by Like a cluster of fairytale mushrooms emerging from the water, glistening with ocean spray; That sparkling sea, so clear you can see the shadows of fish moving on the bottom, it’s almost hard to believe the Sun Siyam resort is real. After 10 hours in the sky, leaving a gray, rainy London in the dark and getting to see overwater villas peeking out of crystalline lagoons, landing in the Maldives feels like a spectacle.
The celebrations began at Heathrow, sipping champagne and ordering a hamper of afternoon tea for my table in the Clubhouse Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3 in London. And, well, there was good reason to celebrate: this trip marked one of Virgin Atlantic’s inaugural flights from London to the Maldivian capital, Male, which is currently flying from London Heathrow three times a week until March 29, with a daily service that will launch from October 27, and it seemed that even the staff on board were jubilant: “Well, all I can say is WOW! This is a special place! Amanda, the senior cabin crew member, announced excitedly as we made our descent.
I was lucky enough to try the Upper Class cabin for the first time on this trip, which meant being able to lie down on a platform (shamelessly smug, especially since it was a night flight), with pajamas, canapés, a three-course dinner and An excellent full English breakfast.
In hindsight, this was just the beginning of the premium treatment I was about to receive as a guest of Virgin Atlantic Holidays. Hitting the water after a lively 45-minute seaplane ride to Medhafushi Island, unexpectedly feeling like a scene from Downton Abbey, the staff at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi lined up to greet us as we poured like spilled milk on a beach in crescent shape. I tried to hug them all, although I settled for outstretched hands, we drank fresh coconut water and they took us to see our new home.
Iru Fushi
The island is spectacular from any point of view. Surrounded by miles of sandy peaks that slope gently toward living coral gardens teeming with tiny rainbow-colored fish, bordered by lush tropical vegetation. The resort revolves around 221 villas, 81 of which are overwater and feature outdoor pools or jacuzzis.
The beach villas look like mini residences, nestled among towering banyan and palm trees teeming with chattering terns, with the beach spread out in front. In the Deluxe Beach Villas, the open-air patio-style bathrooms are enormous, with huge freestanding bathtubs and swings. Private terraces and pools overlook the cottage, all covered with linen curtains, with mesmerizing ocean views.
One of the great glories of the resort is the staff. Wherever you go, whatever you do, without you realizing it, someone is silently watching you. They appear magically, like a fairy-god; a mix of driver, waiter and guide. As I casually walked over to have breakfast, my butler Thahseen would suddenly arrive just as I was finishing to ask if I had slept well and needed a better pillow (there is a whole menu to choose from), one day he appeared with about seven variations of lotions and creams for my bug bites. Another day my broken sunglasses, which were left scattered on my terrace, reappeared completely mended by our cheerful housekeeper, Saddam. You just have to lick your lips and look thoughtful and one of the brilliant employees appears with your favorite glass of crisp pale pink.my.
Despite being one of the five largest resorts in the Maldives, Sun Siyam Iru Fushi feels intimate and never crowded. Private Island Retreats in the Maldives also has a recently opened boutique resort in Sri Lanka, owned and founded by Maldivian businessman Ahmed Siyam Mohamed.
While there were plenty of couples in love and newlyweds on honeymoon, there were also some families, with plenty of fun for kids and teens, including the Nemo Garden underwater park in the lagoon, where there are pools for kids, adults and families, as well as well as the brilliantly equipped Koamas Kidz Club. There is also a separate family area in the main restaurant, offering a children’s buffet for dinner and a children’s play area.
The days go by very quickly here. You can snorkel with the resort’s marine biologist, Caitlin, scuba dive and kayak, take a private cooking lesson on the beach, or sail to an uninhabited island for a castaway picnic lunch. Whatever you do, don’t miss the sunset dolphin cruise, where you’ll be taken on a traditional Maldivian fishing boat, under a cotton candy sky, to the secret spots in the ocean where you’re most likely to see wild pods flying in Water.
In the meantime, you can relax on your huge sun lounger, it’s worth heading straight to the spa, the largest in the Maldives. Here, the 20 treatment rooms are named and scented after a flower, with over 140 soul-soothing treatments to choose from, from the 90-minute Maldivian Spa experience, which begins with a creamy coconut milk bath and ends with a massage with coconut oil. , to the Ayurvedic massage where my small but mighty Balinese masseuse Odi somehow eased every knot in my body without causing that fist-in-the-mouth pain I’ve had at other spas.
