Once we were all settled in our amazing villa, the fun could really begin.
I have spent longer than I ever have before trying to whittle down the number of pictures to include in this post, but in the end I just gave up! As a result, this post has close to 100 photographs in it – so strap yourself in and prepare to be transported to one of the most incredible resorts you’ll ever see!
Much like Soneva Kiri, the motto of Soneva Fushi is “no shoes, no news”, and they mean it!
Before you even set foot on the island you will be given a little bag to put your shoes in, and you are encouraged to not get them out again until it is time to leave.
Everything about the resort screams ‘barefoot luxury’. All of the restaurants are set outdoors, and there aren’t many places on the island where you wouldn’t be able to feel sand between your toes.
When it comes to dining on the island there are numerous options for traditional dining; but it is the non-traditional options that truly stand out.
The resort is home to…
…a fricking self serve chocolate bar!
Yep, you read that right!
You can literally just enter this little chocolate bar whenever your heart desires, and take as much (and more) as your sweet tooth requires!
Like honestly, this is the kinda thing that people wish would wait for them in the afterlife, but you don’t need to wait for heaven, ’cause it exists on Earth!
So just as I was thinking that there could be nothing better than a chocolate bar, just like magic, I spotted another little room that looked worthy of exploration.
First spotted: jars of lollies! Looking promising so far…
But what could I spot tucked in the corner?…
Oh. My. God.
It was a self serve ice-cream bar!!!
Featuring over 30 flavours, to me, this was even better than the chocolate!
So once again, there I was, thinking that there could be nothing better than an ice-cream bar, and no sooner than the thought popped into my head, like magic, another small room caught my attention…
…a fricking cheese bar!
Like honestly, is this not dreams made reality?!
Featuring crispbreads, fine meats such as prosciutto and everything you could ever need to make the best cheese plate on earth – for anyone who loves cheese, this is truly paradise.
Oh, and lets not even get started on the hundreds of booze options that live to accompany your cheese.
After eating a truly unfathomable amount of chocolate, ice cream and cheese, it was time to make a really half-assed attempt to burn a few calories!
Enter this massive snooker table that lives above one of the bars.
We very quickly discovered that both of us are absolute crap at snooker – but at least we had fun while working it out!
The day had quickly started to slip away, and thus, before the sun completely disappeared, we rode our bikes to Bar(a) Bara Bar to sip on a cocktail and enjoy a stunning Maldivian sunset.
Set over the water, this bar makes the absolute most of its above-ocean location. There are steps leading down to the house reef for anyone who fancies a snorkel…
…and inviting hammock-esque seating for anyone who wants to get close to the water without actually getting wet!
We could not resist the call of these little hammock-ish nets, and this was where we gleefully set ourselves up for the sunset.
Soon I had a gin fizz in my hot little hands, and honestly, I couldn’t have asked for anything more!…
…but I certainly won’t say no to some complimentary appetizers!
It was the perfect way to watch the sunset, and what a stunning sunset it ended up being!
The next day was to be dedicated to exploring as much of the resort as possible.
Now, exploring a resort might seem like something that you could do in half a day, but not this resort.
Soneva Fushi is HUGE!
The island measures 1400m x 400m, which may not sound like a lot, but believe me, they provide all guests with bicycles for good reason!
So, off we went, to explore as many features of the island as possible.
First up – the yoga studio.
I love the floor to ceiling windows!
Next up was Eco-Centro!
This particular Eco-Centro was markedly smaller than the one at Soneva Kiri, but when set on a comparatively small island, space is kinda limited, and they are certainly doing as much as they possibly can with the space that they do have.
All of this ‘waste’ will end up reused and recycled into new and wonderful things.
No word of a lie – these coconuts will become furniture one day!
Not too far from Eco-Centro lies ‘Fresh in the Garden’ – arguably the resorts most treasured restaurant.
Surrounded by a big garden, this is where the food that ends up on your plate starts to grow.
To get to the restaurant you have to cross a rope bridge, and though it may seem like an unnecessary feature, it really does add to the whole ‘treetop treehouse’ kinda vibe.
Then, just a stones throw from the restaurant, one can find the observatory.
Yep. You read that right – a fricking observatory!
Stars and constellations to go with your dinner anyone?
Next up was the Six Senses Spa.
We originally just went to the spa to poke our heads around, but it looked so damn amazing that it didn’t take too much convincing to get us to book a treatment – and holy moly am I glad that I did!
I am not exaggerating when I say that it was hands down one of the most incredible massages I have ever had in my life!
It was so good that I did something I never do – I fell asleep and actually started snoring, and I am not a snorer!
I don’t know what kind of sorcery my masseuse was putting on me, but I do know that I enjoyed every single minute of it!
Next, we were lucky enough to be able to check out some of the Soneva Private Residences.
These private residences are owned by a specific person or family for up to 25 years – allowing them as much travel and time spent in these villas as they like in this time frame.
The residences are also available for short term lease at times when they are not inhabited by their owners, and boy, they are incredible.
This particular villa is owned by a family, hence the addition of a kickass waterslide!
We viewed four separate residences, but it was the last one that was most extraordinary.
Referred to as simply ‘Private Reserve’, this 9 bedroom hideaway is the largest villa in all of the Maldives!
I mean seriously – is this not one of the most amazing things you’ve ever seen?!
Featuring a private pool that looks more like a lake than anything else, a private gym and spa, exclusive beachfront access and a waterslide, the $32,000/night price tag might be steep, but honestly, it is well deserved.
Once I was able to tear myself away from my little glimpse into how the other half live, it was time to lighten up a little and check out ‘The Den’ which is the place to let any little kids (and in our case – a few big ones) roam free!
‘The Den’ is complimentary for all in-house guests, and is open 9 hours each day – so it is the perfect place to drop any kids if you need a bit of adult time!
I’m not gonna lie, even I was moderately excited by the Lego room!
Like everyone else at Soneva Fushi, even the kidlets get exposed to the sustainable and eco-friendly vision of the resort.
Even this plane is recycled! Once upon a time it was seemingly useless Styrofoam and now it is part of the decor!
Next up we paid a little visit to the glass-blowing studio.
It is amazing to think that all of these pieces of art were once upon a time just sand on the beach!
Whilst cycling around the island, time and time again we spotted little bunnies bouncing around in the bushes! I am pretty certain that these buns are not native to the Maldives, but they seem to have settled into their new island home quite nicely.
We then found ourselves on the southern side of the island at a beach fondly referred to as ‘dolphin beach’.
Then, all too soon, our time at Soneva Fushi came to a close, but it wasn’t even close to being the end of our adventure in the Maldives or with Soneva.
So stay tuned to read more about one of the most hyped new resorts in the world – Soneva Jani!
THE LOWDOWN
Getting to Male: Flights arrive to Male from most major airport hubs – with most frequent flights arriving from Singapore and Colombo
Soneva Fushi: Villas start at around $1780 USD/night – click here for more info
Threads: My red maxi skirt and purple dress are both by Tigerlily Swimwear
Camera: Images captured with an Olympus OM-D E-M1 in conjunction with M.Zuiko 12-40mm f2/8 lens
Remember: Make sure you know how to ride a bike if you plan on a stay at Soneva Fushi!