JEWELS IN THE CROWN Why

HOTELS& TRAVEL

Jewels in the Crown

The Maldives is a bucket-list destination. The carbon footprint might be huge to get there (let’s hurry up with sustainable air fuel, PLEASE), but once you’ve arrived you’ll find that its ambition to reach net zero by 2030 reveals itself in the most luxurious of ways

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KERRY DEAN

SIX SENSES LAAMU

BEST FOR SWITCHING OFF Six Senses Laamu was voted best hotel in Asia in the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2022. This accolade alone may be enough to ensure that this secluded and somnolent island retreat in the relatively remote Laamu Atoll is top of many people’s bucket lists. Like a moth to the flame, newlyweds are drawn to the Maldives, but if you are past the first flush of post-nuptial bliss and have children in tow, Laamu is also a sure bet. As with all Six Senses, the Laamu resort is not show-offy but nonetheless luxury seeps through its every pore. On arrival, you’re asked to remove your shoes and you won’t put them back on until you leave – Six Senses is all about reconnecting with nature. There are 97 heavenly villas, each of which was built with an environmental ethos and respect for local culture in both construction and design; the majority are overwater with a handful scattered on the beach. The food at Laamu is mouth-wateringly delicious no matter where you choose to eat, but Leaf, perched on stilts above the organic garden, deserves an honorary mention as does the cinema under the stars where younger guests are fed, watered and entertained every night while adults enjoy dinner in peace. At The Den children are treated to a host of absorbing activities from setting sail on a treasure island cruise complete with water cannons and marauding pirate ships, to joining the Junior Marine Biology Programme. Young, old, exhausted with young children – the island is intoxicating for everyone. BOOK IT: Sunset Laamu Water Villa from £1,339 B&B based on four sharing, sixsenses.com

GILI LANKANFUSHI

BEST FOR BALANCE A speedy 007-style speed boat ride from the airport ensures that you reach paradisiacal ‘no shoes, no news’ Gili Lankanfushi as quickly as it takes for you to shake out your crumpled clothes from the flight. In just 20 minutes, you’ll be greeted at what is widely regarded as one of the best resorts in the Maldives by the Gili staff and introduced to your personal Mr or Ms Friday who will cater to your every whim throughout your stay (even teaching your five-year-old to drive a golf buggy). There are just 45 palm-thatched villas made from sustainably sourced teak, pine and oak, the biggest of which is the vast Private Reserve accessible only by boat. All are plastic free and replete with stonking stereos, endless seating areas for lolling around in and bicycles for leisurely rides through the jungly island. For those who like to burn more calories than it takes to raise a margarita glass, you’ll find some of the best surf in the region. And don’t miss snorkelling the reef with the resident marine biologist. An early morning tennis lesson with the island’s pro is a great way to justify a day spent in a hammock slung between swaying palms or working off the cheese and wine experience in the underground cellar (there are over 500 wines and champagnes down there), complete with an extraordinary table hewn from a huge piece of driftwood deposited on the island by the 2004 tsunami. Basically, you’ll never want news or shoes again. Bliss. BOOK IT: Villa Suite from £1,450 per night. gili-lankanfushi.com

SONEVA FUSHI

BEST FOR SUSTAINABILITY When Sonu and Eva Shivdasani opened this, their first Soneva resort nearly 30 years ago, it was a game-changer. Not only because of its barefoot luxury concept but also the ‘slow life’ philosophy which has always had sustainability at its core. Recent initiatives include the Eco Centro with everything from mushroom-growing huts to a station where coconut shells are turned into charcoal for the restaurants. There’s also a Soneva Foundation programme to create a one-hectare coral nursery – the largest in the Indian Ocean. The island is all jungle living, with thatched ocean-facing villas that each have their own pool. Cycle along sandy paths to the dive centre, The Den (the kid’s club with a pirate ship and rooms dedicated to Lego, music and dressing-up) or to the Glass Studio for a glass blowing session. Supper experiences include ziplining through the trees to Flying Sauces and Fresh in the Garden, a yearlong residency by Danish chef Mads Refslund (who co-founded Noma) based around fire and ice. A gorgeous getaway that is continually evolving in ever-more creative ways. BOOK IT: Seven nights half-board from £7,979, including seaplane transfers and international flights, until 17 Dec 22. turquoiseholidays.co.uk

