Soneva Fushi

Evenings at the island resort are made all the more special with a stay at the sunset retreat. Made up of two bungalows the retreat offers a pool, wine cellar, study, gym, steam room, dining pavilion and open air bathrooms to fully embrace the fresh air of the Maldives. Your stay at the villa is complemented with a welcome drink and access to a butler to help your stay be as serene as it can be. Access to two balconies gives you views of the island unlike any other and the retreat has two bedrooms, perfect for 4 adults and 2 children. Other features include bicycles, a DVD player with a Bose Hi-fi system, a mini bar and a large living room with daybeds and sofas to recline in. You’ll also be able to enjoy a large bathtub, king size beds, a walk-in wardrobe and an open-air private garden bathroom to complete your island experience.

This overwater villa has unobstructed views of the Indian Ocean and easy access to take a dip in with its very own slide. Comprised of 2 bedrooms, the retreat has a private outside deck with its own private pool, comfortable loungers and sunken seating to relax and enjoy the hottest of days on the island. The master bedroom has a retractable ceiling made for stargazing and can be enjoyed in complete comfort from the king-sized bed. The two bedrooms are fit for 2 adults and 2 children and the retreat features an upstairs deck, TV lounge, a dining area and separate living area. Other amenities to be enjoyed include the wine fridge, minibar, in-villa safe, bicycles, air-conditioning and a butler service to make your stay as comfortable as possible.

This residence sits beachfront with uninterrupted views of the white sand and Indian Ocean. Its expanse allows it to occupy 8 adults and 4 children with amenities such as a children’s pool, dining area, freshwater pool, steam room, gym, outdoor gym, sauna and separate living area. The gym has its own bathroom and shower and the villa comes complete with air-conditioning, a private garden, bicycles, DVD player, personal safe, overhead fans and a butler. The amount of space means you’ll have privacy from the rest of the island as well as those you are staying with.

With 4 bedrooms that are perfect for 8 adults and 4 children the jungle reserve sits between the tropics and offers luxury and space for its guests. Facilities include an outdoor sunken dining table that seat 10 for days in and a full kitchen with its own wine cellar indoors for nights in. The private spa suite has its own couple’s treatment room, sauna, gym and steam facilities and the children have their own room and can enjoy the entertainment area provided. Other amenities include a nanny’s room, sunken seating area, a study, water slide, minibar and saltwater pool. You will also have access to a private butler during your stay.

The island’s largest villa, this reserve is built like a mansion and is fit for 14 adults and 9 children. Its expanse grants you access to a host of private features such as a gym, library, living area, nanny’s room, saltwater pool, outdoor bathroom, spa area with sauna, steam room and an upstairs deck with its own water slide. Enjoy the privacy on the expansive deck surrounded by forestry or lounge at the pool on the hottest of days. The master bedroom has its own bathroom and dressing room whilst also grants you access to an open upper floor sundeck to bask in the fresh Maldives air. Other amenities include a bathtub, shower and double sink. The retreat also features air conditioning, personal safe, a minibar, overhead fan and a butler service.

High above the gardens, guests can enjoy the smell of fresh herbs as their food is prepared while they dine outside. With a central open kitchen guests can sit and watch as their food is prepared. Offering a range of Mediterranean options, organic as well as vegetarian or plant-based, guests can sit under the stars or under cover if they wish.

Open for lunch and dinner, Out Of the Blue offers Asian and International flavours such as Japanese, Indonesian and Vietnamese cuisine. Ranging from salads, seafood and meats there is also a pizza area, grills, a cheese room and an ice cream parlour to indulge in. It offers great tasting food with unobstructed views of the Indian Ocean.

This experience is like no other at the resort. There is no menu. The chef takes centre stage to cook up a storm as guests watch the creativity take place before them. This dining experience seats 8.

So Hands On is a sushi counter that seats 5. Open for lunch and dinner on Wednesdays and Fridays only, you can watch as the chef prepares your meal for you at the countertop. It’s an up close and personal chance to enjoy Japanese flavours.

The Bar ad Cellar offers guests a wide range of options from the beverage encyclopaedia. Choose from over 200 high-end wines with options of juices, beers, spirits as well as tea and coffee.

So Delicate is a complimentary all day long experience that is perfect for a pre-dinner tasting session or even a light pre-lunch option. It offers cheeses, preserves, cold cuts and gourmet hams that can be paired with wine.

Non-motorised water sports are available at the resort and private tuition is available for those who are less confident on the waters. Sports include kayaking, windsurfing, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking and catamaran sailing. Soneva Fushi is also home to its very own multi-lingual PADI certified Dive Centre. Guests can choose from a wide range of courses and equipment can be rented. It offers experiences for confident divers as well as those who are just starting out.

Six Senses Spa at the island resort offers a wide variety of treatments for guests such as scrubs and Tibetan hot stones. A revolving residency of visiting practitioners means guests are constantly offered new treatments from experts. Villas at the resort also have their own spas and steams rooms for those who want to indulge in the comfort of their own residence.

