Ah, the Maldives: the gently swaying palms; the crystal water; the blue skies. There’s something about the Maldives that amplifies the colours – the tones of the ocean contrasting with the blue of the sky, the white of the sand and the green of the foliage. Seriously, I suspect people from the Maldives may visit other countries and wonder why everything is in black and white.
You don’t go to the Maldives for a local experience, however. Malé is one of the world’s most densely populated places, and generally other islands are off limits to tourists (though there are a few homestay-type options that I’m yet to try).
I have visited a local island, and it is not a resort experience. But in a sense this takes away the need to explore. The Maldives is the perfect destination to chill out and relax.
So. What are my fave five?
Soneva Fushi
I’ll be honest: Soneva Fushi was my first experience of The Maldives, but I don’t believe that has swayed my judgement here. At the time I was told it was the largest resort island in the country (I’m guessing that’s changed with the weird land reclamation that has happened to create places such as The One & Only, which to my mind created some strange and unnatural beaches).
Bigger is not necessarily better, obviously, but the space here means that the villas can be tucked away amongst the foliage so you never feel on top of your neighbours, as is so often the case.
The activities are well worth a look. We did the Robinson Crusoe Castaway Picnic, in which we were whipped off to a private island (yup, not another soul in sight) with a picnic hamper, and a walkie-talkie in case the solitude was too much. It wasn’t. Experience of a lifetime.
Lovely: Space; ‘barefoot luxury’ concept; great house reef snorkeling
Less lovely: Not cheap, but that applies to everything in the Maldives
COMO Cocoa Island
Don’t let the exteriors of the Dhoni Suites put you off – COMO Cocoa Island is easily one of the top resorts in The Maldives.
The island itself is quite small, so there’s not much walking available, and all the guest rooms are over water. We stayed in a Loft Villa which was magical – loads of living space, decorated in neutral tones that don’t compete with the incredible hues out the windows, and a terrace with steps into the pleasantly sandy lagoon below.
It was such a good room that you wouldn’t leave, except that the restaurant is so good. A usual problem in these resorts is that you are trapped: you can’t go anywhere else for food. Most places do a pretty good job of catering – for a cost – but COMO raises the bar to another level. It’s the only Maldives resort I’ve been to where I didn’t want to leave because I hadn’t tried everything on the menu. Fab.
Lovely: Brilliant F&B – best we’ve had in The Maldives by a long shot; only 33 rooms; spa.
Less Lovely: Dhoni Suites are a bit of a naff ‘room in a fake boat’ concept, though you don’t notice that from the lovely interiors; it’s a tiny little island.
W Maldives
W Hotels don’t always hit the mark for me (perhaps I’m too old), but when they do…
W Maldives offers both on land and over-water villas. I stayed in both, and preferred the Beach Oasis – which as a bonus is the more affordable option. Plenty of internal space, a private beach in front, and some of the best snorkeling on the island right in front of the villa. What’s not to like?
I know the W brand is for younger folk, but the piped-in music on the walkways is unnecessary in my opinion, given you could make do with the sound of lapping waves. And you can’t blame W for their guests, but I did have a moment or two with pushy types at the buffet one night…what can I say? Money doesn’t equal class, apparently.
Anyway. It’s a pretty island, with smart rooms, and a spectacular seaplane arrival.
Lovely: Natural beauty; Spacious rooms
Less lovely: Unnecessary piped musak;
One&Only Reethi Rah
A lot of the resorts in the Maldives are on tiny little baby islands, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, it is also nice to have enough space to ride a bike around. Reethi Rah is just such an island. There are even signposts. The pleasant coolness of the forested interior contrasts with the brightness of the island’s sandy fringes.
It took me a while to twig, however, that the island itself has been partially reclaimed – the giveaway being horseshoe-shaped beaches, which are not a natural feature of the Maldives. It also means sandy, coral-free swimming if that is your thing. Swings and roundabouts.
Again, I stayed in both a Beach Villa and a Water Villa, and found myself gravitating to the Beach Villa, for the space – it’s actually quite massive – and the privacy, though you do pay handsomely for the privilege.
It is the sort of resort that can organize activities, and I had a sensational time snorkeling with manta rays. Unforgettable.
Lovely: Huge villas; activities
Less lovely: Strange reclaimed island; Eye-watering rates.
Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort
‘Cheap and cheerful’ is not a phrase you’re going to use about many resorts in The Maldives. And I’m not about to use it for Anantara’s Dhigu Maldives Resort either, sorry. It is only mildly eye-wateringly expensive, however, so that makes it some sort of value here.
It’s an unusual resort in that is is part of a cluster of islands, two others hosting resorts (both Anantara branded too – Anantara Veli, which has an adults-only policy for those who don’t want to be hearing the pitter-patter of tiny feet, and Naladhu Private Island, which offers only 20 large houses, most of which face a surf-lashed reef). You can opt to visit the other islands, though it is pleasant enough to see them across the aquamarine blue lagoon.
Still, Dhigu has its charms. Being a Thai-owned chain, it’s unsurprising to find the spa is really quite good. And it is one of the rare occasions where I find the Over Water Suites the preferable option, though doing so does push the price up quite substantially.
Lovely: A boat trip from Malé airport makes it an easily-accessed resort by Maldives standards.
Less lovely: Probably not the quietest resort on this list.