Soneva Fushi is the epitome of barefoot chic, but it also has more than its fair share of extravagance. Thatched villas are made of natural materials to blend into their tropical surroundings, with huge living areas spilling out onto terraces, freeform pools, wine cellars and even water slides. Try out the many water toys and sign up for activities you won’t find on many other islands. The resort has the Maldives’ only glass-blowing studio, a state-of-the-art observatory and expertise in freediving and eco-friendly surfing. Come evening, head to Fresh in the Garden by Sobah for treehouse dining.
Top suite: Nine-bedroom Private Reserve
The ultimate retreat for a family vacation, the enormous Private Reserve is Soneva Fushi’s largest accommodation, with nine bedrooms (including bedrooms for children and a nanny), spa, gym, sauna and steam room. The huge lagoon-style private pool provides a playground for little ones — in the middle is a sunken sala, which can be accessed by the waterslide (or by the bridge). When the sun sets, the sala is the perfect spot to host a decadent dinner under the stars. Should you want to venture beyond your idyllic reserve, Soneva Fushi has a wonderful array of activities, including non-motorized water sports (paddleboarding, catamaran sailing, windsurfing), tours of their eco ‘waste-to-wealth’ center and organic vegetable gardens to learn about best practices in eco-sustainability, and a glassblowing demonstration with cocktails at the Glass Studio. A visit to The Observatory is an absolute must — with so little light pollution, millions of stars are visible to the naked eye, but through the state-of-the-art telescope you’ll spot the Plough of Saturn and the moons of Jupiter, as well as celestial bodies that aren’t visible anywhere else in the world.
Kunfunadhoo Island Baa Atoll, Republic of Maldives
+91 124 451 1000
soneva.com
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