Having been to resorts in Hawaii, California, and Mexico, I can, without hesitation, tell you that this Maldives trip was absolutely incomparable. It is definitely a destination to put on the list, and if it already is on the list, move it to the top!
Right from the start, after an amazing seaplane ride to a platform in the middle of the ocean, we were greeted by the happiest woman, Stephanie, as she pulled up on a speedboat and introduced herself as our Katheeba (butler) during our stay.
We felt pretty enthusiastic at that point with the incredibly clear, turquoise water splashing behind us and the anticipation of all that is in store finally playing out before our eyes and it was nice to be with Stephanie who seemed to be right with us, as the smiles were so contagious during that thrilling boat ride!
The Amilla Fushi resort is stunning; a mix between modern Miami and cultural, fun Greece with white modern buildings, blue accents, and luxurious and inventive details. It was better than we could even imagine and also completely different from other resorts in the Maldives that go for more of a tiki hut vibe.
After our first day going from one hammock to another by way of our bikes around the island, getting a complementary 90 minute jet lag massage in a wooden pod, and having an exquisite meal with our toes in the sand, I came to see how different this was to any other experience I’ve had.
First of all, it’s the perfect mix of adventure and R&R. When we first pulled up to our beautiful beach house via golf cart, two cruiser bikes were parked out in front and without even realizing or planning it, we used these bikes every day. After waking up at 3am our first morning (thanks, jet lag), with four hours till breakfast started, we decided to catch the sunrise from the beach that is a two second walk from our private pool (yes to fantasy dreams becoming reality). As the sky became brighter, we decided to use the remaining hours to explore the island- by bike! It was the best adventure: finding awesome spots we knew we had to come back to and checking out all the good photo spots. And just like that, anytime we felt like we were resting too much, we would jump on the bikes and go looking for an adventure.
Second, the people make you feel like family. It was awesome to not feel waited on (wait, what?). It’s right though; instead, I felt like I had immediate friends that were so passionate and happy to help me out, joke and make me laugh, and answer questions in a way that felt like catching up with friends. I walked around the resort excited to see my housekeeper, who works so hard, but will also have a conversation with me. I wanted to be friends with every single person at the resort because they made it personal and their happiness is contagious. I left having awesome memories, not just of me and Kambiz, but of awesome people I’m so glad I met, which made leaving that much harder.
What destination that you have travelled feels incomparable? Tell me why!