INDIAN OCEAN NEW OPENINGS DESTINATIONS
Talcum-powder sands, exotic palms and water so perfectly turquoise it looks drinkable – the Maldives is the stuff of dreams for many, and travellers are flocking there in their droves. UK visitor arrivals were up
10.2% in 2018 compared with the previous year, and we’re now the country’s third-biggest market. With that in mind, it comes as little surprise that new resorts are cropping up left, right and centre on the archipelago, with at least 18 scheduled to open this year alone – some at a relatively affordable price point, making it more widely accessible than ever. Here are a few of the best
recently opened or soon-to-open spots to look out for.
1
LUX NORTH MALE ATOLL Questioning the status quo is Miami-esque Lux
North Male Atoll, whose 67 sleek, whitewashed penthouse villas (opened in February), replace the Maldives’ traditional thatched abodes, each featuring two storeys and rooftop decks with private infinity pools. They’re all set on the beach, with panoramic views over the ocean, and come with a personal villa host who’ll arrange anything from private cinema screenings to astrology talks and night sky photography workshops. It has three restaurants and a beach club, including standout spot Barium – where personal butlers serve tailor-made menus from a hidden chamber accessed
by a secret door – and a translucent, overwater spa using water therapy and breathing techniques. Diving, yacht sailing, jetskiing and flyboarding are among the activities available, and there’s a resident marine biologist on hand who can talk guests through the resort’s coral restoration projects and the local sea life, which includes turtles, spotted eagle rays and bannerfish. “We’re really excited about
this resort, as it’s so different from anything else that you’d see in the Maldives,” says Caribtours managing director Paul Cleary. Book it: Caribtours offers a week at Lux North Male Atoll from £4,185 per person based on two adults sharing a Water Villa with Pool, including daily breakfast, flights, speedboat transfers and access to a UK airport lounge.
caribtours.co.uk
2
FAARUFUSHI Minimalist design, trendy vibes and authentic cultural experiences are
at the core of Faarufushi, which opened in March in the Maldives on the remote northern Raa Atoll. Made up of 80 bungalows, villas and suites (some beachside, some overwater), it’s set on a snow-white beach and boasts a vibrant coral reef where turtles, eagle rays, sharks and schools of colourful fish greet divers and snorkellers. There are five restaurants,
from Maldivian to Mediterranean, but the highlight is the spa, set
against a backdrop of tropical gardens and offering treatments that range from a Maldivian rose and coconut ritual to a multi-day Rejuvenate programme, all using organic ingredients. “There's a real focus on simple indulgences here, combining chic modern design with a wonderfully unspoilt natural setting,” says Linda Pedler, Kuoni product and purchasing manager for the Indian Ocean. Book it: Kuoni offers seven nights’ half-board at Faarufushi in a Beach Retreat With Pool from £3,199 per person, including Qatar Airways flights from Gatwick and transfers, on select dates in September and October.
kuoni.co.uk
3
RIU PALACE MALDIVAS It’s not only ultra-luxe properties opening up here; mid-range
alternatives are making the Maldives increasingly accessible, and among the stars is the 176-room, all-inclusive Hotel Riu Palace Maldivas, opening on May 17.
Set on a white-sand beach, it
features Junior Suites alongside exclusive overwater abodes with direct access to the striking blue, shallow lagoon below. Several suites feature small,
private pools, and there’s a shared infinity pool with a swim- up bar for those wanting to sip a cocktail without leaving the water. But the real golden ticket is its
proximity to the four-star Hotel Riu Atoll, set to open on the
same date on the neighbouring island of Maafushi, with a family- friendly offering and more than 250 rooms. A bridge connects the two resorts, and guests at Riu Palace can use the facilities, which include three restaurants, water sports, a children’s pool, evening entertainment programme and a kids’ club. Book it: Tui offers seven nights’ all-inclusive at the four-star Riu Palace Maldivas from £1,693 per person, based on two sharing, including flights from Heathrow on May 19 and transfers.
tui.co.uk
4
HARD ROCK HOTEL MALDIVES Elsewhere on the family front there’s Hard Rock
Hotel Maldives, which is set to mark the brand’s first foray into the Indian Ocean when it opens in June at Crossroads – the new entertainment development that will see a 30-berth yacht marina, boutique shops, restaurants, a beach club, Maldives Discovery Centre, Watersports & Dive Centre and more pop up in Emboodhoo Lagoon over the course of this year. Located a 15-minute speedboat
ride from Malé airport, the Hard Rock will sit a stone’s throw from the marina, offering 178 rooms including family suites, beach villas and one and two-bedroom overwater villas. There’ll be all the music- themed entertainment you’d expect from the brand, from the Rock Spa featuring sound-
9 May 2019
travelweekly.co.uk55
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