Soneva Fushi - No shoes, no news. Soneva is named after the couple owner - Eva and Sonu Shivdasani. The island resort was built on top of an island in the Baa Atoll called Kunfunadhoo back in 1995. The concept of this resort chain revolves around bringing nature into to a luxury holiday, where guests can feel detached from the outside world and truly be around nature. There is a non-compulsory no shoe policy on the island, which makes it a personal choice for guests to choose whether or not they would like to keep their shoes on or off when exploring around the island. Eva and Sonu also are real believers for protecting and preserving the beauty of the nature and the surroundings of the island. Besides the fact that Soneva Fushi is located in the UNESCO protected Baa Atoll, Soneva Fushi really push for environmental awareness. There are no plastic bottles anywhere on the island, many items/wastes produced on the island are also being recycled or transferred into waste energy on the island. It has the largest solar power plants in the Maldives, and all the coral reefs around the island remains untouched so turtles can continue to nest there.
Accommodations + Facilities
Being a natural resort, Soneva Fushi is trying to protect the island and keeping it as natural as possible so there are only very few overwater villas. There are however, many different types of beach houses for guests to choose from, ranging from different size and design. Many of the beach houses on the island are actually owned by different people around the world as vacation homes. So for those residence beach houses, each and every single one of them have a unique and different design!
There is no communal pool at Soneva Fushi, and most villas have a private pool. When you think about it, the beautiful lagoon is just few steps away from your room. The clarity of the lagoon is often better than pool in my opinion :) Isn't that why you want to come to the Maldives anyways?
Every villa has its very own Mr. and Mrs. Friday, a private butler that takes cares of the guests and all their needs during their stay. Another great feature on this island is their kid's club - I loved it here. It has a huge pool with a slide, a lego room, a cinema room, a musical room, drum kit, dressing room, etc... pretty much anything you can think of. I was having a tour and I see these kids getting their nails painted and getting ready for a fun day! I think parents will feel 100% relaxed when bringing their kids here and can truly enjoy down time knowing their kids are well taken care of.
There is also an outdoor cinema (a jungle auditorium with cushioned loungers) here at Soneva Fushi where movie nights are held so guests can enjoy a film under the starry sky. Because of the remote location of the islands in the Indian Ocean, it is really great for star gazing, Soneva Fushi has built its own observatory! I think these ideas very cool!
Restaurants
The island also has its own organic vegetable and herb gardens, and food is often being grown and sourced locally where possible. Moreover, the resort has its very own chocolate and ice cream parlor, which is open daily from 12pm till late night. It is also complimentary to all guests, and I've definitely gained quite a few pounds here :p There are over sixty constantly changing ice cream flavors and sorbets, and lots of different chocolate flavors to choose from. Definitely satisfying those who have a sweet tooth.
Fresh in the Garden, a treetop dining experience, see images below. It is located above the organic vegetable and herb garden, adjacent to the observatory for star gazing. Guests can definitely enjoy a wonderful dinner and watch sunset on top of the trees. Serves mediterranean-inspired dished with produce plucked from your surroundings.
Sobah's Restaurant, named after the "Best Chef" in the Maldives award winner, Sobah's is a traditional Maldivian restaurant located on an uninhabited island just 15 minsutes away by speedboat from Soneva Fushi. Dinner is usually open twice a week and only to 18 guests each time, so make your bookings ahead of time if you are interested!
Mihiree Mitha, where daily breakfast is served, a lovely selection of different cuisines around the world.
Bar(A)Bara, an overwater Bar that serves snacks and drinks, guests can relax on the cushioned hammock and just enjoy the view.
Out of Blue, an overwater restaurant that serves asian and international cuisine, opens for lunch and dinner.
Once upon a table, table for 8, there is no menu, allowing the creativity and skills of the chef to decide what to serve!
So Hands On by Akira, Japanese sushi counter, only 5 seaters so guests need to make reservations ahead of time.
