A keep within the Thaa Atoll – THETRAVELBLOG.at
Frankly, the Maldives have been by no means on my private bucket record. I felt just like the images I noticed have been promising one thing I wasn’t eager for – to chill out and do nothing. I moderately love being lively and see and discover issues all through my travels. However then I’m married to a man who loves the seashore, who craves rest and a pause from all of it. Particularly from our fixed whirlwind of journey experiences! So, I gave in and let him have his Maldives getaway.
However secretly I hoped I’d get pleasure from it as effectively…
After which we arrived within the distant Thaa Atoll on a tiny seaplane and my thoughts concerning the Maldives was modified rapidly.
The place to go within the Maldives: 1,192 islands to select from
However, let’s begin firstly: The alternative of the place to journey within the Maldives. The choices are limitless. There’s funds stays on native islands (suppose 20 USD mattress & breakfasts) in addition to high-end extremely luxurious non-public islands. There’s household resorts and adults solely hideaways. There’s diving hotspots and even some swell to surf on.
Properly, after which there’s a complete atoll comprised of 66 islands and only one single resort on a kind of! Welcome to COMO Maalifushi.
COMO Maalifushi: Really away from all of it
In comparison with busier atolls you’ll actually really feel such as you received away from all of it right here – at COMO Maalifushi within the very unique Thaa Atoll. The one option to get right here is to take a seaplane for about an hour’s flight going South from Maldives’ capital metropolis Malé. The journey begins on the elegantly furnished seaplane terminal in Malé in a lounge, the place they serve complimentary pizza rolls and drinks. You then hop on a seaplane steered by a barefooted captain. So the getaway begins!
Season: When to go to COMO Maalifushi
We travelled to Maldives on the finish of October, which can be on the very finish of the off-season when the summer season rains slowly subside. But after we arrive in Malé it’s gray and cloudy and drizzles a bit, so we fear concerning the climate the subsequent days… wouldn’t it be sunny and dry? We verify the climate forecasts, however rapidly study that they’re unreliable (and never exact sufficient for every Atoll).
Maldivians don’t even verify the climate report, so we simply need to float.
Additionally they are saying that the seasons have grow to be much less secure and clearly outlined (as a result of world warming – which is affecting the Maldives in some ways as you probably know already), principally that means the climate durations will not be as clear reduce anymore. However fortunately throughout our seaplane trip down South in the direction of the Thaa Atoll the clouds slowly cleared up and we might marvel on the shades of turquoise and blue from above, that solely actually come to gentle when the solar is out.
We stayed at COMO Maalifushi for 4 nights and received fortunate with 4 days of essentially the most lovely climate!
Our advice would nonetheless be to go to the Maldives within the winter months (the excessive season begins round Mid November), when the summer season rains and clouds give option to the image excellent, dry and sunny Maldives climate. Except you intend to be below water for many of your go to – then the climate above the ocean floor isn’t as related and you may resolve upon different components (f.e. whale shark season!).
Household pleasant vs. adults solely
Since we’re touring as a pair with out youngsters we often strive to decide on adults solely accommodations, however COMO Maalifushi is a family-friendly resort. But, it appeared they handle to maintain households and {couples} fairly separated and we loved a number of quiet and calm, solely at breakfast and dinner we even observed the households with youngsters staying on the resort.
For those who’re touring with youngsters then you definitely would possibly need to know that there’s an unbelievable youngsters membership on the resort (we clearly haven’t examined it, nevertheless it seemed spectacular). But, we are able to attest that the resort caters to each wants equally with out an excessive amount of interference. For those who don’t admire youngsters on the restaurant you’ll be able to all the time go for room-service or non-public eating experiences, which the resort will gladly organize.
The villas at COMO Maalifushi
The resort consists of 65 suites and villas and we stayed at one of many one bed room overwater villas, which can be so iconic for the Maldives. Our villa confronted East so we awakened with the dawn each morning, which we completely liked (your most popular room orientation will be booked prematurely – in fact there’s additionally sundown dealing with villas out there).
Our overwater villa
The villa itself was extremely spacious with a big front room and bed room, indoor rest room and out of doors bathe area in addition to an enormous deck with a personal plunge pool, a pergola for some shade and a staircase to entry the lagoon for a swim or snorkel session immediately from the room.
The design could be very understated and stylish and has been rigorously up to date within the final years, nevertheless it’s not extremely trendy. The one factor we observed is that the AC appeared to be a bit dated and was fairly noisy. After inquiry with administration they tell us that they’re going to exchange the AC models quickly, so this small downside ought to finally be solved.
Actions at COMO Maalifushi
For us it was clear that we didn’t need to grasp across the villa, seashore or pool the entire day – as lovely as all of them are. For journey seekers there’s a complete array of actions on provide at COMO Maalifushi. We opted for just a few totally different actions:
- A Kayak Snorkel Journey on the home reef
- A ship tour to an uninhabited non-public island referred to as Lavadhoo
- A Dolphin Cruise on a conventional Dhoni boat
Kayak Snorkel Journey
The kayak snorkel journey begins on the lagoon of the island, the place you’ll meet up along with your information. Collectively you paddle out to a a part of the home reef that’s in any other case inaccessible and that is the place you set in your snorkels and uncover the reef collectively. The information will level out fascinating sights like rays or sharks, which can be continuously seen right here.
Boat tour to an uninhabited non-public island referred to as Lavadhoo
Our favorite exercise should’ve been the non-public island tour although. The workforce of COMO Maalifushi picks you up on a ship and brings you to Lavadhoo island – a neighbouring uninhabited island that belongs to the resort. Right here they’ll drop you off and depart you alongside for some true Robinson Crusoe feeling. Nevertheless it’s not all rugged and wild – the island is supplied with lounge chairs, beanbags, hammocks and umbrellas in addition to a bathe and even a totally operational flushing bathroom.
