Soneva Fushi

a very elegant but pricey traditional lodge

Soneva Fushi is one of the highest quality beach lodges in the Maldives.

The lodge is pleasantly far from the main airport, however there is habitation in the immediate area, in the form of a significant village (Eydhafushi) less than 1km to the south and several other resorts on islands within a 5km radius.

Soneva Fushi is centred on the reasonably large Kunfunadhoo Island (a length of just 1.5km qualifies an island for that description here in the Maldives) and most of the lodge is set on terra firma, with just a handful of units set out over the lagoon.

The lodge is very proud of its environmental credentials, which are perhaps best illustrated through some really innovative repurposing projects for ocean flotsam.

Rooms

Guest accommodation is in 70 units, which come in a mind-boggling array of specifications.

The majority of units are tucked away amongst the tropical foliage of the island itself. They vary greatly in size (ranging from one to nine bedrooms) and also in style, as the owners have slowly evolved the design to reach the most current version of ‘marooned chic’ …

• Villa 1 : 3 bedrooms
• Villa 14 : 3 bedrooms
• Villa 15 : 4 bedrooms
• Villa 37 : 5 bedrooms
• Villa 38 : 4 bedrooms
• Villa 41 : 3 bedrooms
• Villa 42 : 6 bedrooms
• Villa 43 : 6 bedrooms
• Villa with Pool : 2 bedrooms
• Family Villa Suite : 1 bedroom
• Sunset Retreat : 2 bedrooms
• Sunrise Retreat : 3 bedrooms
• Jungle Reserve : 4 bedrooms
• Crusoe Room with Pool : 1 bedroom : duplex
• Crusoe Room with Pool : 2 bedrooms
• Crusoe Residence with Pool : 2 bedrooms
• Crusoe Suite with Pool : 1 bedroom
• Crusoe Suite with Pool : 2 bedrooms
• Crusoe Suite with Pool : 3 bedrooms
• Villa Suite with Pool : 1 bedroom
• Villa Suite with Pool : 2 bedrooms
• Villa Suite with Pool : 3 bedrooms
• Villa Suite with Pool : 4 bedrooms
• Private Reserve : 9 bed rooms

The following eight units are out in the lagoon …

• Water Retreat with Slide : 1 bedroom
• Water Retreat with Slide : 2 bedrooms

Activities

Soneva Fushi offers a wide range of activities, not all of which are included in the room rate …

• Marine safari
• Jet ski safaris
• Private boat charter
• Island sleepouts
• Diving
• Free diving
• Scuba scooters
• Snorkelling
• Kayaking
• Paddle-boarding
• Parasailing
• Kite-surfing
• Tennis
• Cinema
• Village visits

Tuition is available for all watersports.

The Maldives are most commonly visited as a stand-alone destination.

The main airport on Malé is widely connected to locations including India, Sri Lanka, Doha, Dubai, Singapore, Istanbul and major airports in Southeast Asia, as well as direct charter flights from Europe.

When combined in trips with other countries, the most popular options are India and Sri Lanka. Countries in Africa are rarely combined because there are so many great beaches over that way and the flight connections via Dubai are rather arduous and inconvenient.

Seasonality

The best time to visit the Maldives is generally considered to be during the Nov-Apr dry season, although conditions are relatively constant and it really is feasible to travel at any time of year.

This coastline is classified as having a tropical monsoon climate, with two clearly defined seasons …

During the Nov-Apr dry season (northeastern monsoon) the daytime temperatures are marginally higher at around 31C/88F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures are around 26C/79F. Rainfall is highly variable and relatively unpredictable, with Jan-Mar potentially dropping to around 75mm (3”) per month and the shoulder season months of Nov-Dec and Apr potentially rising as high as 200mm (8”) per month. Sunshine is typically up around 8 hours per day (around 70% of daylight hours). This period is high season in the Maldives, so you need to book early to get accommodation in the best resorts and the prices are at their highest.

During the May-Oct wet season (southwest monsoon) the daytime temperatures are marginally lower at around 30C/86F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures are around 25C/77F. Rainfall is typically quite high, at around 200mm (8”) per month, with more pronounced and frequent storms. The amount of precipitation varies considerably across the island group, with more southerly atolls typically receiving up to twice as much rainfall as the north. Sunshine typically drops to around 6.5 hours per day (around 55%% of daylight hours). The main downside during this period is the chance of high winds, blowing in from the southwest, especially centred on May, when the monsoon winds change direction. Of course this does also make it the best time for surfing and advanced wind-surfing. This period is low season in the Maldives, so booking early should be less important and there should be some good value to be found at most resorts.

Getting there

The vast majority of visitors arrive into the Maldives through Velana International Airport, on the island of Hulhulé, which is adjacent to the capital Malé.

Kudadoo is located in the west of the Lhaviyani (Fadiffalu) Atoll, 150 km north of the main airport in the Maldives.

It is reached by means of a 30 minute sea-plane flight from Malé, with flights usually connecting promptly with international arrivals. The plane lands in the lagoon close to the island and taxis right up to the jetty.

most visitors combine lodges on at least two different islands