Soneva Gili By Six Senses

Malé

The North Malé atoll is one of the most popular Maldivian atolls, first because it’s the closest to the economic and cultural center of the archipelago, Malé. The city is definitely worth a visit for those who want to discover local traditions and culture. One can visit the many mosques that have been built over the centuries, or walk around the Port of Dhonis and admire the fishing boats or taste some of the local fish based specialties.

The North Malé atoll also attracts many divers from all over the world who come here to see one of the world’ s most beautiful coral reefs. In the company of a guide, they can discover the mysteries of this part of the Indian Ocean where the shipwrecked cargo vessel, the Victory sank in 1981, as well as schools of small tropical fish, manta rays, tuna and even turtles.

A new life on stilts

Ideally located in the North Malé atoll, on the island of Lankanfushi, the Soneva Gili, a member of the Six Senses hotel group, proposes a vacation in the archipelago’s largest villas, with a view of the Indian Ocean. All the villas are on stilts and possess uninterrupted views of the horizon. They are all decorated in eco-friendly style so as to be in total harmony with the surrounding nature. Wood is the principal material used and we find it everywhere, in the rooms, the bathrooms and the terraces. All the villas have a pontoon and direct access to the lagoon.

The Crusoe Residences are a bit further away from the others, in the middle of the lagoon, and only accessible by boat. They are ideal as a refuge, far from the outside world. The must however, is the Private Residence and its six villas. They far are from the hotel’s infrastructures with the closest neighboring villa 300 meters away…an authentic modern day lost paradise! The glazed floor of the villa’s entrance is magnificent, and the villa itself can accommodate at least eight people. It possesses a massage room, a sauna and access to the sea via a staircase or a small toboggan.

The spa is another place where the key words are calm and relaxation. The hotel has several restaurants where guests can enjoy eastern and western inspired dishes made with fresh products from the hotel’s organic garden. With room for only twenty, the By the Sea restaurant is the most intimate and specializes in fusion cooking with Peruvian and Japanese influences. The hotel’s wine cellar contains true treasures which the wine waiter will be happy to have you discover. He is also the person to see to reserve a choice bottle of wine for you in order to enhance your dinner, which you can enjoy in your villa, under a backdrop of stars.

Just like the guests of the Soneva Fushi hotel, which belongs to the same Six Senses hotel group, as soon as you arrive on the island of Lankaafushi, you are asked to take your shoes off, since the motto of the group is, “No shoes, no news”. You will also discover that your villa has an attractive television set, as well as a DVD player, since because of the “No shoes, no news” rule, you do not have access to international TV channels. That is truly getting away from it all!