″You did what?!” The blood has drained from my husband’s face. It’s been a few hours since I left him lounging poolside at our beach villa to cycle barefoot and carefree along the jungle paths to an appointment at Soneva Fushi’s wellness centre, Soneva Soul. And, to be frank, the afternoon hasn’t gone quite as expected.

The Maldives resort, mothership to a trio of “barefoot escapes” that go deep in their practice of eco luxury, takes the concept of wellness so seriously it has a fulltime Ayurvedic doctor, naturopathic doctor, traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and regular medical doctor, who consult from rooms above the spa.