Four Seasons Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru: Could BLU be the Best Place to Exist in the World!

Four Seasons Landaa Giravaaru has long been a favourite Maldives Luxury Resort of ours.  We have just returned from our annual stay there this December 2023 and spending time at BLU still amazes me every time we return.  At Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru, you are given the option of having breakfast at either Café Landaa, their main Restaurant, or BLU, which has to be my personal favourite.  BLU is set on the iridescent white sand peninsula of BLU Beach surrounded by its bright turquoise lagoon.  The location is unbeatable.

I cannot think of a better place to start the day than walking into BLU Restaurant, with its white wooden furniture, deep blue and azure table settings and white awnings shading the open sides of the restaurant.  Breakfasts here is served a la carte so the only option is to sit back, relax and take in the spectacular view as you sip your morning coffee or booster juice.

During the day, BLU is the Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru Beach Club and Water Sports Hub of the island.  Guests are invited to lounge on a daybed under a turquoise umbrella, thoughtfully chosen to compliment the colour of the lagoon.  The Four Seasons Beach Staff provide complimentary refreshments to keep guests cool and there is also a home-made ice-cream and gelato cart serving complimentary ice-creams.  

For those feeling more adventurous there are all the water sports you can imagine both non-motorized such as paddle-boarding and sailing to motorized such as tubing and wake-boarding.  When it is time for lunch, you can choose to dine at one of Four Season Landaa Giraavaru’s other dining options but if you want to stay local, walk over to the sand bottom floor beach bar at BLU or a choose to dine in a Cabana for a casual breezy lunch.  For those who don’t want to move at all, you can even have lunch served to you under your umbrella.

Along comes Sunset and BLU is arguably the best place in the world to watch the Sunset.  What we love is the number of different seating options BLU has. You could be there for two weeks and watch the Sunset in a different way every day, from lying in a suspended net with cushions, to lunging in beanbags, to a private Cabana. Every option is amazing.  Personally, we also love taking a walk along the pristine sand out to the point with a glass of Champagne and just taking it all in.  Once a week, the Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru Management host Sunset Cocktails on BLU Beach complete with a DJ playing chilled island tunes.  If you are lucky, even dolphins will frolic past showing off to guests with spins. It is a magical way to see the sun go down.  

Then there is dinner at BLU, Four Seasons Landaa Girravaru’s Italian Dining Restaurant.  With an outstanding Italian Menu, offering authentic Italian Cuisine incorporating local Maldivian Seafood, dinner here is always impressive.  With the mood lighting, the comprehensive wine list and the personalized service, a night at BLU is an experience to remember.  Every time we go back to Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru, BLU is the first place we go!

Six Senses Laamu Maldives: A Luxury Resort Building Initiatives to Protect our Future.

Six Senses Laamu Maldives is a resort blessed with natural beauty. With an iridescent turquoise lagoon, endless white sand beaches and a truly remarkable house reef rich, you can imagine we were very excited to be on our way there again. We have read so much about the new initiatives the Six Senses Laamu Team has implemented since our last visit and we were looking forward to learning more from the staff when we arrived. To be honest, one of my favorite aspects of our visits to the resorts is the ability to learn from the incredibly knowledge staff.

Six Senses Laamu Maldives stunning white sand beached and turquoise lagoon.

The Six Senses Laamu Maldives Underwater Initiative (‘MUI’) is an award winning marine conservation program initiated by Six Senses Laamu with its’ three main goals being marine research, guest education and community outreach. What we found astounding is that since the initiation of the program, by funding many plastic free initiatives, one of these initiatives for example is that 50% of all water sales at the resort’s restaurants are donated to buying water filters for local communities and these water filters sponsored by Six Senses eliminates the need for approximately 6 million plastic water bottles in the Laamu Atoll alone each year.  Six Senses Laamu has also led the initiative in the Maldives to promote the prohibition of removal of sea grass which was done for many years.  As a result of this initiative, islands are no longer experiencing the same levels of erosion they were previously experiencing and it is also protecting the endangered sea turtle population of the Maldives.

