West Berkshire Lifestyle Nov - Dec 2021

ARRIVAL BY SEAPLANE
t’s difficult to write about the Maldives
without descending into cliches - it is
Ievery bit as beautiful as you imagined, the
ocean suites with their glass floor hatches
are equal parts luxurious and mesmerising,
and of course the combination of sand, sea
and all-inclusivity really are a winner - so, I’ll
try and limit myself to only using the word
crystalline a handful of times, but what can I
tell you that you don’t already know?
I think I could start with the journey - though
travelling is my bread and butter, long haul
can test even the most excited of voyagers.
There are a few different routes to the
mainland of Male, with BA offering direct
flights. For those looking to fly in the lap of
luxury (and if you’re heading to the Maldives,
who isn’t) then Qatar is the best choice -
with a short layover in the ultra-plush Doha
airport, it’s enough to make the journey an
event, rather than a task.
Whilst I was prepared for the drama of the
seaplane arrival, there is something otherworldly
about seeing this string of atolls
from the air for the first time. The inky-blue
sea stretches out like a vast blanket,
punctuated by bursts of green, framed by
the turquoise necklace of each island’s reef.
Even whilst feeling weary from the long
flight, I pressed myself to the window like a
child, completely mesmerised by the views
below along the 40 minute hop. If you’re
looking for that international-traveller ‘I’ve
made it’ feeling, then arriving by seaplane
has to tick all the boxes.
The welcome on arrival at the spectacular
Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Resort was the first
taste of the group’s trademark hospitality
- a gleaming small army in white uniforms
and glowing smiles awaited, festooning us
with flower garlands and introducing each
guest to their own dedicated villa butler -
they are your go-to whilst on the resort, for
everything from booking restaurant tables
to helping you hitch a ride on one of the golf
buggies that transport guests around the 52
acre resort.
There are a handful of different
accommodation options for guests - either
stays on those quintessential oceanic villas,
decked with their steps straight into the
water, or a series of beach villas, either with
direct access to the beach or with oceanic
views and their own private infinity pools.
Whilst some of the fixtures and fittings are
looking a little tired in places, the sheer
delight of the location more than makes up
for any shortcomings inside, as does the
wealth of activities, both in the water and
out, available from your doorstep.
This brings me on to my other assumption
- one I think many travellers make - that
the Maldives is a destination for loved-up
couples to fly and flop in luxury. And whilst
there’s definitely scope for that, I wasn’t
overcome by a raft of couples acting
amorously by the pool, but instead greeted
by a huge breadth of guest profiles - there
were, of course, couples, but also groups
of friends on a girly getaway and families -
taking advantage of the total safety of the
island to let little ones run around freely.
Though, unlike other family-friendly resorts,
the children are seen but not heard - there’s
space for everyone, so adults can still find
their escape. Kids and adults alike can
partake in aquatic adventures, with guided
reef swimming, paragliding, and options to
learn to dive in the resorts PADI and DDI
Diamond certified diving school.
If the term barefoot luxury is banded
about too much, it’s very much found
its true definition here - this is a place of
relaxation, aided by that extra oomph that
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