Soneva Jani is an island resort catered to environmental sustainability without a compromise to luxury living. Both families and couples are catered to with a host of amenities for children such as a kids club and their own sleeping areas in villas. Couples can enjoy a romantic holiday with the stunning views and unique experiences. Book a private cinema beneath the stars or take an excursion dolphin spotting with canapés and champagne. The Maldivian sunsets are the perfect backdrop to a honeymoon or a quick getaway. With villas that range in size and location, groups can enjoy their stay at the island with both stunning views from the comfort of your villa or anywhere you choose to explore on the island.
Medhufaru Island, 20001 Noonu, Maldives
Located in the Medhufaru lagoon in the Maldives’ Noonu Atoll Soneva Jani is a small private archipelago. Guests can fly directly into Maafaru International Airport in the Noonu Atoll located on Maafaru Island. Just 7 ¾ miles from Soneva Jani, guests can then take a short speedboat ride to the island.
Guests are also welcome to fly into Velana International Airport in the capital city of Malé. It is then just a 45-minute private seaplane journey to reach the resort.
- One of a kind experiences for families are available such as a children’s zone and a playground to keep kids entertained while the adults relax
- The resort offers photography and videography services to capture guests’ memories. Just coordinate with your butler and you’ll be able to book a time slot
- The resort is complete with its own spa centre with resident practitioners, a fully-equipped gym, steam facilities, sauna and fitness suites which guests have complete access too
- Children have access to their own kids club at the island resort and parents are welcome to leave their kids to be looked after for the day
- Soneva Jani is home to the world’s first fully sustainable surfing programme
- Alongside surfing guests can also try jet skiing, diving and snorkelling
Accommodation at the island resort has a wide variety for guests and groups of all sizes to choose from. With 27 new water reserves and island reserves located just a few steps from the beach they each come equipped with a host of amenities such as private pools, outdoor decks and expansive indoor living spaces.
With the choice of 2 outdoor sunken seating areas to choose from, visitors staying in this retreat can relax in both the shade and the hot sun. With complimentary inclusions such as a butler and access to many of the activities on the island you can both relax in style and have fun in style. Catamaran nets to lounge in are included and a saltwater pool and waterslide bring the fun directly to your retreat for days spent in.
Other features include a wine fridge, retractable roof and an outdoor bathroom. There is a private gym and children’s seating area in the villa and can accommodate up to 6 adults in the property.
Villa 34 has its own unique design inspired directly by nature. Sitting beachfront, it has a freshwater swimming pool and a separate children’s swimming pool with its own water slide as well as a children’s treehouse. The reserve also has its own living area, kitchen and dining area for in-villa entertaining and the upper deck with dining sala is perfect for in-villa dining.
Other amenities include a private sauna, steam room, wine vault, outdoor bathroom and minibar to compliment your stay. Other features include an in-villa safe, air conditioning, fans, TV and sound system. This is a villa that can comfortably accommodate up to 6 adults.
Resting over the clear blue water this luxurious retreat features 4 private bedrooms, a large living space and views of the Indian Ocean in every direction. In addition to private access to the lagoon guests will have a water slide leading into the lagoon, a study, gym, TV lounge and wine vault. Accommodating up to 6 adults, there is a sleeping area for children if you are travelling as a family and an entertainment area and dining area means you’ll be able to have your own space whilst inside.
An upstairs deck and saltwater pool are great spots to admire the views. Other features include a minibar, in-villa safe, air conditioning, fans, an outdoor bathroom and access to a butler service to make your stay all the more comfortable.
The epitome of privacy, the 4 bedroom island reserve is a luxurious beachfront mansion surrounded by high reaching foliage. Spacious indoor and outdoor living areas are complimented by a separate TV lounge, dining room, kitchen and wine vault. Spread across 2 floors means despite accommodating up to 8 adults, guests can still experience privacy amongst the mansion. Other features include its own water slide, a freshwater pool, gym, steam room and a sauna.
It features an outdoor bathroom, children’s sleeping area and each bedroom has its own dressing room. Amenities include an in-villa safe, Wi-Fi, pantry, minibar, air-conditioning, fans and a guest suite with its own en-suite bathroom. Enjoy complimentary access to bicycles to explore the island and access to a butler service to ensure your stay is hassle-free.
Spread across 2 floors and featuring a private pool and a curved water slide that directly leads to the ocean, 8 adults can comfortably accommodate this luxurious villa and its host of features. A retractable roof means guests can admire the clear night sky in comfort and views of the island can be observed in all their glory from the upstairs deck, pool deck and freshwater pool.
