The Ultimate Guide to the Maldives

Few places conjure up images of fab tans, luxury and romantic baecations like the Maldives.  You’ve seen the images in magazines and on Instagram filled with turquoise blue waters, decadent over water villas and pearlescent beaches. The Maldives is the daydream worthy spot on every travelers bucket list.  But how do you even begin to plan a trip to the Maldives?  Have no fear!  We’re here to give you all the information you need to plan the trip of a lifetime to the destination of your dreams.

About the Maldives

The Maldives is a South Asian island located in the Indian Ocean. It comprises of 26 natural atolls consisting of dual island chains, and is located on top of a vast underwater mountain range with around 1190 islands and sandbanks. The Maldives has no counterpart in terms of its unique geography and is home to the most diverse marine treasures in the world.  The heart of the Maldives, the capital city of Malé (pronounced Mar-lay) is a stark contrast to what you see in the magazines.  Malé offers visitors to see the real Maldives and explore its bustling streets, markets, mosques and more.  The local currency is Rufiyaa (MVR) and while credit cards are accepted in many shops, having a few local dollars on hand never hurts.

The best time to visit the Maldives would be December through February, unfortunately it is also high season which means rates at hotels can get sky high.  Shoulder season is generally March and April when the temperatures are at their highest.  Low season, May through November, is rainy season in the Maldives, but it is possible to still go and enjoy great weather if you go in mid to late November when rainy season is ending and lodging prices are still fairly low.  For the most part, visitors to the Maldives do not require visas for stays of 30 days or less. Check visa requirements for your specific passport before your travel.

Before You Go

One of the main things you need to do before you plan a trip to the Maldives is get real about your life and your finances.  There’s a reason why the Maldives is a dream destination, and that’s because it can get pricey! Sure there are ways to go to the Maldives on the low low – like staying in cheap hotels on Maafushi island that can be as low as $80/night and then spending $100 to take an all-inclusive day trip to a nice resort. But if you’re trying to do it the way you’ve day dreamed about, be ready to come up off some coins because that daydream is not for the broke.  Rates at the nicer resorts can cost into the thousands per night, and even the low end can be at least $500.  None of this includes taxes, fees or food and beverage.  Getting to these resorts is another cost.  Since each resort is on its own island, the only way to get to them is by speedboat or seaplane, which can cost around $300 and up per person.  There are no glitches or deals to be found in this area. Trans Maldivian Airways provides seaplane service to all resorts, so unless you own your own plane, they are who you fly with.  The resorts should have their own speedboats, so that’s pretty non-negotiable as well.  Basically, if you’re trying to be about that resort life, be prepared to pay.  Don’t worry about arranging the transportation, the hotel typically takes care of this for you.

Also, the Maldives is a Muslim country, and adheres to a strict no alcohol policy.  It is illegal to bring alcohol into the country, even in your checked luggage, and there is no duty free at the airport.  Your only options are to partake in a booze cruise that floats off shore near Maafushi or to cough up money on pricey drinks at the resorts.  Since island hopping is difficult between resorts due to the need for seaplanes and speedboats, chances are if you’re trying to drink you will need to purchase some kind of drink package at your resort or pay per drink.  The day trips from the cheap hotels I mentioned earlier are a good way to get your unlimited drink on.  But again, if you’re trying to live out your dreams, pricey resort drinks it is for you.

The Maldives isn’t going anywhere any time soon, so take all the time you need to save and plan for the trip you desire.  Travel is not a race, it’s a journey, and even if it takes you a little longer than most to save up, it will be worth it when you get there.

Getting There

The main airport in the Maldives is Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (MLE). Though there are no direct flights to the Maldives from the U.S., most, if not all, major airlines fly to the Maldives with at least one stop.  For my own trip I found flights leaving from JFK in November for just over $800 roundtrip.  Deal sites like The Flight Deal, Secret Flying and Airfarewatchdog sometimes have flight deals for less, you just have to keep an eye out.  If you have time and money, and want to make the most out of your trip, consider extending your layover.  My flight had a stop in Dubai for a few hours on the straight roundtrip ticket.  Instead, I booked a multi-city ticket which allowed me to stay in Dubai for three nights before heading to the Maldives, and it cost me the same as a regular roundtrip, so I got a flight to two countries for the price of one.  Extending a layover can also be a great way to ease out of jet lag.  The time difference between Dubai and Male is only one hour, which means a few nights in Dubai can help get your body acclimated to the time change so when you arrive in the Maldives, you don’t spend your first few days extremely tired.