It’s all happening outside, so the sea breeze kisses you as you savor a Maldivian fish curry at the sand-based Islander’s Grill or stone-baked pizzas at The Trio Italian restaurant. There are a whopping 14 restaurants and bars, from Asian to French, and most are part of the all-inclusive deal, so there’s no chance you’ll ever go hungry.
Siyam World
After five nights in tranquil Iru Fushi, we sailed seven minutes across the water to Siyam World, sister hotel to Iru Fushi and also part of the Sun Siyam Resort group.
When I got off the boat, there was someone flying across the lagoon and into the air, attached to what looked like a giant hose, while a group of girls’ laughter echoed from the nearby banana ride against the backdrop of a water race. floating obstacles. . It didn’t take long for one thing to become profoundly clear; Your life will never be more fun than at Siyam World. This is the Maldives on acid, where my overwater villa combined the fantasy of a honeymoon with the excitement of the perks of a ski-in/ski-out chalet—only the kayak comes and goes. Yes, those slides submerge you from your terrace directly into the sea.
This is the Maldives on acid, where my overwater villa combined the fantasy of a honeymoon with the thrill of ski-in/ski-out chalet perks.
And that is just the beginning. You will also find a horse ranch here, yes: real horses in the Maldives. Siyam World happens to be the only resort in the Maldives that has one, so you can live out all your fantasies of galloping and feeling the wind on the salty sea. There’s also a fleet of every type of high-tech water toy you can imagine; Hydrofoil electric bikes, two-seater Seabreacher jets that can jump, dive and cut through waves, and Cudajet underwater jetpacks that make you feel like you’re flying underwater.
This resort is much larger than Iru Fushi, with 472 villas (300 overwater), all with private pools and between one and six bedrooms, making it a great option for families and groups of friends. In addition to the water villas with slides, you’ll want to choose one of the Beach House Collection villas. They have cocktail carts to make an ice-cold G&T just the way you like it, an upstairs bedroom so you can wake up to sunrise views over the ocean, and each with its own little garden, with direct access to the beach. You’ll also get your own vibrant custom retro Mini Moke so you can explore the island on four wheels.
If you come here to relax properly, you’ll find sunset yoga and meditation sessions on the beach while the sea swirls around you, as well as the spacious and tranquil Veyo Spa, hidden in the jungle part of the island, where healing treatments, massages and traditional Maldivian treatments. Lunar rituals are accompanied by the soundtrack of birdsong that resonates in the trees.
One morning we met with Mariyam Thuhufa, a Siyam World marine biologist born in the Maldives, to get involved in her coral plantation restoration project, attaching pieces of coral that had naturally broken off from the reef by the waves to a metal structure that was later returned to the house. reef to regenerate.
Another day, we left the complex for the nearby local island of Kudafari, home to 900 residents and birthplace of Sun Siyam’s founder, and learned about some of the projects funded by the Siyam Cares sustainability program, including the construction of a new mosque and school, as well as the work they are doing to protect some of the island’s traditional industries.
Like Iru Fushi, Siyam World runs like a well-oiled machine, with the resort’s handsome manager, Ausy Waseem, at the helm, never missing a beat. The staff is at your entire disposal. Feel like six breakfasts, tasting style: kale, pineapple and ginger shots; fresh mango with honey and local yogurt, fresh omelettes, sushi, donuts, champagne? No problem.
Eating has no end. Do you want a feast on your own beach? Just let them know. There are no fewer than 10 restaurants and seven bars here, from Asian gourmet Takrai on the water to Andalucía, the traditional Spanish restaurant, with its own secret wine cellar. With almost all restaurants and bars covered by the all-inclusive plan and the feeling of time forgotten, going out is the only low point.
Reserve
Virgin Atlantic has launched flights between London Heathrow and the Maldives with a new three-times-weekly winter service. The new service operates on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with 31 Upper Class, 35 Premium and 192 Economy Delight, Classic and Light seats. In October 2024 the service will increase daily.
Seven nights in the Maldives with Virgin Atlantic Holidays, including flights from London Heathrow, with four nights bed and breakfast at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi staying in a Deluxe Beach Villa, before enjoying three nights all-inclusive at Siyam World Maldives in a Water Villa with a pool and slide costs from £3,449 per person.
Price is per person based on two adults traveling and sharing a room, including seaplane transfers, plus all applicable taxes and fuel surcharges, which are subject to change. Price is based on a March 3rd departure. virginholidays.es0344 557 3859.
