I arrived at Maalifushi by COMO knowing that I was about to experience an amazing Maldivian resort – but truly had no idea of just how incredibly luxurious it would be.
After travelling via seaplane and short boat ride from the international airport in Male, my Maldives travel buddy Kate and I were immediately greeted by one of many wonderful staff members at Maalifushi.
After being personally greeted by name, given a cool towel and handed a perfectly chilled glass of fresh watermelon juice, it was time to travel by golf cart around the many wonderful parts of the island resort, and then further on, to our water villa.
Once we had arrived at our amazing over water villa – room 416 – we were informed that it was one of the most requested villas on the entire resort! From the outside it looked incredible already, could it really get any better?
As it turns out, at Maalifushi, just when you think things cannot get better – they do!
Featuring a king size bed that is so fluffy you feel like you are sleeping on a cloud, an outdoor shower, an enormous bathtub, private plunge pool, day beds and a walk in wardrobe so big Harry Potter could’ve lived in there until adulthood – these villas are the epitome of luxury.
In addition to all the glaringly obvious wonderful amenities, the place is full of small details that make the experience feel that much more special.
A welcome basket of fresh tropical fruits and bottle of pinot noir (my favorite drop), personalised welcome letter and a gorgeously rustic wooden key all add to the marvellousness of Maalifushi.
Located in the south-west Maldives in the glorious Thaa Atoll, Maalifushi is regarded as one of the most pristine and most luxurious island resorts in all of the Maldives. With a COMO Shambhala spa, incredible yoga facilities, amazing snorkelling, pristine white beaches, world class dining and regular sightings of stingrays, sharks and whale sharks nearby – everything you could ask for in a Maldivian adventure is here.
The place has earned its five star rating in every imaginable way. The rooms are gorgeous, the location is otherworldly, the service is second to none and I cannot even begin to describe the exceptional dining at the ‘Tai’ Japanese restaurant.
Like all COMO hotels, there is an obvious emphasis on wellness at Maalifushi. All food is incredibly fresh and there is a dedicated menu for those who have limiting nutritional requirements. Catering to anyone vegertarian, dairy free, vegan, nut free, gluten free and even refined sugar free – as well as people who will eat anything and everything (ahem) – Maalifushi makes wellness seem as easy as breathing. With free daily yoga classes and an incredibly holistic overwater spa, it is the perfect place for those who want a retreat from the world, as well as for those who simply want to explore the Maldives in style.
We had arrived at Maalifushi mid afternoon and it was a struggle to bring ourselves to leave our incredible villa for that entire day. It’s easy to see how people could while away extended periods of time in these places!
Eventually though I had to force myself to leave so that I could make it down to the dive centre before closing. Whale shark sightings nearby are relatively frequent. The island has an agreement with local fishermen – if they spot the sharks – they inform Maalifushi and the dive centre will take out several punters to swim with these ocean giants. To do so, you must go on the waiting list. The dive centre staff then give you a burner phone – if they call it – you have to be ready to go within 15 minutes or they will leave without you!
While we visited we were a smidge unlucky and the sharks had decided to play hard to get and not visit the area – but that’s okay – it just means that I will have to return one day!
Plus, the silver lining is, without the motivation to sign up I would have spent the entire afternoon lazing away in the water villa, but instead I was forced out, and the walk to the dive centre was nothing short of exceptionally beautiful at this late point in the afternoon.
Seriously, look at the colour of that water, it looks like somebody put azure food colouring in it!
What should have been a five minute walk ended up taking closer to 30 minutes because I couldn’t stop stopping to take photographs!
Even the hotel reception is stunningly beautiful.
After I had picked up my dive centre phone and started heading back to the villa to meet Kate for dinner, the sun had started to set and somehow, the place became that much more magical.
T H E L O W D O W N
Getting to Male: There are many different routes flying into Male, flights with Air Asia from Kuala Lumpur are some of the cheapest
Maldivian: This is one of two seaplane companies flying to destinations in the Maldives
Getting to Maalifushi: Access is by seaplane only, a return trip from Male airport will set you back around $600 USD.
Maalifushi by COMO: One of the most luxurious resorts in all of the Maldives, rooms start at approx $1000 USD per night for a garden room, water villas start at $1700 USD per night up to $2800 (seasonally dependent)
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M1 with 12-40mm M.Zuiko Pro Lens
Threads: My purple wrap maxi dress is by aussie label Tigerlily Swimwear
Remember: Sunscreen. Lots of sunscreen!
Don’t forget to add me on Snapchat and Instagram – @wwellend – for more foolishness and travel adventures!