You set a time for the workforce to return and ship a picnic lunch to the island, which you’ll then get to get pleasure from within the shade whereas watching the native birdlife of the island. After lunch you’ll be able to get pleasure from some extra time on the island, discover a bit, hop within the water or simply chill out in pure privateness.
We hear you’ll be able to even keep in a single day on Lavadhoo island, in order that’s one thing we’d undoubtedly think about subsequent time!
Dolphin Cruise by Dhoni
Lastly we additionally went on a dolphin cruise (though the workforce was fast to tell us that there’s by no means a sighting assure). However certainly we received fortunate and encountered a complete faculty of the inquisitive spinner dolphins through the cruise. They joined the boat, swam subsequent to us for a complete whereas and confirmed their leaping expertise (word: spinner dolphins love to affix boats, however are very shy with swimmers – to allow them to often solely be seen from boats and solely not often whereas snorkelling or diving). The boat trip lasts till sundown and we received spoiled with sundowner drinks someplace within the Thaa Atoll – with zero different boats or vacationers round.
(Throughout our go to the normal Dhoni boat was within the workshop getting fastened, however often this expertise occurs on one of many lovely wood Maldivian boats.)
Different actions at COMO Maalifushi
Different actions embody an array of spa therapies at COMO’s Shambala spa, complimentary Hatha yoga classes or marine biologist shows, the place you get to study extra concerning the native wildlife from sharks to dolphins and likewise concerning the efforts that COMO Maalifushi undertakes to revive corals and create habitat for the marine life. We really by no means had a uninteresting second in our 4 days on the island and will’ve simply prolonged our keep to have the ability to expertise extra!
Subsequent time we’d plan a go to between November and April when the whale sharks be a part of the waters of the Thaa Atoll and COMO Maalifushi provides a whale shark night time snorkel journey! That feels like a dream.
Meals & eating places at COMO Maalifushi
There’s three restaurant choices at COMO Maalifushi – and we examined all three of them throughout our keep. Once we first arrived we have been a bit drained from the lengthy flight, so we opted for a really early dinner on the all-day eating bar and restaurant Thila, the place we have been stunned with a particular vegetarian menu and even the choice for gluten-free pizza (my husband was pleasantly stunned) and different worldwide delicacies.
The second day we opted for the major restaurant Madi, the place breakfast and dinner are served. Breakfast is a mixture of buffet gadgets and à la carte dishes. We particularly liked the recent juices on provide (beetroot, apple, celery, ginger was a favorite) in addition to the vanilla french toast with an unbelievable passionfruit curd.
But, our favorite breakfast was undoubtedly our in-room floating breakfast – which you’ll have immediately from the consolation of your non-public terrace (and even contained in the pool in the event you like)! Or in a bathrobe in fact…
The workforce additionally organized for us to eat on the third restaurant – Japanese restaurant referred to as “Thai” (it’s complicated, I do know). Dinner is served in a good looking over-water pavilion, with nurse sharks circling round. The restaurant just isn’t 100% ideally suited for vegetarians although, so we might moderately advocate consuming right here if you’re both an omnivore or not less than pescatarian.
As vegetarians we all the time have an eye fixed out for plant-based choices and have been actually a bit nervous earlier than the journey. The Maldives are clearly all about seafood and lots of resorts delve in seafood barbecue nights, lobster tails and so forth. COMO Maalifushi isn’t any exception. Though there’s loads of vegetarian and vegan choices (and even separate menus for us each night time) the dishes did appear a bit like an afterthought. We expect there’s nonetheless room for enchancment within the plant-based part and we left that suggestions with the resort as effectively.
Why would we return to COMO Maalifushi?
There’s just a few superb arguments, why we might return to COMO Maalifushi though the vegetarian meals can nonetheless be improved:
- Unbelievable, very distant location
- Dense tree cover & pure jungle
- Serene vibe & environment
- Skilled & personalised service
The primary one for us is the unbelievable location. The sensation of serenity you get once you’re in a spot so far-off from all of it is unbeatable. The Thaa atoll is really beautiful and you may really feel that COMO Maalifushi is the one resort right here. There’s no boats cruising round in entrance of your water villa, no seaplanes circling above your head.
The island is a very tranquil heaven.
We additionally particularly liked the dense tree cover of the island with numerous coconut palm bushes, that supplied ample shade on scorching days. Later throughout our journey we discovered that this isn’t a given on Maldivian resort islands. Some resorts sit on newly constructed man-made islands and lack any such pure vegetation, that had time to develop for many years. This additionally permits for wildlife to exist right here – from lovely fruit bats to geckos and hermite crabs, there’s some land animals to be seen as effectively.
But, the true argument for COMO Maalifushi is just the excellent vibe of the island and its serenity. That is one thing that no picture can really convey, however belief us after we say the environment right here is de facto particular. Sprinkle this with the extremely pleasant {and professional} service of the workforce and also you received the jackpot.
You’ll be able to already inform once you arrive on COMO Maalifushi that island time is setting in with its very gradual tempo. On the identical time the employees is very well skilled and appears to actually love their job. It feels just like the resort administration actually takes nice care of the workforce – a few of them work right here for the reason that opening greater than a decade in the past (and that’s not a given, particularly right here the place employees is away from their households for lengthy durations of time on finish).
So that you’ll e stunned by my takeaway (not less than I used to be): Generally my husband is correct. A little bit of rest can’t do no hurt. And no, it doesn’t get boring on the Maldives!
E-book your keep at COMO Maalifushi right here!