FAIRMONT MALDIVES

BEST FOR A HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE Your first glimpse of Fairmont Maldives comes with a soundtrack of whirring propellers as your red-and-white seaplane emerges from the clouds and circles a teardrop of colour in the inky blue Indian Ocean. With a splash the plane touches down, taxiing through the waves to where the island’s staff are lined up to welcome you with Maldivian drumming and an ice-cold glass of Veuve Clicquot. After being introduced to your personal butler, you’re whisked off down shaded paths to reach your villa – options include beach cabins, tented jungle homes and overwater bungalows. Although the Fairmont offers the usual white-sand luxury of a Maldivian escape, what makes it stand out is its commitment to cleaning up its corner of the world. Spearheading this is its Sustainability Lab, where guests can turn ocean plastic and resort waste into bespoke souvenirs. There’s also the Turtle Ranger programme, whereby visitors can track and release baby turtles, and the Coralarium, an artificial reef designed by sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor. Besides this, you can enjoy the island’s home reef and swim alongside turtles, sharks, rays and dolphins in the wild. BOOK IT: Seven nights in a Beach Villa, half board, from £6,799 (1 May to 30 June 2023). Includes flights and seaplane transfers. luxtripper.co.uk

OBLU SELECT LOBIGILI

BEST FOR ROMANCE Opening earlier this year, Oblu Select Lobigili is a new adults-only resort situated in the Maldives’ North Malé Atoll. Offering a castaway experience that is within easy reach, you can feel the sand between your toes within 15 minutes of the airport. Don’t let this proximity to the airport dishearten you, as the island offers guests plenty of luxuries, including fantastic food and fine beaches. Romance rules here – ‘loabi’ means love and ‘gili’ means island in the Maldivian language of Dhivehi. There’s even a mini heart-shaped island moments from the shoreline for intimate wedding ceremonies and private dining. For a relaxed and stress-free Maldivian experience, the ‘Lobi Plan’ offers more than your typical all-inclusive, from sunset fishing and spa treatments to an unlimited minibar. A bright, cheerful aesthetic can be seen throughout the romantic island with bubble-gum pink buggies, fuchsia sun loungers and candy pink and white beach towels. The resort has one of the largest underwater restaurants, an open-air spa and a choice of beach and water villas for a tropical getaway. BOOK IT: SunNest Beach Pool Villa from £605. coloursofoblu.com/ oblu-select-lobigili

Gili Lankanfushi is just 20 minutes by speedboat from Malé airport

Adults-only Oblu Select Lobigili is the perfect spot for a romantic retreat

BEYOND THE BEACH

The twin imperatives of tourism and climate change have led the islands to put environmentalism and sustainability at their core. Lauren Ho reports

It’s only when viewed from above that the full magnitude of the Maldives becomes apparent. Framed by the window of a tiny seaplane, the patchwork of coral islands below, almost like mother nature scattered a handful of aquamarine gems into the sapphire sea, are ringed by crystal-clear turquoise waters that lazily lap lush, sandfringed islands.

From here, stunned by its breathtaking beauty alone, it’s easy to see why the Maldives is one of the world’s most desirable holiday destinations. A true paradise, it’s the one spot that looks the same in real life as it does on a postcard: the sea really is that blue. The sand really is that white. And those pastel candy floss sunsets need no filter. Located just southwest of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean, the archipelagic country’s 26 atolls comprise a garland of over a thousand islands (of which around 200 are inhabited) that span a territory of roughly 35,000 square miles. With 80 per cent of these islands just one metre above sea level, though, it is also the world’s lowest lying country. As is, it’s been said that at the current rate of global warming, almost 80 per cent of the Maldives could be uninhabitable by 2050.

At the core of this island country’s survival are its coral reefs, which not only create a natural coastal defence, but also provide a crucial source of income for the local community, thanks to their contribution to the fishing and tourism industries. Already in 2016, a rise in water temperature resulted in a dramatic bleaching event that affected almost 60 per cent of its coral reefs. Vulnerable, then, to the consequences of climate change, but also dependent on tourism, which accounts for 28 per cent of its GDP, the Maldives is in a bit of a paradoxical conundrum.

And while, ultimately, it’s the locals who will pay the price of the environmental damage, with approximately 1.5 million tourists visiting the Maldives every year (pre-Covid), the country’s resorts are stepping up, making sustainability and the environment a priority. The Anantara brand, for example, which has four resorts in the Maldives, has teamed up with conservation charity

Coral Reef CPR to set up Holistic Approach to Reef Protection (HARP). A sustainability project aimed at protecting the reefs and ensuring that they thrive, through initiatives that include coral gardening, the programme offers guests at its resorts a chance to adopt a coral frame and personally plant it with the guidance of an onsite marine biologist.

In a similar vein, Huvafen Fushi, alongside its energy, water and waste management policies, also has the Coral Reef Rehabilitation Project, which comprises a carefully protected and thriving coral nursery with small coral fragments or ‘nubbins’ which guests can adopt and replant onto more mature frames, which can be viewed from the resort’s underwater spa.