Absolutely love this post! You have so many incredible pics and looks like a totally amazing time! Shame about the reef sharks but yes you will just have to go back! I lived in the Maldives all last year and worked as a teacher in Male’. I also run a travel blog and am set to move back to Maldives in a month – no teaching this time tho! Reading this post just got me so excited!! Lovely to connect with you. Oh and I just visited Adelaide two weeks back for the first time. Loved it. I was there for the Tasting Australia festival. So many awesome things happening in South Aus at the moment! Happy travels! x
http://youtheworldwandering.com
Oh I am jealous – living in the Maldives! That is a dream right there!
Such a fantastic place ❤️😍
I wanted to move in and never leave ha
Take me with you pleeeeease!!! 😬
Hahaha we shall see!
My bucket list destination……Thanks for the post! Breathtaking!
My pleasure! Stay tuned for many more posts 🙂
Can’t wait to go. Until I do, thanks for sharing. Hope you’ll stop by and show some travel blogger love 🙂
Another day, another paradise. My best wishes for Maldives to outlast any rise in the ocean level, and for you to one day swim peacefully with the magnificent whale sharks.
I hope for those things too! If not in the Maldives, hopefully in Mozambique or Mexico!
What an incredible place and opportunity to stay there. I will visit Maldives one day but I may have to wait awhile. I will enjoy your photos in the meantime 😍 xx
Thank you for reading 🙂 I look forward to sharing many more pictures and stories with you xx
Another wonderful post and photos .. I’m still not jealous, haha yes i am – happy traveling 🙂
Hahaha I would say sorry to make you jealous – but that would be a little fib haha
you’re so mean lol 🙂
Hahaha I’m sorry!
im so jealous you’ve been here! Im desperate to go 🙁 enjoy your travels!! & keep posting pics..we will all be sat at home not jealous in the slightest 😛
Haha not jealous at all! Hopefully you can get there sooner rather than later 🙂 in the meantime – theres a new post up now 😉
The pictures are to die for!
Thank you! I love getting these sorts of comments 🙂
Another place for my bucket list! One of these days I will find an international school in SE Asia or the Middle East and take a vacation there. Until then I will have to be content backpacking around South America on the cheap!
-Amanda at https://teachingwanderlust.com/
Oh man I would love to do Central and South America! So many places on the list!
Is that really a place? It’s wayyy too beautiful. That water. 🙂
It really is – it doesn’t even look real does it?!
How amazing! I want to go. 🙂
Do it! I know it seems like an impossible vacation but it absolutely can be done!
Added it to my Life Adventure List! 🙂 Thank you! Would’ve never even heard of it without your post!
Awesome to hear! Hopefully I can keep introducing you to brand new places 🙂
That’d be super! 🙂
Wonderful, how do you ever get so lucky to stay at places like these.
Believe me, I ask myself the same question quite frequently!
Oh my God, this is my dream destination. Just incredible… Someday!
It is amazing isn’t it! Such an amazing pocket of the world!
Oh my, I hadn’t heard of this place, but now I want to go. Incredible
It’s definitely worth adding to the bucket list!
You were very right now I am amazingly jealous!!!! I think mine rivals yours now… So come on how did you afford that? I nearly had to take out a mortgage when we stayed in bora bora on one of those it’s such an incredible amount of money… Oh and where is next?
Well the blog is doing rather well at the moment and that is all I will say on the matter haha
I actually was just in Bali this past weekend and have another quest there so will be heading back in a month or so. Going to Cairns in a few weeks, potentially Singapore in the next few months? Then Thailand in August and Japan in September 🙂
Wow you do get to travel. How many countries is that now? We just hit 58 with Croatia and Bosnia and I can’t recommend them higher! Probably in my top 5!!! Ah Japan we loved Japan not too keen on cairns but then there is port Douglas that is just astonishing!
Throughly enjoyed this piece, great info, well written and the pics were spot on. Thank you!
Awesome! I love to hear that people are enjoying my posts! I hope to see you again in future adventures 🙂
wow… looks like a dream!
Dream is pretty apt to be honest – was amazing!
wow! simply breath taking… I want to go there!
Add it to the bucket list 😉
I love this post!
Liebe Gruesse Monika
Glad to hear it! There’s a new one up now 🙂
Thank you! Great photos from a place the rest of us only hear about.
Thanks for reading – glad you enjoyed 🙂
Great content, great pics but the Harry Potter line takes first prize. Take a bow!
Hahaha thank you very much! 😀
Can I say wow? The Maldives have been on my bucket list for years and more so now. Excellent, beautiful post!
Any plans to make the trip happen soon?
Not in the near future but maybe a year or two.
Good for you! It will be so worth the wait 🙂