A luxury resort in Baa Atoll, Soneva Fushi is a UNESCO Biosphere and god’s gift to the Maldives. Close your eyes and imagine a tropical paradise – blue skies, white sand, crystal clear water, lush greenery all around – Soneva Fushi is all that and much more!
Our limited patience for sunbathing left us with adequate time to explore the island. We had bicycles to ourselves and every time we stepped out of our cottage, we jumped on those bikes with renewed energy and a carefree attitude. We felt like wanderers. It also gave us an opportunity to lazily discover the entire island, from the rooms to the kitchen garden, from the recycling center to the cinema, we saw it all! The atoll has so much more to offer than we expected. It was small enough for the directionally challenged amongst us to not stray away and large enough to find a new area everyday. The absence of shoes from dawn to dinner meant there was a lesser formality in dressing; go as you are was the order of the day.
The pool villas were a lovely retreat away from swimming in the sea. Small touches of water to wash your feet and huge sofa to lounge on were pleasant comforts. The outdoor shower and little pond in the open air bathroom reminded you that you were on an island and not in a hotel.
Childhood paint palettes do complete disservice to the shades of blue of the sea. The bliss of bobbing around in the clear water remains unmatched and the silence of snorkeling around and veering into the deep cooler water was heavenly. When a beach holiday is planned, swimming, snorkeling and suntans are the plan but on this tiny island one can find a tropical forest surrounded by the bluest seas. From playing tennis surrounded by coconut trees to going on a dolphin cruise, there’s more to Soneva Fushi than enjoying the sea.
The Chocolate Room in Soneva Fushi will change the minds of those who say chocolate and ice cream is fun just for kids. Us adults devoured the delicious dessert without guilt. Potential embarrassment ensued when the spouse entered the room for the first time but the sight of an adult munching on a chocolate lollipop will put a smile on anyone’s face.
The food at every step was out of this world! Not enough can be said about the ambience of the restaurants. Fresh In the Garden restaurant set in a canopy amongst trees will transport guests to paradise. The multi-course meal at the restaurant was the best we’ve ever eaten. Out Of The Blue restaurant served as more than just a place to eat. We could snorkel at the other end of the island, relax on oversea hammocks, have divine cocktails from their endless menu and then wrap up with a woodfired pizza and salad.The slide into the water was a treat and provided adequate temptation to keep going on it. Only negative was the long walk on a burning hot wooden deck where even the water jugs kept at intervals wasn’t enough to cool one’s feet. We quickly learnt that this is the only place where slippers were needed.
Every holiday comes with a few things you never expect to experience. The thought of a sandy tropical forest on an atoll in Maldives was in itself magical. Food tends to be a big draw on any holiday as it serves as a respite from relentless dieting. An all-inclusive plan can be a suspicious incentive because it elicits visions of overladen buffet tables at every meal. However, at this hotel, an all-inclusive plan meant Michelin quality food with enough variety to spoil you. The one-off buffet night pleasantly surprised us with the number of cuisines and sophistication in presentation as well as the quality of food.
There are not enough words to describe this heavenly island. We never thought that having privacy like this on a holiday can redefine luxury for us. Book your holidays with TravelK to experience what we did and much more!