Soneva Fushi – Maldives Private Luxury Resort in Baa Atoll

Soneva Fushi is a stunning luxury resort located on a private island within the Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Maldives. Privately owned by Sonu & Eva (thus the name Soneva), the resort opened back in 1995 and just celebrated its big 25th birthday. The island is 1,400 meters in length and almost 400 meters wide, is one of the Maldives major islands. You can easily explore the resort with complimentary bicycles.

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— Covid-19 measures—

We visited Soneva Fushi & Soneva Jani during covid times, and I have never felt safer. No matter where you are flying from, you must present a negative RT-PCR test to get into the Maldives. You must take the test no longer than 96 hours before your departure. Along with the negative test, you will need to fill out the Maldives Health declaration online form 24 hours before arrival. You can find the form here. Keep the bar code saved on your phone, they will scan it at the airport.

Once you arrive in Malé (Maldives International Airport), a Soneva representative will be waiting for you with a sign and will escort you to the seaplane/domestic check-in area. The seaplane ride to Soneva Fushi is about 30min. You will need to keep your mask on at all times until you get to the resort. 

Soneva Fushi has also taken extra health & hygiene measures. For everyone's safety, all guests are provided with another PCR test upon arrival. Your barefoot butler (Mr. Friday) will take you to your Villa where you will take the test. You will need to quarantine for 24 hours or less, depending on when they get the results. If the results come back negative, you will be free to explore the island and enjoy your vacation mask free. We took the test in the afternoon, and our negative results were back by 6 am the next day. 

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—Arrival at Soneva Fushi—

The Soneva Resorts adopted the "No News, No Shoes" concept, which means that once you get on the island, they will give you a little canvas bag where you can put your shoes on, and you don't need to wear them there, like...ever! I absolutely love this idea; you can pack less and join them on the slow life mindset - to connect with nature and ground yourself. It's obviously not a rule, so don't feel obliged. Peter has sensitive feet, so he wore his flip-flops, and that was perfectly fine too!

The VillaS

Soneva Fushi has a variety of Villas to fit your needs. Whether on the sunrise or sunset side, on the beach or over water, they are all very spacious and private. We experienced a bit of both Worlds; the beach villa and also the overwater water villa. We stayed at their brand new largest one-bedroom overwater villa in the World! It was really impressive.

• Beach Villa — we stayed in the family suite with a private pool, which is their largest one-bedroom villa, perfect for couples or even small families. You have direct access to the beach and a unique (very private) signature outdoor bathroom with an open shower and a huge bathtub. To all bathtub lovers out there: I see you, I feel you, I am you. This will make you cry of joy. This Villa has a separate bedroom, a very spacious closet, a small kitchen with anything you could need, like, you know... AN AMAZING mini Smeg fridge that I'm obsessed with and wanted to bring home with us! Not to mention the living-room area that is huge and oh, so pretty. 

  

  

  

  

  

Everything is so tasteful, luxurious, and yet sustainable - the reason why I love Soneva so much! Another thing to keep in mind; they provide everything you will need in terms of toiletries. The usual stuff plus eco-friendly, high-quality sunscreen, aloe vera care for body and hair, etc. I barely used any of the things I brought. 

• Overwater Villa — after enjoying the beautiful beach & lush-green life, we moved to the overwater villa. We already knew this was the biggest villa (with a water slide) in the World, but I guess I had not grasped what that meant before seeing it in person. Just wow. I couldn't believe my eyes. This villa has a massive outdoor area with an infinity pool that will blow your mind. The living-room area is gorgeous; there is a home office space (not that we ever intended to use it but hey). The kitchen is very well equipped, lots of closet space, and the bathroom area is beautiful; it has a long bathtub and direct access to the ocean. 

 

Two things I loved about this villa (other than the obvious amazing stuff): the water slide makes this experience SUPER fun. I legit felt like a kid going up and down non-stop. And the bedroom ceiling automatically opens up so you can rest in your comfy bed as you count the stars! Hashtag special.

 

— Dining experiences—

• Mihiree Mithaa — open every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. International, Asian, and Mediterranean food. Breakfast at Mihiree Mithaa is probably one of the best we have ever had. That says a lot. It sounds a bit ridiculous, but we literally spent almost 2 hours every morning enjoying this amazingness. They have an incredible variety of yummy stuff—an entire room for fruits of all kinds, superfoods, jams, etc. Also, a homemade chocolate room (that's right), another room for ham and cheese of all sorts, infinite options of bread/pastries, and also an extensive menu where you can order anything you like. Seriously, even If it wasn't on the menu, they were happy to make it for us. The staff goes above and beyond to make the guests happy, and it shows they do it with joy.
  

 

• Down to Earth — South Asian and International cuisine. Vegetarian friendly with vegan options.
• Shades of Green — fun experience dining by the organic gardens. Exciting Nordic cooking with plant-based cuisine.

• Out of the Blue — you cannot duplicate the beauty of this place. It's a two-story overwater Oasis! They are open all week for lunch and dinner, and they serve Asian and International food.

 

• So Hands On — Japanese food. The intimate five-seater sushi counter is open for lunch and dinner on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
• Once Upon a Table — This is an exceptional experience. It's a showcase of the biggest names in fine dining. No set menu, only the creativity flow of the chefs! 

—FUN THINGS TO DO—

People ask me a lot: "what is there to do other than enjoy the beach"? So many things! At Soneva Fushi, relaxation is the primary goal, but you can do many water sports such as stand-up paddle, surfing, seabob, snorkeling & diving. You can also enjoy the screening of classic films at Cinema Paradiso - their open-air theater that offers complimentary pop-corn and over 60 flavors of ice cream. Other things like the Six Senses Spa, Gym, Tennis Court, Sunset Dolphin Cruise, Private Sandbank overnight experience, Astronomical Dinner Cruise, The Observatory, and so much more that you can check out here. 

 

—Is Soneva Fushi a place for children?— 

Absolutely! They have built something called The Den, which is a technology-free zone for the little ones. They have their own cinema, library, music room, pool with slide, etc. Big kid at heart that I am, we went there to check it out and had so much fun!

—Sustainable Luxury—

Another thing I find important to note is how engaged in sustainability Soneva is. To preserve and protect their local ecosystem is a priority to them. They take environmental and social responsibilities very seriously and are committed to making the resorts as sustainable as possible. Soneva Fushi has their own Eco Centro, where they separate and recycle the waste, conserve water, etc. On the island, they use only sustainable materials. The glass is turned into beautiful exclusive art pieces that you can purchase at their gallery, and you can also book a glassblowing class and make your own art. Your yummy organic food comes from their fresh gardens, which I highly recommend a visit.

For bookings please visit Soneva Fushi Maldives here.
I want to say a special thank you to Mark, Abhishek, Diletta, and Umar for making our stay extra special. To everyone else who works at Soneva Fushi, we know you pour your heart into what you do, it shows. We are very grateful for the opportunity. May we meet again!

Disclaimer: We had the pleasure to be hosted by Soneva Fushi, and as always, I keep it honest and all opinions are my own. Except when there is sarcasm, then, I don't know where it comes from 😉 Thank you for reading! Be kind, be well & keep climbing!