10 Reasons to visit The Residence Maldives & the Idyllic Islands
Home to some of the best beaches in the world, the Maldives offers an assortment of unrivalled luxury, white sandy beaches and a supreme underwater world, making it the perfect choice for a trip of a lifetime
This necklace of islands in the Indian Ocean defines many people’s idea of balmy perfection: blissful blue lagoons, coral reefs and seclusion, only granted due to the country’s multiple islands offering privacy like no other. Due to paradise’s proximity to the equator, the Maldives experiences consistently warm weather all year round.
With nearly 1,200 islands offering postcard picture moments, no two are ever quite the same. Every resort in Maldives is its own hidden oasis, and with over 100 to choose from the only problem is selecting where you want to stay.
A world away from the everyday, The Residence Maldives on the islands of Falhumaafushi and Dhigurah have been designed in harmony with the natural environment and seamlessly blend traditional Maldivian architecture with contemporary elegance and modern comforts. While tropical beachfront villas open to a private oasis just steps from the sand, luxurious over-water villas offer the cool pleasure of slipping straight from the deck into a personal lagoon.
Teeming with natural beauty that beckons to be explored, here are 10 reasons to visit The Residence Maldives and the idyllic islands.
#1 - The Residence Maldives is made up of The Residence Maldives at Falhumaafushi and The Residence Maldives at Dhigurah. Both resorts are connected by the longest private bridge in the Maldives, allowing guests to travel between the two whenever they choose. Jump on a golf buggy with a member of the hotel team, cycle along in the sunshine or stroll hand in hand and spot the turtles, colourful fishes and eagle rays which swim underneath.
#2 - Two resorts in one-guests staying at either resort can cross use the facilities and dining options of the sister resort, whether on half board or all-inclusive, providing guests a twin island experience in one stay.
#3 - Easily accessible from the private bridge, guests at both resorts have access to the small, yet charming, castaway island, situated between the two islands. The hotel’s dedicated team can create a bespoke experience for each guest, from organising a picnic lunch to hosting an evening BBQ. The perfect spot to wind down the day.
#4 - With 94 villas at Falhumaafushi and 173 villas at Dhigurah, the combined inventory forms one of the largest resorts in the south of Maldives. Guests have various room category options to choose from in a beach villa with their own private beachfront, lagoon villas situated along the shoreline of the island or a water villa.
#5 - There are 9 restaurants and 6 bars to choose from across both islands spanning cuisine from across the globe, which can be enjoyed by guests at either resort. Pair poolside relaxation with light meals and tapas at Café del Sol, experience exquisite Cantonese at Li Bai, spend a romantic evening fine dining under the stars by the water at The Falhumaa or sit in the swimming pool for a light lunch at The Beach Bar.
#6 - The Residence Maldives at Falhumaafushi and The Residence Maldives at Dhigurah are the only two resorts in the Maldives which have the exclusive Spaby Clarins, offering an array of holistic treatments, pampering massages, hair services and spa programmes. Featuring over water treatment pavilions at both spas, daily sunrise and sunset yoga classes, seek solace for the mind, body and spirit.
#7 - The Residence Maldives is located in the deepest and largest atoll of Gaafu Alifu in the world–and therefore the dream destination for diving-where the resort is surrounded by pristine underwater landscapes and colourful corals filled with various marine life. The resort’s own PADI 5* Dive Centre provides beginner lessons for non-divers to guided dives for certified divers to explore the underwater world. With many dive sites untouched by mankind, divers and snorkellers alike can find various hard and soft corals, sponges, sea fans as well as triggerfishes, parrot fishes, fusiliers, tunas, turtles, barracudas, rays (eagle rays, sting rays, manta rays) and sharks (grey reef sharks, white and black tip reef sharks, nurse sharks, leopard sharks).
#8 - The hotel cultivates their own herbs for the spa to incorporate into uplifting, health-focused beverages as well as producing house-made virgin coconut oil for its treatments.
#9 - The team have recently launched the Earth Basket programme, an island farm showcasing native produce that is then used in the hotel kitchens. On-site activations also cater to guests of all ages, enabling them to create memorable first-hand experiences with nature. The farms serve as immersive showcases of local biodiversity with head gardeners leading tours for guests to learn about the ecosystem and native plants. Cookery classes for children or adults can also be organised, incorporating this fresh produce into mouth-watering, Maldivian delights.
#10 - The Residence Maldives has introduced a series of sustainability projects as further steps towards being more eco-friendly. The resort has installed solar panels to produce its own electricity and to reduce its diesel consumption; introduced a rainwater harvesting system; removed plastic water bottles and replaced them with glass with the introduction of the water recycling plant; recycled food waste into compost for the Earth Basketkitchen garden and started producing their own herbs, fruits and vegetables which the chefs incorporate into restaurant meals.
My Experience
The Residence Maldives is one of the most charming resorts we have visited; a romantic, adult-only oasis with sweeping views across the ocean; exactly what you dream the Maldives to be.
We arrived after a short flight from Male airport and a 10 minute transfer by road to the resort, we were greeted with a traditional Sangu Shell welcome. A gorgeous one bedroom Deluxe Water Pool Villa was waiting for us, which offered the benefit of direct access to the sea (and glorious ocean views) as well as our own private pool. So heavenly was the villa that we didn’t want to leave, so appreciated the option of room service.
When we did fancy exploring, the islands offered us plenty of opportunities. A highlight was cycling across the longest bridge in the Maldives from The Residence Falhumaafushi to its sister property The Residence Dhigurah, taking in all the stunning scenery.
No holiday is complete without enjoying some delicious cuisine or an ice-cold cocktail in the sunshine – and there are so many places you can do this at The Residence Maldives. This place is paradise; the perfect destination to kick back, unwind and immerse yourself in complete comfort. We would return in a heartbeat!
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