Six Senses Laamu Maldives Hawksbill Sea Turtle

We were so fascinated to learn that Six Senses sponsors a local Women’s Development Program which employs local women to make reusable cotton bags for local island use, reducing plastic waste. Six Senses also has a number of Programs they have developed to support and educate the local Laamu community about sustainability, environmental conservation, gender equality and protection of their natural resources. The main goal of these programs is to have the local islands take over ownership for the programs and the responsibilities they entail which Six Senses can already see happening they told us.

Six Senses Laamu Maldives Neighboring Local Island in the Laamu Atoll - Extraordinary Escapes Visiting with Six Senses Laamu Staff

With tourism being the number one income earner for the Maldives, the Government recognized early on how critically important it was for them to protect the very asset that they relied on.  It is so impressive to see resorts like Six Senses Laamu going so far to protect the environment, educate the tourists who come to this beautiful country and teach the locals how to carry this forward.  With tourism being such a critical contributor to the Maldives economy, educating the tourists who come here on how to properly behave around the marine animals, including coral is critical to preserving the natural environment and preserving their asset for future generations.   We were so impressed with the efforts made by Six Senses Laamu and we really look forward to the next time we visit.

Six Senses Laamu Aerial View of the Resort

A Gili Lankanfushi Maldives Story: Over-Water Luxury at its Finest: So What is the Gili 'Magic'?

Extraordinary Escapes is lucky enough to have been guests of Gili Lankanfushi Resort for 18 years now and I have spent the last 18 years trying to articulate what it is that makes Gili so special.  More importantly how do I explain this to my clients without it sounding like a cliche. 

I used to think to myself, is Gili this remarkable resort because of its’ luxurious Robinson Crusoe over-water villas that literally resemble two-storey homes, or is it because of Gili’s numerous restaurants with world-class chefs? Or maybe it’s because of Gili’s unwavering commitment to sustainable tourism or is it Gili’s stunning white sand beaches and iridescent aqua lagoon?  All contributing factors, yes, but what I am talking about is not tangible.

Our Extraordinary Escapes’ Luxurious Robinson Crusoe Two-Storey Water Villa that was our ‘home’ this May 2021

After our most recent visit to Gili this May 2021, I finally have the words. The ‘Magic’ of Gili is created by the Gili Team, some who have been there since it opened and who honestly and dearly remember my fully grown 19 year old son as an 8 month old baby on our first visit.  It is these ‘Gili Moments’ that their Team strive to create for all guests, every day, from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave.

Gili Lankanfushi believes that luxury is deeply personal to each individual and that ultimately, luxury is the freedom to make your own choice. So then how does this relate back to what makes Gili so special?  It is Gili’s recognition that luxury is so different for every person, and it is their attention to this detail that sets them apart from all other resorts. Here are some examples to show you what I mean about this attention to detail.

A Gili Lankanfushi Water Taxi : Our Mr Friday collecting us after snorkelling

On your arrival, you will be met by your Mr Friday.  Who is this you ask?  It is none other than your personal guest experience host, the name Mr Friday derived from Robinson Crusoe’s loyal assistant and dear friend.  I must say that we find this a very appropriate name indeed.  The Gili Lankanfushi Mr Friday Team are absolutely second to none. We arrived at Gili to be met by our Mr Friday, Mifzal. 

Mifzal, while wearing a mask, we could see was smiling from ear to ear and he immediately bonded with the entire Extraordinary Escapes Family.  Mifzal took us to our Family Residence and while showing us around this incredible over-water home, he joked that it may not be large enough for us.  Mifzal asked us if he could collect snorkelling equipment for us and deliver it to our Residence guessing our sizes accurately. He then presented us with an Itinerary consisting of a Sunset Dolphin Excursion, a Surf trip to a local break, a guided House reef snorkel with the Marine Biologist and a Private Jungle Cinema evening. 

A Gili Lankanfushi Magical Farewell - A Moment to Remember - Until next time Gili Friends

Being a mother travelling with kids, each morning at breakfast Mifzal would stop by our table to see if we needed anything, which inevitably we would.  I always left something in the Villa. Nothing was too difficult for Mifzal and he was always there with a smile, under his mask, and his hand on his heart. If I even thought about needing help from Mifzal, he would appear!  I am not exaggerating when I say that we would get out from snorkelling the house reef and Mifzal would be there to meet us with towels.

