For visitors to
the Maldives
, the island of Malé, site of the international airport and the capital city of the same name, is the first port of call. It’s a world away from the other islands, with its high-rise buildings, paved roads and teeming streets (a third of the population live here). There are no beaches as such — just a new artificial stretch of sand around the harbour, popular with locals for an evening stroll. Although most holidaymakers simply pass through before jumping on a seaplane or speedboat to be whisked away to other islands — there are 1,190 of them, though just 200 are inhabited — it’s worth lingering to explore the shady, tree-lined streets, the local markets on the waterfront, the museum and the 400-year-old Friday Mosque, famed for its coral carvings. There’s also a vibrant cultural scene to discover, with music and dance shows and plenty of local craftworks for sale. Among the newest hotels is the 117-room Holiday Inn Malé, which opened in September. At 15 storeys, it’s the tallest hotel in the Maldives, with unrivalled views of the harbour and beyond. Hilton is opening a property here in 2011 too.
Luxe out with the stars
The Maldives today are synonymous with luxury — but this wasn’t always the case. Back in the 1970s, when tourism first began on the islands, basic resorts offering processed food and saltwater showers catering to a mainly German and Italian market were the norm.
How things have changed. The islands are now home to some of the world’s most luxurious hideaways, with beautifully designed accommodation, gourmet cuisine and great service. The mould was broken with the opening of Six Senses’ Soneva Fushi by Sonu Shivdasani and his wife Eva in 1995, touting the concept of ‘barefoot luxury’ with its ‘no news, no shoes’ catchphrase. ‘It took us a long time to convince anyone that luxury tourism would work here, but we’ve never looked back,’ said Shivdasani.
A host of top-end brands have since followed in their footsteps — from Banyan Tree and Four Seasons Resorts to W and Anantara. Six Senses opened its second property, Soneva Gili, the country’s first all-over-water project in 2002, and Latitude Lamu opens next year, promising a sociable, hip vibe.
Each island resort has its own particular charm — whether it’s Banyan Tree Madivaru’s tented villas with pools, or Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa, which opened in July, with treehouse villas among accommodation options (a first for the Maldives).
Hilton Iru Fushi also opened this summer, a sprawling contemporary resort with 220 villas set in 52 acres of tropical vegetation and white sand. It offers a different feel from Hilton’s other properties, the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, with its wide accommodation choice and sophisticated facilities (think 80 martini cocktails at Vilu Bar or 101 types of cheese in the wine bar) and the boutique Beach House on the Haa Alifu Atoll with butlers and pool villas (part of the Hilton group from November).
Naladhu – a favourite with celebrities, from Kate Moss to Roger Federer — has just 19 houses, all with personal plunge pools and wine cellars pre-stocked to your own preference. Another popular place with A-listers and heads of state is Kurumba (Bill Clinton and Kofi Annan are fans). It’s just undergone a £12 million refurbishment and is known for its fine dining, with nine restaurants to choose from.
Huvafen Fushi’s new luxury Dhoni experience takes five-star living out onto the water with traditional sailing boats kitted out with cutting-edge technology and creature comforts (Philippe Starck design and Frette linen) as well as private butlers. Guests can combine staying on one with onshore rooms, or just head out for a day.
Others to watch out for include the Mandarin Oriental, which opens next year, offering pool villas and an underwater wine cellar with private dining room, among seven bars and restaurants.