With sessions that last up to 3 hours guests can snorkel and search for the beautiful manta rays that lay beneath the surface of the Baa Atoll. If conditions are right guests will be able to see hundreds of these creatures in their own habitat at Hanifaru Bay, just a 20 minute speedboat away. Marine Biologists are one site at the island resort and are able to lead underwater tours of the Baa Atoll so that guests can see the beauty that lies beneath and learn about the delicate ecosystem.

There are a wide variety of trips available for curious explorers of all ages at Soneva Fushi. Kids and their families can get up close to the wildlife on Kunfunadhoo Island and learn about the natural flora and  how to spot animal tracks. Guests looking to stay at the villa can visit the den, a technology free zone that encourages children to play and discover nature. For couples who want to explore the Maldives they can spend a night camping on a private sandbank in a luxurious tent. Enjoy a candlelit dinner and a breakfast that will be delivered to you the next morning.

The island offers cruises for guests to be enjoyed as romantic getaways and day trips with the family. Guests can embark on an astronomical dinner cruise that begins at late sunset. The island’s resident astronomer will guide guests through the wonders on the sky for experiences that last 3-4 hours. For those looking to embark on trips during the day guests can take a dolphin cruise to look for dolphins playing in the setting sun. Enjoy this trip with canapés and champagne.

Surf season is between May and September, and surfing at the resort offers you an eco-friendly experience as all of the gear is 100% eco-friendly. It is the first 100% sustainable surfing programme in the world and invites guests to take excursions to explore the Baa Atoll and Noonu Atoll. With trips ranging between 1-3 hours guests can take different lessons based on their abilities and experience. Take an introduction class or take a trip to uncrowded areas straight in the water.

The company is a firm believer that shareholder profits are not the most important purpose of their business, but rather has the belief that supporting projects that aid the environment, local community and its economy is of equal importance. These projects range from ending hunger to providing both clean water and care for children. The foundation is a registered charity in the UK.

Many Maldivians grow up without learning how to swim, which can pose a problem when living on an island. Children grow up without this valuable skill as well as with little environmental awareness about the ocean and its reefs. The Soneva foundation aims to teach children and adults without the skills how to swim. They believe that by teaching them this skill they will love the ocean and in turn, want to protect it. It begins with the basics and ultimately aims to bring people snorkelling on the reef edge for the very first time.

The Soneva Foundation work closely with Action Against Hunger UK to deliver food baskets to children recovering from malnutrition and educate parents on how to ensure their child does not get ill again. The money also ensures that those who are suffering receive the treatment required in order to recover. It is an initiative based mainly in Nepal and Rajasthan, India.

Organised by the Soneva Foundation, the Slow Life Symposium gathers together scientists, business leaders, policy makers and philanthropists for three days to discuss and solve sustainability challenges that lay ahead. Discussing many issues ranging from ocean biodiversity and climate change it is an opportunity to protect what makes the Maldives so great and face the most pressing of issues humanity faces.

Guests are welcome to witness how Soneva Fushi provides fresh fish at the island as the Maldivian fisherman, Rocket, supplies the island with fish. This ensures the island knows where and how its seafood is sourced as well as eliminates air miles.

Guests are welcome to tour the island’s organic gardens and tour the Eco Centro. They are welcome to witness the entire process, from composting to how the island’s coconuts are grown and harvested. Guests can then head to the Fresh Garden and learn the methods used on site before picking ingredients for a three-course lunch.

Soneva water was formed to eliminate the use of imported plastic bottled water to the island. The island is home to its own solar-powered desalination plant where water is filtered, mineralised, UV sterilised and bottled in eco-friendly bottles. The glass bottles are delivered to cafes, schools, houses and businesses and once consumed, the bottles are collected and replaced. This plant has allowed for air miles to be reduced as less transportation is needed and eliminates the amount of micro plastics ending up in the ocean or landfill.

The island is home to its own marine biologist who takes guests offshore to see the marine life native to the area. Coral restoration is an important part of the marine conservation and the resort has already been able to install 50 coral frames in the coral nursery to attract marine life to the area. The coral is webbed together to create a more natural reef and the island is known to do ‘turtle patrols’ to ensure that the rare marine animal is safe and not getting caught in the vegetation surrounding the island.

The island is proud to announce that they have been 100% carbon neutral since 2012 and offset direct and indirect carbon emissions from flights and activities. They also have a 2% environmental levy on all stays. This in turn aids the Soneva Foundation and invests in a variety of projects to support the environment as well as the economy and local communities.

This is an initiative that supports sustainable waste management. It is a partnership between three Maldivian Islands to change the way waste is managed. By opening its Eco Centro and water bottling plant this marked the end of open burning on the island.

The Soneva foundation is in partnership with PATT Foundation to plant over 500,000 tress, covering 300 acres in Northern Thailand. With the help and guidance from Forest Restoration Research Unit 90 species have been planted and over 7-8 years seed-disbursing birds with increase the species further, creating a beautiful and healthy forest. This will in turn mitigate 255,000 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere. Additionally, Soneva has installed a 1.5 mega Watt wind turbine to provide clean energy to Tamil Nadu, India.