sugar soft, blindingly white sand with gin clear waters, and hardly any crowds. Anse Lazio beach on Praslin is probably the best beach I’ve ever been to in the world, and I can still remember the meal I ate the Bonbon Plume restaurant there- grilled barracuda in a light tomato sauce, smoked fish salad, yellow lentil curry and jasmine rice. I vowed to return, but the only problem is that the hotels there seem to charge around £600 a night- per person. To combat the image of the Seychelles as only being a playground for the rich, the new website Secret Seychelles showcases a selection of affordable guesthouses and self-catering apartments.

This Valentine’s Day, instead of doing the same-ole same-ole (buying a card from Paperchase, forking out vast sums of money for dinner for two- at 7pm), to really wow your loved one, whisk them off to the Maldives. The super-deluxe Huvafen Fushi is offering a special two-day chocolate experience with Belgian chocolatier  Pierre Marcolini who will be in residence from 13-15 February. But who really goes to the Maldives for two days? To really score points, book a 7-night package, through Seasons in Style, which includes Pierre Marcolini sorbets to cool you off during the day; a nightcap of chocolates; the truffle and wine tasting experience; and Pierre Marcolini spreads at breakfast. The cost?

I think one of the best holiday combinations is a safari plus some beach time. Kenya and Zanzibar is a classic combo (plus its just fun to say Zanzibar) but one of the hottest Indian Ocean destinations is Mozambique and specifically Benguerra Island. Largely unspoiled and untouched, the island is home to a few swanky eco hotels and a large population of endangered sea cows. The newest place to stay there is Azura, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. The resort has a grand total of 15 beachfront villas and each one comes with a private butler, infinity pools and separate shower areas (heavenly). The cuisine is all fresh and local, and guests can choose to eat anywhere they want around the resort. Apart from being gloriously lazy and relaxed, guests can sign up for excursions to watch sea cows or spend their days sailing to deserted beaches.

Usually after a few days in the sun coupled with some salt water, your skin will start to glow and you'll be tempted to ditch the makeup. But to make your holiday skin even better, consider visiting Huvafen Fushi in the Maldives this May, when celebrity facialist Anastasia Achilleos will be in residence. London-based Anastasia counts Kate Moss, Liberty Ross and Sadie Frost among her clients and her facial technique blends Indian-style techniques, facial tissue release, Reiki, cranio-sacral therapy and chakra energy massage. Anastasia will be at Huvafen Fushi from 1 to 5 May, 2007, to host a special wellness retreat together with her partner, body worker Jayhan Kemal. Jayhan will be offering his signature bamboo therapy, which combines therapeutic touch, breathing techniques, visualisation and the ancient art of Aramaic symbol healing to revitalise and cleanse both the psyche and the physical body. The five day program will include an initial consultation with a  naturopath/wellness mentor to devise a personalised programme; two specialised facial therapy treatments with Anastasia; two treatments with in-house therapists; and daily yoga and meditation sessions. And make sure to check out the resort's famous underwater spa. For more information, call +960 6644 222.