While travelling between the islands and atolls of the Maldives has never been easier, whether by speedboat or seaplane transfer, most visitors to this idyllic island nation tend to pick a resort and stay put for the duration of their holiday.
Island hopping is an option, but it’s not always the best way to soak up the tropical serenity of the Maldives. Rather, pick your corner of paradise, unpack once, and get down to the serious business of relaxing.
Which makes choosing your resort – and room – all the more important. Happily, across the Maldives, you’ll find a suite to suit just about every style. And pocket. And if those pockets are deep you’re in luck, because nobody does luxury quite like the Maldives. Whether you’re planning your next escape, or simply adding items to the bucket list, have a browse through these three lust-worthy tropical hideaways.
Patina Maldives
The Fari Islands in the North Malé atoll is unique in the Maldives, with three signature resorts and hotels set on adjoining islands, offering travellers the opportunity to hop from one to the next, enjoying the facilities at a dazzling array of shared facilities.
While the Ritz-Carlton and (opening in 2023) Capella resorts are certainly impressive, it’s Patina Maldives that really caught my eye. Set on the northernmost of the three islands, this masterpiece by Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan offers luxurious simplicity across just 20 beach suites and 90 villas. Kogan embraces a ‘biophilic’ design, and the resort rests perfectly within the island landscape.
Kudadoo
Developed by acclaimed tourism pioneer Lars Petre, Kudadoo raises the bar for luxury travel in the region. Billed as an ‘anything, anytime, anywhere’ resort, with service from impeccable Maldivian butlers, Kudadoo takes all-inclusive to new heights of indulgence. Think unlimited spa treatments, jet-ski adventures, private dining and bespoke excursions, while dinners see the tables groaning with fine European wine, cheese and charcuterie. Fancy a little caviar on the side? They have that too.
Kudadoo is also the first fully-solar-powered property in the Maldives, with just 15 intimate suites clinging to the edge of a tiny slip of sand and coconut palms. Designed by New York-based architect Yuji Yamazaki, the suites have echoes of Japanese ryokans, in their textures and tones of wood, stone and thatch.
Siyam World
At the other end of the scale is Siyam World, one of the largest island resorts in the Maldives that offers a dizzying array of activities, restaurants and accommodation. Alongside the usual resort experiences on offer – scuba diving, snorkelling and so on – a highlight here is complimentary access to Siyam Water World, the largest floating water park in the Maldives. So when it comes to choosing a room, of course you’ll want to go for something over the water, and the Reef Villas just look glorious. There are only 18 of them on offer, each with step access to the house reef dubbed ‘Snow White’, along with a private swimming pool and – the highlight – your own personal slide into the warm Indian Ocean.
Plan your trip: Air Seychelles flies weekly (departing Johannesburg on Friday evenings) from Johannesburg to the Maldives, with a brief technical stop in the Seychelles. To plan an unforgettable Maldivian escape, go to VisitMaldives.com. Bookings should be made through Priority Escapes. Book your flight at [email protected] or +27 (0)10 023 1234.
Entry requirements: South African passport holders receive a tourist visa on arrival to enter the Maldives. Ensure your passport is valid for at least one month after scheduled date of return, and has at least two blank pages for entry stamps.
Covid-19 Safety: Passengers entering the Maldives are NO LONGER required to present a PCR negative test result upon arrival if the individual(s) have completed the prescribed dose(s) of a Covid-19 vaccine that is being approved by the Maldives Food & Drug Authority or by the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Use Listing (EUL) and at least 14 (fourteen) days have passed since. (Booster dose(s) are not required to be eligible for this exemption).
Tourists who spend their holiday in tourist facilities in inhabited islands are NO LONGER required to do a PCR test when departing from respective inhabited islands.
In-flight on Air Seychelles all travellers are required to wear a facemask, except when eating or drinking.
This is a paid partnership with Air Seychelles and Visit Maldives.
