Luxury, wildlife and natural wonders collide in the Maldives, but is it worth the hype? Photo / Getty Images
Luxury, wildlife and natural wonders collide in the Maldives, but is it worth the hype? Photo / Getty Images
Luxury, wildlife and natural wonders collide in the marvellous Maldives, where Chris Stead and his family lived the good life for a month – but does it live up to the hype?
Few places look as good in real life as they do on Instagram, but photos can’t do the Maldives justice. It’s as spectacularly beautiful as you’d expect. The luscious jungle islands surrounded by white sands, exotic blues and coloured reefs are all true. It’s magic.
As is that moment when you surface from your overwater villa’s private pool, gaze out across the Indian Ocean and take a swig of champagne as the laughter of kids fills in the soundtrack. Oh please, take me back! The Maldives is pure luxury, no matter what “luxury” means to you.
My wife and I were lucky enough to stay at eight different resorts during our month in the Maldives. So did my three (ridiculously) lucky kids. The surprise was how each location offered a different take on luxury; a unique point of difference.
At the Ritz-Carlton Fari Islands resort, it’s all about modern comfort. The shiny overwater villas are breathtaking. Floor-to-ceiling glass makes the ocean the centrepiece. An infinity pool reaches across the generous deck. Rooms offer technological wizardry at every turn. It’s pure comfort, surrounded by facilities such as the stunning main pool, tennis court, Hobbit-like kids club, games room and spa.
I was also blown away by the food at the Ritz-Carlton. The delicious Asian cuisines, in particular, will stay with me for a long time. Watching the sun set over the ocean, while my kids enjoyed their first teppanyaki, is an experience I will never forget.
Ritz-Carlton Fari Islands is a modern retreat featuring floor-to-ceiling ocean views.
Over at Soneva Jani, luxury is defined by isolation, opulence and sustainability, an unlikely combination. The overwater villa is unquestionably the most outstanding and lavish one-bedroom room I’ve ever enjoyed. It is as big as a family home, with a second-storey lounge area connected to the ocean by a waterslide. My jaw dropped when the roof in the bedroom slid to the side, opening up the stars of an evening.
Yet everything is made from recycled woods, metals and glass, crafted with exquisite attention to detail. Throw in the companionship of your barefoot butler and a vibe so calm you can hear the world breathe, and you have something truly special. It’s also home to the best kids club I’ve ever seen and an overwater cinema.
Soneva Jani redefines luxury in the Maldives, offering stunning villas, family fun, and sustainability in a pristine tropical paradise. Photo / Supplied
The real Waterworld
In other locations, luxury not only comes from the facilities, food, service and rooms, but in its ocean setting.
The St Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort brings luxury to the table through its small, intimate guest count, bespoke service and isolation. For my kids and I, however, the house reef was the luxury we most indulged in – not so much the coral, but the wildlife.
A short paddle off the beach or your villa and the reef plummets into the depths. Bathed in warm, crystal-clear water, swimming along this underwater cliff is like being in an aquarium. My kids pointed excitedly at sharks, turtles, manta rays, moray eels, dolphins and fish, including a huge barracuda. The St Regis also features stunning architectural marvels, including the brilliant Whale Bar and lobster-shaped Iridium Spa.
St Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort includes a whale-shaped bar and lobster-inspired spa.
For adventure seekers, luxury could be access to activities. The Holiday Inn Kandooma is perfect for families who think “action” rather than “relax” when they see the ocean.
In partnership with Perfect Wave, the resort offers a world-class private wave exclusively to a handful of guests, as well as free charters to multiple other famous breaks. I’m so thankful I got to surf these amazing waves with my son, creating lifetime memories. While anyone with a diving certificate gets two free dives a day (including gear) at stunning nearby reefs.
We came across a whale shark and a pod of huge Risso’s dolphins on one trip; more bucket list items ticked.
Holiday Inn Kandooma is paradise for anyone who likes a bit of action with their ocean views.
Island life
In other locations, the island is the star. The Anantara Dhigu is a truly gorgeous archipelago. On the provided bike, I loved riding its sandy paths under a jungle canopy, letting the cool breeze blow through my hair. Around every turn there’s something new to discover or eat, with families and couples soaking up the sunshine.
The resort even offers internal boat transfers, allowing guests to cut across the reef to explore other nearby islands and their restaurants, surf breaks, reefs and bars. The spacious overwater villas are fantastic, too.
Elsewhere, the dense jungle of Soneva Fushi features large trees and winding paths akin to Jurassic Park. The main hub is a shadowed calm of island chic, where feasts and music unfold. An air-conditioned space offers homemade chocolates, ice creams, cheeses and meats for guests 24 hours a day, a fact of which my bathroom scales continue to remind me.
I love the way Soneva Fushi suddenly opens up on you. One moment you’re in dense forest and the next you’re at a restaurant reaching out over a house reef – where kids snorkel while parents sink pina coladas from the safety of a hammock.
Anantara Dhigu with spacious overwater villas.
Family fun
The Maldives is a paradise for children. My kids relished day after day in the sun, sand and waves, gorging on delicious meals and playing in the spacious rooms.
For families, it’s hard to go past Club Med Kani. With its long sweeping beaches and tall palm trees, it captures the Maldivian soul, but for parents, the true luxury here is freedom from responsibility. With pool parties, sports, free snorkelling tours, surfing, live shows, trapeze, sailing and plenty more, each day is filled with endless activities for the kids. They’re looked after by fantastic staff and there are hundreds of other kids for them to make friends with, too.
Furthermore, it’s all-inclusive. So, there’s delicious food available at all times and the cocktails never stop flowing. If you’re a parent, then you’ll understand this is heaven.
Club Med Kani is perfect for families, with all-inclusive offerings, extensive children’s activities, and a vibrant setting allowing parents to relax while the little ones are at play.
For families looking to live luxe on a budget, the Sheraton Full Moon Resort and Spa has a significant upside. It’s the closest resort to the capital Male, reducing the transfer costs from the airport to your place of stay. Despite the proximity, you’ll barely notice the country’s biggest city. The ocean is rich with wildlife, while the rooms and facilities are set around a gorgeous lagoon that allows for safer swimming than the open ocean.
There’s a fantastic main pool, too, and our kids loved swimming under its little bridge and standing in its waterfall, while staff ran regular games. Cultural activities, sports, trivia, sailing and snorkelling also keep younger hearts beating, while parents will welcome the shaded lounges and floating hammocks.
Sheraton Full Moon is close to Male, offering pocket-friendly luxury with a tranquil lagoon ideal for safe swimming, a spacious main pool with features like a waterfall, and regular family activities.
Make it to Maldives
The Maldives made my bucket list as soon as I saw a photo of an overwater villa. It looked like paradise: it looked like luxury. Now that I’ve been there, I can attest to its magnificence. You’ll be treated like royalty and have the time of your life, with a mind full of memories Instagram can’t match.
Yes, it comes at a cost. But living luxe is worth every penny.
Checklist
MALDIVES
GETTING THERE
Fly from Auckland to Male Velana International in the Maldives with one stopover with China Eastern, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines.
DETAILS
The Maldives is set up for multi-resort visits. The resorts handle the transfers in the background and literally pass you from one staff member to the next.
The Maldives is a Muslim country, it’s safe and the locals are just lovely. Be warned, though, that alcohol is expensive and you can’t bring your own through customs.
