Cocoa Island
Waterfront sampled a salubrious spa experience in an idyllic Maldivian setting
winning the Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Spa Award in 2012 for the Best Hotel Spas in Africa, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean, this retreat is ideal for exclusive romantic getaways.
F Cocoa Island by Como is situated in the
South Male Atoll and an estimated 40 minute speedboat trip from the international airport. Included in the atoll of Makunufushi, we were at first struck by how incredibly small the island was with a maximum capacity of 60 people staying on the island at a time. With 33 bedrooms in total, this quiet island is
still bristling with life. Each bedroom or villa has taken inspiration from the local dhoni fishing boats and can be reached by planked walk ways stretching out into the blue lagoon. With the choice of five bedroom layouts including dhoni loft suites and Como villas, each offers an indulgent haven for guests. For our stay we were given a dhoni loft suite and this comprised vaulted ceilings and floor length windows with a staircase leading up to the bedroom and WC. Te lower level contained the larger bathroom and included a separate bath, shower and WC. All rooms are fitted with air con and free Wi-Fi. Each suite comes with king size or twin
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or the ultimate Indian Ocean experience, Cocoa Island is perfect for couples wanting to emerse themselves into its’ serene surroundings. After
beds, spacious living areas and private sun terraces. Te Como villa, the most luxurious of the rooms, offers guests a private bale ideal for relaxing or dining. Te one bedroom villas and the Como villas feature outdoor showers. Te theme of bleached wood and fresh white interiors run throughout the accommodation. Te Como Shambhala Retreat is dedicated to renewing the body and soul and exposes ancient Asian traditions with natural therapies from the sea and earth. Tis holistic approach includes daily yoga sessions led by world renowned specialists. Te island relies very much on peace and tranquillity to ensure guests receive the ultimate relaxation from their stay, for some, this may mean the resort is a little too quiet for them but there is a variety of water sports and diving options to explore. For my day at the Como spa I chose to have the Signature cocoa island Shambhala massage which lasted 70 minutes and costs around $140 but it was well worth it. Te long massage strokes create the feeling of tranquillity and wellness and with a little more pressure directed at the tense areas the treatment leaves a soothing feeling all over my body. With the massage concentrating on full lengths of the body I left with a very different feel, fully revived and set for the rest of the day with spa treatment rooms overlooking sandy beaches and the blue ocean. Besides the spa option, Cocoa Island offers numerous other activities that should be enjoyed
by every guest. As the retreat is in the middle of the Indian Ocean, it offers the greatest dive sites, catamaran sailing and snorkelling activities in the world. Diving at this resort is among the best in the world with two private house reefs to really take your breath away. Daily excursions include sunset fishing where any catch can be
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