Island Hopping around paradise: Maalifushi by COMO, The Maldives
We flew by seaplane to the first island, from Male all the way to the Thaa Atoll in the archipelago’s southwest. The view was just fabulous – one lovely island after another came into view, set like jewels in the stunning colours of the Indian Ocean.
We landed and saw a nearby island where the beach seemed very crowded. We felt a pang of disappointment and then…. our boat whisked us off to the beautiful private island resort of Maalifushi by COMO where we were met at the jetty by Andrew Drummond & his team.
Maalifushi is the first luxury resort to open in the Thaa Atoll and the first boutique hotel in the Maldives by Japanese architect Koichiro Ikebuchi - it has a lovely, refined understated elegance about it. No wonder it’s won so many awards.
We LOVED our overwater villa – spacious, private, well-laid out, with a good-sized plunge pool. We could just walk down from our private terrace into the ocean. And after a long hard day of sun-bathing, snorkelling, eating & relaxing, it was great to come back to find the turn-down service had been done, and chill-out music put on for us.
So you can bet we loved checking out the larger suites and villas. There are garden and beachfront suites and villas, as well as overwater. With their private pools and entertainment facilities, these are perfect for spending quality time with your family. You can also treat yourself to a Butlered Villa or Residence and leave everything to your butler to organise.
The relaxed serene feel of the resort soon soothed away the stresses of hectic city life. We really enjoyed roaming around the resort on bikes. Mind you, I’m not sure everyone had read the “keep left” sign! We’d go for a dip in our pool or drop by the well-equipped gym or yoga class. Then cycle to Madi for breakfast, which was a delight, with everything looking so fresh and tempting. Each day you get an events sheet, so you can treat yourself to a turtle expedition snorkel or a sunset cruise, or just do your own thing. Local fishermen supply Maalifushi and the meals were delicious, with theme nights on some evenings. You can also have a romantic meal on the beach or in your villa.
The pool area was a great place for a read after breakfast before going snorkelling or a walk around the island. We saw many types of sea life just from the walkways. The complimentary guided snorkelling trip - conducted by the resident marine biologist – is well worth doing. There were also divers staying at the resort, enjoying the teeming marine life.
We enjoyed dropping into the Sunset bar at Tai on the way back to our villa. The sunsets were just stunning. Our farewell meal at Tai was also a top notch experience.
As for connectivity, this was important for me as I was obviously keeping an eye on my travel business and happily there is complimentary Wi-Fi everywhere.
Our stay was over far too soon. We were whisked off by boat to the seaplane, while the resort staff waved goodbye from the jetty until we were out of sight. Just one of the very many personal touches we experienced during our stay. However, we were not going home - we were flying off to our next adventure: Cocoa Island by COMO and wondering how it would compare. You can find out in my next journal….
Please contact me on 020 3432 2510 if the paradise that is The Maldives is on your list! I’ve got lots of great contacts, as well as hints & tips.