DESTINATIONS MALDIVES | INDIAN OCEAN WHERE TO eat Naladhu
E The Living Room: A handful of tables on the beach make up this exclusive, boutique-feel restaurant, with the sounds of swishing sea accompanying a gourmet menu (think poached lobster with mango, local tuna with foie gras and chocolate
fondant bursting with a lava- like sauce). It’s exclusive to guests of Naladhu, but they are free to dine at any of the three resorts’ nine restaurants.
E Baan Huraa: Rich, creamy satay chicken, crispy fried shrimp cakes and coconut- infused red snapper curry
were among the highlights at this Thai-themed restaurant, set above the water.
E
Sea.Fire.Salt: It’s all about the setting here,
with fresh reef fish, lobster, prawns and steak served on elegant white tables set on a deck overlooking the lagoon.
BOOK IT
Nightly rates at Naladhu Private Island Maldives start from £1,177 per room on a B&B basis.
anantara.com/en/naladhu-maldives
Carrier offers seven nights’ half- board at Niyama Private Islands from £4,875, based on two adults sharing a Beach Villa, with Emirates flights from Heathrow, seaplane transfers and a Fast Track Voyager Service at Heathrow (with lounge access and more), departing April 28, 2020.
carrier.co.uk
travelweekly.co.uk
NALADHU PRIVATE ISLAND, SOUTH MALE ATOLL The vibe: Quiet, understated and low-key, Anantara resort Naladhu felt a world away from Niyama, with a remote, peaceful setting in what felt like the middle of nowhere. It is set on a long, empty stretch of chalky white sand, with a secluded, mirror-flat lagoon on one side and the crashing waves of the Indian Ocean on the other – and it felt deserted the whole time I was there. With just 20 houses – rustic Maldivian and colonial-inspired in design, complete with private gardens, infinity pools and open-air bathrooms – it’s known as one of the most exclusive spots in the Maldives, and it’s easy to see why. Every guest gets a butler, so the service is impeccable, and it has a back-to-nature feel with thatched roofs, weathered-wood furnishings and clusters of palm trees.
Playtime: The resort neighbours two other Anantara hotspots – adult-only Anantara Veli, connected by a footbridge, and family-friendly
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Breakfast table, guests’ arrival and jetty, all at Naladhu Private Island PICTURES: Sven Ellsworth
Anantara Dhigu, reached by a short boat trip across the lagoon – meaning there’s plenty going on for those who want to explore. Dhigu is the place to go for
active pursuits, with a diving and watersports centre hosting the likes of kitesurfing, sailing, flyboarding, surfing, waterskiing and more. There’s also a lengthy list of
excursions, from whale shark and manta snorkelling to dhoni fishing, dolphin watching and a ‘tea-time’ trip to a nearby inhabited island, where you can meet local Maldivians to hear about their way of life. I opted for a diving trip and it was exceptional. We spotted hundreds of exotic fish – patterned with black and white polka dots, bright yellow rings and fluorescent- lit purple strips – gliding around an underwater universe glowing magenta, red and iridescent blue. One turn took us into a dark, cavernous tunnel, where thousands of minuscule fish darted frenetically under the light of my instructor’s torch; another revealed a purple clump of rock that looked like a
huge gaping mouth, before a turtle whooshed past beside tree-like plants swaying in the current.
Downtime: The real selling point here is the tranquillity. This is the type of place where you come to disconnect from the world in your own little piece of paradise – and it’s seriously therapeutic. I was pampered with a deliciously
aromatic coconut massage at the jungle-clad spa on Veli, and it was blissful. I also indulged in some exceptional food, including tuna at Maldivian-themed The Living Room, and exceptional Thai at Baan Huraa. But the most relaxing moment came when I took a sunset dip in the lagoon. Gliding along beneath a golden sky, bath-warm water soothing my body, had me feeling a million miles from anyone or anything – which is really how I felt throughout my stay here. I’m not sure I’d really understood
the term Zen – that is, until I wound up on this deserted beach, turquoise ocean lapping my feet and rippling blues blending into the horizon.
TW 21 NOVEMBER 2019 63
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