One of my fondest memories of Gili Lankanfushi was when my four children were younger, around 10, 8, 6 and 4 years old, and I decided to take them snorkelling on the house reef. Shifaz was our Mr Friday at the time and at breakfast, Shifaz greeted us and learnt of my plans. Concerned that taking the four children by myself would be too difficult, Shifaz excused himself and a short time later, returned to the table with another Mr Friday colleague, both out of their Mr Friday uniforms and instead dressed in rash guards, board shorts and snorkel gear in hand.

Off we went snorkelling and very valuable were my Mr Friday friends indeed! I think this really says it all.  A Gili Lankanfushi Holiday is a series of ‘Magic Moments’ created by this incredible Gili Team who continuously strive to exceed your expectations based on what your version of ‘luxury’ may be. Thank you Gili for these magical moments. Until next time Gili Friends.

Soneva Fushi Maldives: Sustaining “Sustainability”

From the beginning Soneva Fushi had sustainability embedded in its culture. When we first visited over 18 years ago, they were pioneering a reverence for the earth and its protection through all aspects of the resort. At that time this was unique and set themselves apart from other luxury resorts and raised the eyebrows of many in the Maldives and beyond.

Out of the Blue - an over-water retreat with dining experiences all built with sustainability at its core

Soneva Fushi’s commitment to environmental protection has only continued to grow and on our most recent visit in June 2021, we couldn’t wait to see all of their hard work. Soneva’s mantra that luxury and sustainability can be interconnected has well and truly been taken to new levels.

Out of the Blue Dining — amazing art installation made from hanging recycled wine bottles

Every area of the resort shines with sustainability. Our visit to what the island fondly calls “Waste World” bears witness to the proud fact that almost 90% of the waste is recycled. Here the waste is organized, sorted and processed for a new purpose. On the island glass is crushed, heated and reused throughout the resort as décor, windows, drinking glasses and even as part of concrete mixing. As always, resort guests are asked to take any plastic waste back home with them to recycle, however, a new interactive and educational project has been launched to have plastics and aluminum turned into useful and creative keepsakes, a true closed loop approach.

The island gardens and natural landscaping provides most of the food and the newly added vegan restaurant “Shades of Green” brings a new dining dimension to the already amazing selections. Coconuts are plentiful on the island and Soneva are continually coming up with more creative ways of using the entire coconut. The husks are composted, pressed into containers for planting, spun into rope used around the island, the coconut milk and flesh for cooking and now most recently the coconut oil is used in the spa.

Construction uses sustainably sourced wood and the most recent addition of the stunning over water villas have beautiful roof tiles made completely from recycled resort plastic. Old wood and construction waste is slowly turned into charcoal for cooking and styrofoam shipping containers are crumbled and mixed into lightweight concrete building blocks.

Out of the Blue Dining — these beautiful roof tiles are made from recycled resort plastic

The décor is all natural, amenities are packaged in paper and even the lights are controlled by metal knobs. It is challenging to find any plastic being used throughout the resort at all.

Soneva are proudly 100% carbon neutral. Soneva’s pioneering efforts require leadership, innovation, investment and constant education of staff and guests. This resort authentically demonstrates a commitment to “sustainability” and “social responsibility”. An example for the world to emulate.

Air travel in New times: when you’re excited for long haul

Being at an Airport again was honestly just so exciting. It didn’t even matter that the 24 hours prior was shear chaos as we had just moved house. But that aside, we had our passports and were ready to go. We said goodbye to our golden retriever who I think was really a bit excited to go off to the pet motel and have a break of his own. We weren’t quite sure what travelling would be like now and like most people, we had bunkered down during the height of covid so this was going to be all a new experience.

Not surprisingly the check-in process does take longer than usual so it’s really important that you allow extra time for this as you don’t want to miss your flight after all the planning and anticipation — there would be tears and I’m sure not just yours. Once checked in, comes the realization that we’re travelling again. It feels like a lifetime ago that we have travelled. Our passports were still valid (a good thing to check before you book anything as like us I’m sure yours were getting a little dusty in the bottom drawer). The feeling that you’re about to get on a plane and go overseas is surreal . It’s finally here. It’s that same feeling I had on Christmas Eve willing myself to try desperately to stay awake and catch a glimpse of Santa, maybe even say a quick hello.

