Como Cocoa Island

a relatively small modern beach lodge

Como Cocoa Island 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 significant villages (Maafushi and Guraidhoo) less than 2 km distant and a handful of other resorts on islands within a 5km radius.

The lodge is centred around the small sandy Cocoa Island, which is just 400 metres in length.

Facilities are therefore relatively limited, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The place has a much more intimate atmosphere than most out here, which is one of the main reasons that we call it a ‘lodge’ rather than a ‘resort’.

Rooms

Guest accommodation is in 34 rooms, all of which are located out in the shallow lagoon to the south of the island and accessed via long boardwalks …

Dhoni Water Villa : 75 sqm

These original rooms are built in the shape of traditional dhoni fishing boats, which feels like a really sympathetic touch. However they are not floating, but sit directly on the sandy lagoon like a conventional building.

Dhoni Loft Water Villa : 110 sqm

These rooms feel considerably larger, with the bedroom now being raised up over the bathroom, leaving a nice lounge space on the ground floor.

Loft Water Villa : 123 sqm

These rooms are much less like traditional boats, but they do also feel considerably larger, with the bedroom raised up over the bathroom, leaving a nice lounge space on the ground floor and a larger outside deck.

One Bedroom Water Villa with Pool : 125 sqm

These rooms are essentially similar to the previous, but now with a large plunge pool off the front deck.

Como Water Villa : x2 : 300 sqm : two bedrooms

These two units each contain two completely separate bedroom suites, joined by a shared lounge and dining space, leading out to a large deck with a swimming pool.

Como Water Villa with Pool : x1 : 290 sqm

This large one bedroom unit has loads of space and a ten metre lane swimming pool on the deck.

Activities

Como Cocoa Island offers a wide range of activities, not all of which are included in the room rate …

• Marine safari
• Private boat charter
• Island picnics
• Diving
• Snorkelling
• Kayaking
• Paddle-boarding
• Windsurfing
• 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