ANANTARA DHIGU

BEST FOR WATERSPORTS When it comes to warm welcomes, Anantara Dhigu knows how to put on a fanfare. Greeted by a host of clapping staff, drums and ice-cold coconut drinks, it’s an accurate indication of what to expect from your stay. A more lively alternative to its Niyama sister hotel but also sharing a lagoon with two other Anantara properties – Veli and Naladhu (so there’s other restaurants, bars and activities to discover) - the resort is a lesson in family fun combined with some much-needed relaxation. Just 30 minutes by speedboat from Malé, nestled in a shallow turquoise lagoon, the island is a playground for activities such as paddleboarding, surfing or joining an excursion to swim with nurse sharks for the afternoon. But if you need to recoup from a busy day at the water sports centre, there are 110 beach villas and over-water suites to retire to, plus a lovely spa with excellent coconut-based treatments. Whether it’s reclining with a good book on the swinging sofa on the terrace beside your pool or watching the sun set from your private sun lounger on the beach, there are plenty of cosy nooks to enjoy (the photogenic lagoon hammock is a must if you can wait your turn). BOOK IT: Doubles from £450 halfboard excl. taxes. anantara.com

SONEVA JANI

BEST FOR WELLNESS The second Soneva outpost in the Maldives, this island is underpinned by the same sustainably driven values as the original (Fushi) yet cleverly has its own character, too. The majority of villas are overwater. Those on the Chapter Two side were added in 2020; they are dreamy, each with a huge deck, pool and a slide that whooshes you straight out into the crystal-clear ocean. The big news is this year’s launch of Soneva Soul, an all-encompassing wellness concept which combines ancient healing philosophies (for instance, Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine) with innovative treatments such as nutrient IV therapy and cryotherapy, and honed-in programmes that range from meditation to yoga and sleep (rolled out at Soneva Fushi, too). Restaurants include toes-inthe-sand Crab Shack for a seafood lunch and Overseas by Mathias Dahlgren (known for his two Michelin-guide Stockholm restaurants Matbaren and Rutabaga) where dishes include deepfried tofu and broccoli, and tuna served on shiso leaf with soy. Spend days dolphin spotting and snorkelling, or come here to simply fly-and-flop in complete privacy. BOOK IT: Seven nights half-board from £8,799, inc. seaplane and int. flights, until 17 Dec 22. turquoiseholidays.co.uk

CONRAD MALDIVES RANGALI ISLAND

BEST FOR LIE-INS When you arrive at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, you step into an Instagram picture of unparalleled views and an abundance of flora and fauna. The first international hotel to open in the Maldives, it has just completed a major transformation of the tiny adults-only Rangali Island. All 50 of the thatched-roof overwater villas have been redesigned for indoor-outdoor living with direct access to a private sun deck, complete with pool and staircase leading to the turquoise waters below. There’s also a brand-new gym, and the Over Water Spa has had a stylish makeover. Taking personalised service to the next level is The Muraka, billed as the world’s first undersea residence and boasting a master bedroom that doubles as an aquarium – watch reef sharks glide past while you brush your teeth. Another thrilling first is undersea restaurant Ithaa, offering panoramic views of the surrounding coral garden and a fusion menu featuring local seafood. With a total of 12 restaurants, prepare to feast your way around the resort. There’s no shortage of activities either, including snorkelling safaris, diving, windsurfing, catamaran sailing and dolphin cruises. BOOK IT: Beach villa from £405 per night. conradmaldives.com

Taking in the sounds of the Bodu Beru band at Lankanfushi. Photo © Kerry Dean

Room with a view and then some at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Amilla Fushi, meanwhile, continues to be a true disruptor to the Maldivian experience, not only aesthetically with its brilliant white minimalist cuboid villas, but it has taken things a step further in terms of sustainability that goes far beyond banning plastic bottles. This includes The Nut - a dedicated coconut processing facility that will utilise waste to make everything from cold-pressed virgin coconut oil to coco peat for the gardens - and Cluckingham Palace- home to the happiest chickens in the Maldives.

Over at Hurawalhi - also known as ‘The Aquarium’ due to its truly astonishing abundance of sea life – 30 per cent of the island is powered by solar energy thanks to 4,102.5 sq/m of solar panels, which is approximately the size of 26 volleyball courts. Elsewhere, the resort’s hot water is a result of a clever heat recovery system that converts waste heat produced by generators into electrical energy. There is a water bottling plant and a food sustainability system which includes a recycling programme as well as organic and biodynamic produce grown in its own hydroponic greenhouse and extensive kitchen garden.

Meanwhile, just across the waters, its sister hotel Kudadoo Maldives Private Island is purely powered by the sun, with 984 solar panels on the roof of The Retreat - the hub that houses the main pool, restaurant, bar and spa - which has also been smartly designed to maximise natural air flow. The resort provides drinking water bottled at Hurwalhi’s plant, has a sophisticated food and waste management system, and has partnered with conservation charities Manta Trust and Olive Ridley Project.