The daybeds make it all the more comfortable as does the access to a private gym, steam room and upstairs dining sala. Other amenities include a flat-screen TV, Bose surround sound, fridge, catamaran nets, sun loungers and an outdoor bathroom.
Additionally, guests will have access to an outdoor dining area for nights in entertaining and a separate children’s sleeping area makes the villa all the more suitable for large families on their travels. A butler will also ensure your stay is catered to and guests who stay here are also given access to ‘Soneva Unlimited’ without extra charge, Enjoy every part of the island experience such as access to spa treatments, fine dining and a wine menu.
Featuring pescatarian, vegetarian and plant-based options this menu focuses on organic produce. Open for lunch and dinner all week (excluding Friday). Guests can enjoy single plates, sharing plates and signature dishes cooked by Mathias Dahlgren.
An international menu prepared by chefs in a secret location that often changes, the menu is ever-changing. The experience involves chefs revealing themselves only after the meal to talk through the concept, ingredients and process involved.
Seafood takes centre stage at The Crab Shack and the menu rotates through the week. Guests are also welcome to choose from a selection of wines and watch the sunset from an upstairs deck. It is also open for lunch and evening drinks on selected days at the resort.
So Wild Restaurant has a plant-based menu that focuses on raw food and health consciousness. It aims to showcase simple, unique dishes of nearly-forgotten traditional recipes and at least 90% of the ingredients are grown on-site, picked from the island resort’s very own organic garden. This restaurant is open all week excluding Friday.
Offering drinks and tapas all day into the evening, the Gathering bar rests overwater. Organic aperitif and freshly made cocktails as well as a wide selection of spirits and liqueurs are available and can be enjoy as the sun begins to set.
Featuring a selection of organic and biodynamic wines, the wine cellar has its own sommeliers on hand. Visitors can book a private wine tasting experience and even enjoy a wine dinner at a destination of their own choice.
This Japanese restaurant serves modern style sashimi, black cod and many other favourites amidst the backdrop of an overwater silent theatre. This contemporary style experience offers contemporary cooking as well as the beautiful view.
Water sports such as diving and jet skiing are available at the island resort and guests can also discover the waters of the Noonu Atoll and see the rare Maldivian marine life up close. Sea turtles and manta rays might even make a special appearance while you’re under water exploring.
Soneva Spa offers guests a wide variety of rejuvenating therapies that combine ancient rituals with cutting –edge treatments. Both group and one-to-one yoga sessions are available to start each day and you can even take part in meditation on the beaches. With resident practitioners to help you reach your wellness goals the spa is complimented with a fully-equipped gym, sauna, steam facilities and fitness suites. The resort is known to welcome a line-up of leading names in sport and fitness though the Soneva Stars Programme so there is sure to be a wide variety of activities to choose from to help you along in your journey.
The Cinema Paradiso experience offers guests the chance to dine and lay beneath the stars while watching a classic film. Chefs will craft you a menu of food alongside the cinema experience and offers guests popcorn, ice cream and cocktails.
Surfing is accessible dependant on the weather but peaks between May and September. All equipment is made from recycled waste and is eco-friendly making it the first fully sustainable surfing programme in the world. Guests can access surfing with a short speedboat ride.
To experience the natural wonders off-shore at the resort guests can take a dolphin cruise as the sun is setting. Spot these beautiful mammals while enjoying sparkling wine and canapés.
This gives guests the chance to get a glimpse of the Maldives’ beautiful sea turtles as they lay their eggs on the sand. With the assistance of a marine biologist guests will be able to watch as the eggs hatch and as the turtles then ultimately make their way across the beach towards the ocean. Visitors can help the creatures along their way should they need the assistance.
The company is a firm believe 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.
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 bottles are delivered to cafes, schools, houses and businesses in reusable glass bottles 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.
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 skills 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 skills 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.
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.
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.
Fish is sourced locally by Maldivian fishermen and it done so to avoid bycatch. The island resort is able to reduce air miles and track the origins of its food supply whilst also providing guests with the freshest of seafood.
The island is home to its own organic gardens and aims to grow most of its fresh fruit and veg on site.
The Soneva foundation has been able to fund over 500 projects in 53 countries to provide clean water and basic sanitation services to over 750,000 people worldwide.
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.
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 many 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.
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 an Eco Centro and water bottling plant this marked the end of open burning on the island.
- Children and families are both welcome at this island resort
- A children’s club is available as well as many of the villas having their own children’s sleeping area