Huvafen Fushi

Huvafen Fushi is just 30 minutes in speedboat from Male Airport, the main international airport in the Maldives. Surrounded by a glorious turquoise lagoon, Huvafen Fushi offers just 44 beach and over-water villas, all with private pools. Admittedly, Huvafen is at the top of the ‘A’ list of Maldivian resorts, with the price tag to match – ensuring an utterly exclusive experience. It does have a younger, trendier feel, and is indulgent yet totally relaxed and never, ever ‘stuffy’. Huvafen is ideal for honeymoons, or couples, and you can spend a week or two here very easily. You won’t find all-inclusive here, everything is refreshingly a la carte, without a buffet in sight. Huvafen also only allows guests who are over 21, so you won’t have children running around the place.

Huvafen has a lovely trendy, yet stylish feel. Rooms are contemporary, light and airy, yet with thatched roofs. Beach Bungalows with Pool open right out onto the white sands, and have extensive outdoor areas, including a bathroom at the rear featuring your own plunge pool and ‘wow’ oversized bathtub, and also a sundeck at the front. Opt for a Deluxe Beach Bungalow with Pool and you have even more space, with a larger plunge pool out the front in addition to the one at the back, with a bigger deck beside it. There are two categories of over-water villa; the Lagoon Bungalows with Pool (mostly with sunrise views) are a little bit smaller than the Ocean Bungalows with Pool (with sunset views) and look inwards towards the resort rather than out to the great blue ocean. For larger parties, you have a two-bedroom over-water Ocean Pavilion and a three-bedroom Beach Pavilion, the latter with a huge private pool – great if you have older children (over 21!) who need a little pampering before they spread their wings.

There are a multitude of dining options at Huvafen Fushi. The main Celcius Restaurant is the all-day dining restaurant where you tuck into breakfasts, or a Wagyu beef sirloin for dinner. Forno is the Italian offering, complete with a wood-fired pizza oven and serving up hand-made pasta. Vinum is a wine-cellar, eight metres below the surface and offers up Degustation menus, pared with the finest wines. Feeling Koi serves up Japanese fare, with laid-back Izakaya-style dining. Umbar is where you head for a cocktail or two.

The large infinity-pool is surrounding by four-poster day beds and by night is electively lit by fibre-optics. Huvafen Fushi’s under-water spa is definitely a wow point; and features two couple’s underwater treatment rooms, and another six over-water. The treatment list is extensive. There’s also a gym, and yoga is popular at Huvafen.

The snorkelling is excellent at Huvafen, with one of the best house-reefs in the Maldives. The diving is great too, with a superb operation. There is much to keep those who are a little bit more active entertained from dolphin cruises, whale shark spotting, stingray feeding, sea bobbing, jet-skiing, heading out on catamarans, windsurfing, kite-surfing and playing around on paddle boats or kayaks.

All in all, you won’t find too many resorts as perfect as Huvafen.