NIYAMA PRIVATE ISLAND

BEST FOR KIDS It’s not hard to see why Niyama has so many returning guests. Spanning over two kilometres, the island is an oasis of tropical woodlands and secret lagoons. Separated into two adjoining islands aptly named Chill and Play, the resort is well equipped for both families and couples with spacious water villas (complete with popcorn makers and very Instagrammable decor), one of the largest kids’ clubs in the Maldives and hammock-lined remote beaches for some ‘me-time’. Although Niyama provides every guest with a personalised bike to explore the island (and work off the sizeable buffet breakfasts), your personal butler can also ferry you from A to B in a buggy if you’d prefer a star-lit ride after dinner. For a more exclusive al fresco experience, try Asian streetfood on the beach at Niyama’s Took Took, or Rum, Ribs and Reggae at the resort’s Surf Shack for a fun alternative to your nightly meal. Rainy days (and there certainly are some) call for Active, the resorts cosy hideaway kitted out with board games, painting classes and mustsee movie nights. BOOK IT: Seven nights for £4,199pp for a Beach Villa on a half-board basis including seaplane and flights. Until 22 Dec 23. turquoiseholidays.co.uk

JOALI BEING

BEST FOR A HEALTH KICK ‘The Maldives? On your own?’ Until recently a solo trip to couples’ heaven was the preserve of those who’d been jilted but refused to let a good honeymoon go to waste. Activities included angrily emptying the minibar while shouting at the sea. But times have changed and there’s a new kid on the block, here to meet self-serving needs of a new health-conscious breed. Joali Being, the brand’s second property, claims to be a trailblazer: ‘The first dedicated wellness retreat in the Maldives.’ A world-class squad of naturopaths, therapists and nutritionists have been gathered to deliver wellbeing experiences, scientific therapies and diagnostic services in a whopping 39 treatment rooms. And it’s a joy to look at: temple-like ‘biophilic’ architecture is given a pastel palette – teal, pink, sand white – and decked with natural-fibres and miles of blondewood rattan. One of a combination of Joali Being’s ‘Four Pillars’ – mind, skin, microbiome and energy – are chosen for you during a consultant assessment, which then dictates everything you do and consume for the duration of your stay. The end result? ‘Weightlessness’. Much better than a husband. BOOK IT: Villas for two from $2,142 per night B&B. Five-night Discovery Programme from $1,665pp. joalibeing.com

PATINA

BEST FOR DESIGN MAVENS Swapping typical Maldivian rustic charm for a sleek, minimal aesthetic, Patina is an interior design haven. The man-made island resort is just over a year old and is quickly becoming a Maldives hotspot loved by both millenials and families alike thanks to its slick art installations and clean lines. Expect to find neutral décor in the rooms and villas alongside subtle tropical prints, thoughtful textures and organic amenities before watching dolphins leaping in the lagoon from your private terrace and infinity pool. Cementing itself as a forward-thinker, the resort even has its own luxury superyacht, Adastra, worthy of a James Bond villain that can by hired for a stunning sunset cruise. Guests are treated to complimentary ice cream from the Tuk Tuk Gelato as well as bikes, a snorkelling set, stand-up paddle board and kayaks for the more adventurous. With an impressive kitchen garden (the burrata salad is testament to its alfresco efforts), outdoor cinema and plenty more exciting upcoming plans in the works, Patina is certainly one to watch. BOOK IT: One-bedroom Beach Pool Villa from £1,785 on B&B basis, including transfers and up to two children can stay for free. patinahotels.com

Gems (Guest Experience Makers) create magic for all the family at Six Senses Laamu. Photo © Kerry Dean

Patina offers a modern take on luxury for travellers looking for stylish interiors (cont.) The latter protects sea turtles in the Indian Ocean through research, rescue and rehabilitation, and has a centre, with one of the biggest tanks in the Maldives, at One&Only Reethi Rah, where injured turtles spend the last weeks of recovery before being released back into the ocean. Elsewhere, the resort is also hard at work growing its own coral colonies, and has also partnered with EarthCheck - the leading certification programme in the travel and tourism industry - to implement an Environmental Management System that will help achieve a fully sustainable resort.

On the Fari Islands, the Ritz-Carlton is pushing boundaries in terms of sustainability. First, with a smart design that not only uses prefabricated design methods and materials - ensuring zero waste - but also maximises natural air flow. Not just a pretty face, there is also a considered and efficient approach to gastronomy, and the resort has partnered with like-minded brands and people including organic bodycare brand Bamford and renowned oceanographer Jean-Michel Cousteau, who provides an educational programme to encourage guests to discover and explore nature.

As a whole, the Maldives has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2030. An ambitious target, but with assistance from the World Bank that includes plans to build the world’s largest floating power system, this island nation will hopefully be on track to showcasing energy sustainability to the world. n