Where to Stay

Since this is the ultimate guide to the Maldives, we’ll skip discussion about cheap hotels and get straight to the good stuff.  The resorts in the Maldives are to die for and choosing just one can seem nearly impossible.  If you have the disposable income, you can certainly spend a few nights at one resort before hopping over to another, but if you’re looking for one resort that will give you the experience you’ve longed for, then the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is it.

Reached by a scenic 30 minute seaplane flight, the Conrad Maldives offers three different experiences on two islands. Discover a Maldivian hideaway on tiny Rangali Island or cross the bridge to enjoy the livelier main island. The third experience – the Spa Retreat – is an over-water destination set off the main island. The Conrad Maldives is exactly what you’ve lusted over in all those pictures and offers luxurious villas, including romantic water villas on Rangali Island, contemporary beach villas amidst tropical greenery on the main island, or stunning over-water villas at the Spa Retreat. There are also 12 restaurants and bars that cater to every palette, two spas, two pools and unique experiences such as manta-watching, dolphin-spotting and snorkeling with whale sharks.

I chose the Conrad for my own trip to the Maldives recently and I can tell you that you will not be disappointed. The staff is extremely attentive and goes above and beyond to make sure you enjoy your stay, the food was amazing, the activities were endless (they even have karaoke!) and even with all the other guests, the Conrad somehow still manages to make you feel like you have the resort all to yourself.

One of my favorite experiences at the Conrad was enjoying a champagne breakfast at their world famous Ithaa Undersea Restaurant.  Pictures of Ithaa are probably #1 when you search for images of the Maldives and it is definitely an item on most travelers’ bucket list.

What to Do

The Maldives isn’t exactly somewhere you go to do a lot of stuff.  If you’re into diving, crossing off bucket list items like swimming with whale sharks and manta rays, snorkeling, jet skiing, taking cooking classes and tanning, then the Maldives is for you.  The only other activities would be exploring the cultural side of the country back on Malé, so definitely add a night or two on the main island to the front or backend of your trip.

To Bae or Not to Bae

The Maldives is known as a destination for lovers. From romantic getaways to honeymoons, it is definitely somewhere you want to be with a special someone.  However, if you don’t currently have a baecation boo, don’t let that stop you from going.  You can totally visit the Maldives solo or with friends and still have the time of your life.  Go solo to enjoy some relaxation and the freedom to move at your own pace.  Go with friends to try new things and create some fun memories.  Then, when you find the bae, go again and live out your wildest romantic fantasies.  That’s the great part about the Maldives, there’s no one way to experience it, and there’s something for everyone.  Besides, who said you can only experience paradise once?

How Cara Delevingne made Finolhu Baa Atoll in the Maldives the next cool party destination

Holidays are immoderate. You delight in indulgence then come home and relish the retelling — glossing over the relative smallness of these indulgences (an extra glass of wine with dinner!). And then Cara Delevingne bags her own island and spends four days belittling your own efforts via Instagram.

If you are not one of Delevingne’s 35.7 million Instagram followers, the hashtag #MaldivesBeachParty has likely eluded you. You will have been spared the luxe beach huts, the sunsets and the blue horizons. On the other hand, if you follow the 24-year-old model-turned- actress, you have likely spent the past few days growing disillusioned.

For you will know that Delevingne has been gifted a mile-long resort in the Maldives, for a week, all for the price of posting a few photos on Instagram, in what is an unprecedentedly lavish arrangement between a resort and a celebrity.

You will have observed that Delevingne and her cabal have made your honeymoon look about as luxe as the Duke of Edinburgh’s expedition in the Trossachs where everyone got food poisoning from undercooked sausages.

You can neither beat them nor join them, but you can pry mercilessly on their lives. Welcome to Caradise.

Sun seekers

It all started as a romantic holiday. Reportedly, Delevingne had been planning to visit the island with her ex, singer St Vincent. However, when they split up in September, she rearranged the dates and made a new guest list.

Who made the roll call? Obviously, sisters Poppy and Chloe were invited, as was fellow model Arizona Muse, and Cara and Poppy’s good mate Jaime Winstone. Preston Thompson was invited: he directed Cara in Kids in Love, and is part of a fast Notting Hill set that includes Gala Gordon and heiress Jazzy de Lisser, who was also on the trip. Tatler editor Kate Reardon was in residence, as was Savannah Miller, Sienna’s sister.

