Any paradise has to be earned and the Maldives is no exception. It will take you 15 hours flying time from Paris, to reach this kingdom with remarkably, clear water, which counts some 1,200 islands regrouped into 19 atolls. Don’t hesitate to offer yourself a luxurious ‘get-back-to-nature’ experience in one of two Gardens of Eden, Soneva Fushi and Soneva Gili, where mornings create the sensation of a sneak preview of paradise.

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Soneva Fushi : an environmentally-friendly kingdom

As the miniscule airport in the capital city of Malé is approached, a fleet of dhonis (boats made out of Maldivian wood) skimming the water, leaving behind a white foam, can be spotted.
After a 25-minute ride by hydroplane, you will be ‘dropped off’ at this precious and unique Garden of Eden, the Soneva Fushi Resort & Spa on the Baa atoll.
This hotel has adopted a truly environmentally-friendly charter and can boast of 65 villas whose privileged view is the sea and their own private beach. They are spread out in a well-preserved jungle where coconut trees, palm trees, jackfruit trees, banana trees, banyans and other frangipani trees are growing in abundance.

Craftsmanship, as close to nature as possible

The choice of materials comes primarily from harvesting the bounty of nature, full of rich resources. And that goes for each villa which can boast of authenticity thanks to its thatched roof made out of latanier leaves. Desks and sinks are made out of coconut wood, lamps out of paper mâché, chairs, chests and fences in bamboo and woven ropes. All of these goods have been made by local craftsmen. As modernity obliges, we can also find all modern conveniences here (TV, DVD and CD player..)

Bathrooms are designed like exotic gardens

Bathrooms are the most amazing of all. They have been designed like real tropical gardens, surrounded by walls with water streaming down them. The palm trees and coconut trees planted in the middle of the ponds, seem to sprout up out of nowhere.

Slabs emerge on the water, leading to an exotic shower, attached along a tree or to a bathtub at the level of the pond.
What fun it is to splash around in your bathtub, in the middle of the jungle.

Authentic but refined simplicity

Don’t be mistaken. Behind this apparent simplicity, there is clearly luxury. To realize that, all it takes is to stop in at the recently developed wine cellar housing the best vintage wine : to go to the Six Senses Spa or to have an Emerald massage that revitalizes and brings harmony ; to enjoy breakfast with champagne on a strip of white sand, just a stone’s throw from the hotel or to taste the delicious produce from the garden.

The only must here, is to love the sea passionately. 

Soneva Gili in the Maldives : a paradise on stilts

After spending several days in the little paradise of Soneva Fushi, another Six Sense resort in the Maldives, like Robinson Crusoé, building unforgettable memories, head for Soneva Gili. It takes a 30-minute ride by hydroplane to reach Malé, then another 15 minutes by a private boat to bring you to your new Garden of Paradise.
On board, the summum of refinement, you have already been given the number of your villa and you choose the fragrance (lemon balm or mint) for your bath products.
On an island, 200 metres by 400, suspended at the level of the lagoon and positioned like confetti on the aqua marine waters, the Soneva Gili villas on stilts fulfils the dream of all weary urbanites searching for paradise.
The guest is immerged in a type of dreamlike place, floating on crystal-clear water that reflects all different shades of blue-green imaginable.

Glamorous architecture, a refined and sober style

The architecture designed by Eva hailing from Sweden and her Indian husband Sonu Shivdasani, the owners respects the same concern for authenticity as at Soneva Fushi, with a bit more glamour and sophistication.
Fluid and refined lines, spacious areas, all is a model of purity and sobriety : wrought iron furniture and recycled wood, bamboo, cedar, water hyacinth, twined together, all made by local craftsmen. The structures and the wooden frames come from New Zealand.

Villas : an area that opens directly onto the lagoon

When you enter your villa of 210 m²-villa (not bad at all !), you get your first shock, that’s the view. A terrace- living room that is open to the wind and to the emerald green lagoon, extended by a teakwood terrace and a ladder that plunges you into another dimension.
A feeling of space and unreality overcomes you. And that is not all. At opposite ends of this living room, you have a bedroom surrounded by picture windows on one side and on the other side, a bathroom in teakwood, surrounded by a glass wall that overlooks the lagoon.

Bathtub : water ballet

You can’t wait when evening comes, to take a bath. From the bathtub, overlooking the lagoon, we become a privileged observer of the surrealistic water ballet that is unfolding before our very eyes.
And if we get an urge to take a shower, a wooden bridge, and a rope connect our bathroom to a shower, attached to a sandy glass wall.
In the evening, in our silky bed with our picture windows wide open, the blinds rolled up, we fall asleep with the only murmuring being the soft lapping of the water and the gently blowing sea breeze.

Mornings, a glimpse of paradise

In the early hours, we have our breakfast as we deeply breathe in the fragrant air, while taking in the exceptional show unfolding before our eyes.
And the ultimate in luxury, is a wooden staircase that enables us to get out of the bathtub, so we can swim around in a closed-off area, to get our day off to a good start.

Spa : a sensual journey

The spa gives off an aura of authenticity, naturalness and wellness for a journey beyond the limits of our body. We happily let ourselves go, with the pleasure of being massaged and stroked by expert hands, immersed with essential oils, flower essences or plant extracts, following traditional techniques, with soft background music, the murmuring of the wind dialoguing with the gentle hissing of the waves.
At sunset, we climb onto the solarium deck.
A large couch shaded by a palm leaf roof gives us the feeling of having reached nirvana, in the middle of nowhere, far-removed from our usual hectic lifestyle.