Other notable guests included members of Poppy’s London aristo set: Arabella Musgrave — Prince William’s first girlfriend and now Gucci’s head of communications — and Vassi Chamberlain, features director at Porter magazine. Dishevelled socialite Jack Guinness made the trip, as did zeitgeist stylist Martha Ward — who is close with Poppy — and Melinda Stevens, the editor of Condé Nast Traveller. Make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury — a loose member of the Mossy posse — headed out there with her husband. The token curious addition was actor Tom Hollander, not typically seen on nights out with the Delevingne Instaset.

The island reportedly caters for up to 272 people across 125 villas. The group has commandeered the whole resort, though they flew out on a commercial flight. “I saw about 15 to 20 of them on the plane, including Cara,” explains a passenger going to stay at another island near their resort. “They were running up and down the plane — I think two of their entourage were back in economy so they were weaving in and out of the curtains, to include them in the fun.”

They were reportedly friendly, though another passenger observed that “the stewardess made one of them sit in a seat after she tried to sit on the floor”.

Share the love

There are big numbers in play. Cara has 35.7 million followers on Instagram, Poppy has 1.1 million. Chloe has almost 900,000 and Jaime Winstone more than 42,000. Muse has 147,000, Guinness almost 50,000 and Savannah Miller more than 11,000. The resort itself has almost 17,000, though has not yet shared any pictures of this week’s cast of stars.

The “contract” between Delevingne and the resort appears to be relatively casual: the group must tag the resort in all images. Most are attaching the hashtag #MaldivesBeachParty to posts.

Cara’s pictures from the trip include a sunset drenched in pink (874,000 likes) and a group shot including Hollander, Winstone, Thompson and de Lisser, captioned with a heart (almost 750,000 likes). Yesterday she shared a picture of the island, shot from the plane, captioned “so hard to leave” (182,000 likes).

Poppy has shared a bikini picture, (captioned:“Needless to say I’m thrilled to be here”)  and a picture of a palm tree canopy (“Never. Leaving”). Friend Dean Piper, MD of PR company Beak Comms, who was also on the holiday, shared a picture of himself and Muse next to a “quirky” sign reading “Time to drink champagne and dance on the table”, which might be extrapolated as the trip’s mission statement. Guinness has shared a sequence of selfies, while Musgrave prefers pictures of the glass-like azure swimming pools. Tilbury’s Instagram is an insight into riotous nights spent in fancy dress — of which more later.

While it’s rumoured there are glossy-magazine deals, the resort presumably considers the real-time social media coverage and cool factor that comes from association with a brand of Delevingne’s standing to be the greater coup. So what is the ballpark value of such coverage? “Oh, my goodness,” explains a representative from luxury concierge service Quintessentially Travel. “Millions, probably. God knows what the exposure is worth. It’s basically priceless.”

This season, there are more Maldives resorts than ever: the island nexus is beloved by those who can afford it. Accordingly, each must work harder to differentiate itself and attract the clients it covets.

Life’s a party

Notoriously, riotous gangs of poshos adore fancy dress — parties must be themed. Nights out in Caradise required bespoke kit or, as Piper bragged via Twitter last week, “Just been given a list of five different themes for fancy dress. For five different parties. On a tropical island. I mean: panic stations.” Indeed.

Themes included a Nineties hip hop night and a Seventies pool party. Tilbury shared a picture of herself next to a pair of can-can dancers while Muse captioned a picture of herself and Tilbury — bronzed and dressed up in wild prints — with the word “animals”. Obviously, at some point, there was a human pyramid — Guinness’s image of it was captioned, understatedly, “Few beers. Few laughs.”

The resort, which is set in a Unesco Biosphere Reserve, includes a cinema, five spas and a hair salon. There are five restaurants, serving £70 lobsters caught fresh from the Indian Ocean and black truffle roast duck. Rooms are stocked with Neal’s Yard toiletries. There is an underwater “biosphere” experience, a water sports area, a two-storey beach club with chandelier-lit loungers, and every month it hosts a full moon party. Other unnecessary details include a photography studio and a drafted-in army of acrobats, stilt-walkers and mermaids.

The price tag

The marketing is priceless — but what about the real cost of hiring your own island for a mash-up? “I’d estimate about $100,000 a night,” says Lilly Grimaldi from PR firm Massey, which manages the Shangri-La resort on a nearby island. “For an entourage of 30 to 50 you’d need about 600 members of staff, then cover the cost of the rest of the rooms. These resorts are perfect for celebrities — they’re very private.” Another PR suggests arrangements like this are “price on request”. Obviously, though, you must write in the extras. “Like taking people on a private yacht.”

What about the logistics? “Hiring out an island is becoming a trend,” says the Quintessentially representative. “We have done a few private islands. The price obviously depends on the season and number of people but logistically it’s simple if you can afford it.” What sort of things come as standard? “A private butler, a chef.” And security? “You’d normally bring your own. But it’s very private — no one will know you are out there.”

Unless, of course, you’re “paying” for it all in selfies. It’s an extraordinary life, being Cara Delevingne.

Four Seasons unveils private island in the Maldives

Set in a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, the new Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah, Baa Atoll, is spread across two hectares and features seven bedrooms, a two-storey beach house, dive school and a 62-foot (19-metre) yacht that can take up to 22 guests on cruises around the archipelago.

The beach house is the main social hub of the resort, featuring an open-air living room, dining room, kitchen, pool deck, gym, library and loft lounge, while the seven bedrooms are arranged on the beach or over the lagoon.

Other facilities include the grandly titled “Ocean of Consciousness Spa”, which offers treatments based on the “five pathways of truth”, along with yoga, meditation and pranayama classes.

The new resort is located just 20 minutes by boat from Four Seasons Resort Landaa Giraavaru, which in turn is a seaplane transfer away from the Four Seasons Resort Kuda Huraa.

Evolve MMA spends $500,000 on Maldives vacation

As the economy heads into a massive slowdown, many employees find themselves being grateful to have a job and few are bold enough to even think of bonuses and company-paid retreats.

But while 2016 has been a challenging year for businesses all around the world, local martial arts company Evolve Mixed Martial Arts has been defying the odds and experiencing bumper growth instead.

According to founder and chairman Chatri Sityodtong, Evolve has been registering approximately 30 per cent year-on-year growth throughout 2016, on top of "strong double-digit growth every year."

In fact, the company did so well in 2016 that Sityodtong recently spent $500,000 just to reward more than 100 employees with an all-expenses-paid trip at a five-star luxury resort in the Maldives.

Members of Evolve's fight team, including ONE Women's Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee, were joined by the company's support staff and world champion trainers on the trip.

Sityodtong, a serial entrepreneur, told AsiaOne that rewards such as the Maldives trip were nothing out of the ordinary at Evolve MMA.

Calling the annual retreat a "normal part of the Evolve culture", Sityodtong said that such rewards were "a small token of my heartfelt gratitude to all of the phenomenal rockstars at Evolve MMA".

"Every year, I take the entire team on an all-expenses-paid trip to a five-star luxury resort at a surprise destination," he said, adding that the company has been organising staff retreats for the past five years.

Past retreats have seen employees vacationing in popular beach getaways such as Bali, Krabi, Khao Lak, and Bintan.

Not only is Sityodtong willing to splurge on employees, but there is also an admirable deeper meaning to the incentive trips that Evolve organises.

For members of the staff that come from environments where luxury vacations are beyond reach, such trips are a dream come true.

Calling himself a "servant leader", the businessman says he can help to serve his employees' needs by fulfilling their dreams.

"Many of my staff would love to travel the world, but do not have the means to do so. The vast majority of my team at Evolve come from humble backgrounds of poverty, tragedy, or adversity. For them, Evolve is the greatest opportunity to escape poverty and to achieve the life of their dreams.

"The best deserve the best. It is only fair. We do our best to hire the best people in the world, giving out only one job offer for every 200 applicants. So they should be compensated as such. We work hard, and we play hard," he said.

It is not difficult to see why Evolve's staff remains motivated, and that is why Sityodtong says he is always optimistic about the firm's performance every year.

"Evolve has the best team in the world," he states without hesitation. "I am very confident in my team. I believe in them 100 per cent."

And while he has not planned their next destination yet, the generous boss of a growing team says: "The world is a big place! I don't know where our annual retreat will be held next year, but I hope to take them to another spectacular place."

Can the Maldives work its magic on our marriage?

Perhaps we were mad to go back to the Maldives 20 years after honeymooning there. We remembered it as deliciously romantic, with impossibly white sand and turquoise seas. Bounty Bar stuff.

We were young and in the first flush of love and now we are 50-something.

This time, we picked JA Manafaru because it promised a level of luxury we couldn’t possibly have afforded when we got married.

You get a choice of a secluded beach bungalow hidden in the jungle undergrowth with its own private plunge pool and sectioned-off area of beach; or a water villa suspended on stilts over the crystal clear water. Oh, alright then.

I’d always hankered after the idea of stepping off private decking into your own bit of sea. In addition we have a hot tub, outdoor shower, a glass floor in the bedroom to watch fish below and a secluded black-tiled infinity pool on the deck.

On our honeymoon island there had been one restaurant with one menu each day.

But here we have five: White Orchid for Asian fusion, Ocean Grill for seafood and steaks served right on the beach, Andiamo for pizza and pasta beside a calm, dark green jungle swimming pool, or Infinity, serving salads and sandwiches. 

Just make sure your package is all-inclusive.

We’d gained a few pounds and a few grey hairs since we were last in the Maldives, and the islands have changed, too. First time around we chummed-up with other honeymooners on the beach. 

Now, although we are told the resort is almost full, we stroll the whole island (800m long and 600m wide) without seeing a soul.

It was on our first honeymoon that I noticed a fundamental difference between me and my beloved he can happily spend hours lying about in the sun, whereas I need to keep busy. 

I won’t deny our differences have been the source of stern words over the years. But this is a special holiday, so all bets are off.

We have the options of windsurfing, kayaking, sailing, jet-skiing, wakeboarding, water-skiing and scuba diving, but I book twice daily yoga sessions and leave Jon studiously ‘tanning his edges’ at the beach to join the resort’s marine biologist on a snorkeling trip.

I am rewarded by the appearance of a huge pod of wild dolphins pirouetting out of the water and performing synchronized man-oeuvres below us one more item from my bucket list unexpectedly ticked.

You won’t find many Maldivian resorts without a spa, and JA Manafaru is no exception. 

After a rigorous side-by-side couples massage, we are ushered into a side room where a huge round bed has been scattered with petals and bamboo spelling out ‘happy second honeymoon’.

Perhaps 20 years ago we might have thrown the petals aside and caution to the wind, but my husband’s massage has rendered him monosyllabic and I still have the imprint of the bed etched on my face.

Later, with a glass of champagne, no kids, incredible comfort and doting attention, I don’t mind confessing that the earth shakes — just a little.

Yes, we could have arranged to renew our vows; we could have booked a ‘romantic cruise on a love Dhoni’. 

But when the sand is so white and the sea so blue and you don’t have to worry about a thing, a place like this could wring romance out of a stone.

Katrina Kaif’s well-spent Sunday in Maldives is giving us holiday goals

The fans of Katrina Kaif got to see her live, that too straight from the beautiful Maldives. The actor might be away shooting for a magazine there, but she knows how to send love to her fans. And ever since she made her social media debut on Facebook, Katrina has tried her best to connect with her followers and keep them updated about all the major happenings in her lift.
While on Saturday (November 26) Katrina shared a picture posing in a white bikini, another post on ace designer Manish Malhotra’s Instagram account on Sunday proved that she is probably the best leggy beauty in the industry.
On Sunday evening, Kat did a Facebook live and shared all that she was doing in Maldives, the resort she is staying in and also the beautiful beach just outside her room. Katrina feels that next time when she is travelling to Maldives she should have someone giving her company as the room next to hers is vacant.



During the entire Facebook live, Katrina shared love and messages for the long list of her fans and was happy to see the hearts and kisses she was receiving on her post.

Katrina also wished a happy Sunday to all and even a sunset from the beach she was doing live from. While we thank her for all these updates, we have become even more impatient to get a glimpse of her hot photoshoot which she is doing there.

HURAWALHI ISLAND RESORT, MALDIVES SET FOR DECEMBER OPENING

Just a 40-minute seaplane flight from Male, here are a distinctive collection of superbly designed, exclusive and supremely spacious villas strung across the glittering lagoon – perfectly positioned, so that all guests can enjoy either sunrise or sunset panoramas. And with dining options that include on the beach, over the water, and even under the water, the philosophy here is that nothing is impossible.

Offering 90 Villas including 60 Ocean Villas and 30 Beach Villas, the residences are stylishly and beautifully conceived featuring soothing décor, sumptuous linens on king size beds, bleached wooden floors, and private terraces with panoramic views.

With a strong environmental focus, Hurawalhi Island Resort gives back to the Maldives as much as it gets. Using solar panels, its own water bottling plant, energy saving solutions, hot water recovery and an in-house marine biologist, Hurawalhi Island Resort’s eco credentials are the finest in the Maldives. In addition, Hurawalhi Island Resort is collaborating with WiseOceans, the marine conservation and education specialists.

The scene-stealer is the undersea restaurant, named ‘5.8 Undersea’, which is surrounded by out of this world marine views. The minimalist-designed restaurant keeps the focus outside; and keeps the focus on exclusivity and privacy – every table is set for just two.

Dazzling white sands, cyan-blue seas, spectacular undersea life, and incredible sunsets – the opening of the extraordinary Hurawalhi Island Resort ensures that this destination will remain unmissable in the years to come.

Properties From The Maldives Win Countless Awards At World Luxury Hotel Awards

At the recently held World Luxury Hotel Awards Gala night in St. Regis Doha, Qatar, Maldives once again proved itself as one of the best destinations in the world with huge wins in regional and continental categories.

Resorts and a guesthouse from the Maldives, won awards in different categories at the WLHA 2016 awards night gaining international recognition as world class retreats and some of the best in the whole continent.

The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi won the Luxury Beach Resort, while Diamonds Thudufushi clasped the Luxury Water Villa Resort award. Lily Beach Resort and Spa took home the award for the Luxury Family All-Inclusive Hotel with Conrad Maldives Rangali seized the Grand Excellence Award. Constance Moofushi Resort Maldives was named as the Luxury Green Hotel while the Hotel Ocean Grand picked up the award for Luxury Guesthouse. In the continental categories, Coco Collection won the prize for Luxury Hotel Brand and Conrad Maldives Rangali Island won the award for Luxury Villa Resort.

Regionally, Hideaway Beach Resort and Spa at Dhonakulhi Maldives brought home the award for Luxury Private Pool Villa with Hulhule Island Hotel clutching the Luxury Airport Hotel. JA Manafaru, Maldives also won the Luxury Honeymoon Hotel. Furthermore, Mirihi Island Resort for Luxury Boutique Hotel, Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort for Best Serviced Luxury Villas, The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Maldives for Luxury Spa Hotel, and Makunudu Island for Luxury Honeymoon Hotel.

Within Maldives, Coco Bodu Hithi took hold of the Luxury Honeymoon Hotel award while Centara Grand Ras Fushi Resort And Spa Maldives took the award for Luxury Adult Beach Resort, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island for Luxury Villa Resort, Constance Halaveli Maldives for Luxury Water Villa Resort, Jumeirah Vittaveli for Luxury Island Resort, Kurumba Maldives for Luxury Family All-Inclusive Hotel, Lily Beach Resort And Spa for Luxury Beach Resort, and Royal Island Resort & Spa for Luxury Romantic Hotel.

The World Luxury Hotel Awards is a recognized global organization providing luxury hotels with recognition for their world-class facilities and service excellence provided to guests. Public votes select all winners, reflecting real recognition for the hard work and dedication of hotel staff and hotel standards.

Five Best Resorts In Maldives That Will Leave Every Tourists Astonished

Maldives is known for its wonderful beaches, sands and resorts. It has been visited by many people around the world and even by Hollywood celebrities. It is also known as one of the best places for couples to have their honeymoons.
The blue waters and white sand of Maldives truly brings about the wonder of nature. Even in pictures, the views in Maldives are truly breath taking. The resorts there are also built very wonderfully to have that "living by the beach" experience once in Maldives. According to Place to see in your lifetime and Touropia, here are some of the best resorts in Maldives.

1. Cocoa Island Resorts- it is one of the most popular resorts in Maldives. The available rooms of this resort is similar and inspired by boats the fishermen in Maldives use which is called the dhoni boats. The rooms are built above the lagoons, which gives the renters a view of the ocean once they step outside the door.

2. W Retreat and Spa- tourists who love modern-like resorts should come here in W Retreat and Spa. Enjoy a relaxing vacation with the resorts offered activities such as two-cabin yacht cruises and an underground nightclub to bring out the youth in you. The modern design of the resort makes it more luxurious and attractive.

3. Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa- Enjoy the astonishing view of the Indian Ocean along with a swimming pool, a library, water sports, spa facilities, and wonderful lounges in the Four Seasons Resort. There are also bungalows for guests to relax in. Some of these bungalows even have glass floors to be able to look at the sea below. There is also another resort in Maldives named the Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru.

4. Kuramathi Island Resort- this resort offers not just its beautiful white sand beaches but also outdoor Jacuzzis and infinity pools and entertainment. It offers extraordinary water activities and programs for its guests. Guests also choose to stay at the garden, water villas or the beautiful beach with turquoise waters.

5. Naladhu Resort- This resort offers gorgeous designs for a limited number of people. Yes, they only have 19 villas available for their guests. These villas are built uniquely with sliding doors, ceiling glass, large bedroom and living room areas. It also has bathrooms with an infinity edge terrazzo bathtub and an outdoor area.

‘Luxury in today’s world means rarity’

Combining über luxury with sustainability, Soneva has emerged as one of the leaders in the global luxury travel space.


What is the overall philosophy of the brand Soneva?

We are a family business managed by me and my wife Eva. We focus on the “One Owner, One Operator, One Philosophy, One Brand” strategy. We are not interested on the asset light strategy. The asset light model doesn’t fit with the luxury brands. Over time this will help us to standout. Our philosophy is slow life. In this we are combining luxury, wellness and sustainability. We offer our guests luxury by minimising the impact on the planet. The acronym for Slow life is Sustainable-Local-Organic-Wellness, Learning-Inspiring-Fun-Experiences. The luxury for 21st century travellers is rarity; people are looking out for experiences which are rare. We are providing such unique experiences. We are also combining luxury with wellbeing.

What are your future plans for the Soneva brand?

We introduced luxury travel to Maldives in 1995 with the launch of our first property Soneva Fushi. Now we are 20 years old. In the last three four years we are making quite a lot of upgrades to the existing properties. We want to continuously evolve, so our immediate plan is to keep upgrading our properties.

Apart from this, we want to do a bit more in the Maldives along with our existing infrastructure. We are launching the Soneva Jani on October 28, 2016. This property is situated on a lagoon and it contains six islands. The total area of this property is about four to five kms. We would like to do two more concepts in the Maldives which will be within close proximity to Soneva Fushi. These concepts will not cannibalise on Soneva Fushi or Soneva Jani. At the moment we wouldn’t like to disclose the concept. They will be complementary and not competitive to our existing properties in Maldives. They will be high end products. Soneva in Aqua is a very successful brand as of now. We also want to increase the number of super luxury yachts in other locations.

We are also looking at other locations like Oman, Bali, Japan, Ibiza, and London in future to setup properties. We have a strong leisure component in these cities and our major focus is in the leisure segment.

Who are your investors?

We have roped in a private equity firm with a stake in our company from the Shanghai Government; they have created a private equity firm with 10 of the state owned enterprises. They will want to exit their shares in the next five to six years. Our agreement with them is more investments in our existing assets.

Thailand is aggressively pitching for luxury tourism in India, Do you see a growth from India in your Thailand property?

Soneva Kiri Resort comprises 35 vast pool villas on beach level, hillsides or cliff tops, all overlooking the Gulf of Thailand. The highlights of this property include the open-air Cinema Paradiso, a home-made chocolate and ice cream parlor, high-tech Observatory, manta ray shaped children’s Den and the spectacular Treetop Dining Pod. Travelers from India are doubling every year to all our properties, including the Soneva Kiri. The property is visited by a lot of Indian travelers.

Do you see any opportunity to open up a resort in India?

At the moment we are not looking to open up properties in India. There are still a lot of opportunities in the Maldives. Maldives is much less restrictive, in terms of the visa facilitation. Also, there are a lot of international flights from all the major cities into Maldives. So as of now our priority market will remain the Maldives.

Which are the segments that you are looking at? Do you cater to the MICE as well?

Families are our major segment as we have the big residences. Now we have built the Den which is entertainment for the children. Soneva as a brand is very strong in the family market. Apart from this we cater to honeymooners and the weddings segment. We are witnessing a trend where we get multi generational groups where we see the grand children coming with grandparents. We also cater to the MICE segment, but very small groups. We have the eight bedroom villas which can cater to such groups. We also have small conference facilities.