It’s true, Covid has been so hard on everyone. All this waiting, worrying, missing family and lockdowns but I think we can finally seem a glimmer of hope again that things will get better. Personally we’ve done all the pre-testing, had vaccinations and packed the ultimate carry-on with spare masks, sanitizers, wipes etc. We were fully prepared and I didn’t even mind that this was a long haul flight with children (four in fact) and all in the comfort of economy. I was thrilled and felt really lucky to be able to be travelling again!

There’s a lot of room to spread out at the moment…..

So what’s changed in terms of air travel due to Covid? Well, as you’d expect there’s a lot more requirements that need to be met prior to travelling and each country is different. So you need to make sure you are fully across what’s required for the country you are going to. Also, if you’re in transit check what happens at that location as well. Travelling now is a little different. That said, if you have someone to guide you through the new requirements and they know what to do, it’s as easy as 1..2..3. One of the main reasons we did this trip was to test it out and to be able experience first hand what’s actually required. We need this experience to guide our clients when it comes to their time to travel. A upside of travelling in this new era of physical distancing is that airports are super quiet, yes if you can believe it even LAX! And you get space to yourself on planes.

Wow how we’ve missed Changi Airport in Singapore this is hands down my favourite airport it’s super easy to navigate whether you’re there only of a few hours or need to overnight in the airport hotel.

I’ve learnt so much from this most recent trip, we intentionally added stop-overs to our flights to the Maldives as a lot of our clients do this. We’ve learnt what was required by each country and how to best navigate this new world of travel. Everyone to be honest is at a different stage in terms of when and where they can travel. We’ve got clients travelling now, some planning for later this year and other really looking forward and planning for what 2022 will bring. Best piece of advice I can give to anyone travelling now is do your research on what’s required and get help from an expert who’s recently travelled. And make sure when you do find yourself travelling again allow plenty of time at airports and words to live by (even before covid) always pack a spare pair of swimmers in your carry-on (luggage can still get lost).

Dining at Six Senses Laamu Maldives: A Luxury Experience to Match the Stay!

Dining - it’s a huge part of any luxury holiday and must hit the spot every time!

Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives delivers this in spades!

Anytime I’m planning a holiday for a client they always ask about the restaurants and the food. They know the location is beautiful but what about the dining experiences? It’s no secret that travelling is all about exploring new places but equally important to most people is enjoying the delicious food on offer.

Photo: dradanielajobst

For me, a luxury holiday means a beautiful escape from the everyday so no endless cooking, no constantly stacking the dishwasher, no going to the grocery store seven times in one week and blissfully no meal prep. You want to be able to completely relax, enjoy the amazing food on offer and the great company.

So, it all makes sense that dining is a huge part of any luxury holiday.

One simple rule I have and always follow is that I will never visit an island with only one restaurant - after a few days of breakfast, lunch and dinner at the same restaurant you see me wanting to swim fast and far away.

And that’s definitely not the case with the luxurious private island resort Six Sense Laamu in the Maldives - here you’re definitely spoilt for choice with so many delicious dining options. Dining here is definitely treated as an experience and a central part of your luxury holiday to the Maldives.

Photo: ladyv.me

Six Senses Laamu has created a vibrant dining atmosphere with music, restaurants and an over-water bar with over-water hammocks and cushions providing the perfect location to watch the stunning Maldivian sunset. It’s the Maldives largest over-water amenities facility. And for the perfect afternoon treat, you must try the ice cream and chocolate studio, Ice.

Longitude, Six Senses main restaurant, is an outstanding dining option, built over water with two storeys. It’s divided into individual areas of ten or so tables connected by bridges or walk-ways. There’s even an area allocated for couples only and one for families so neither experience is compromised.

Leaf is their Signature Restaurant themed beautifully and one of the best restaurants in the Maldives. Built on stilts, high in the tree canopy with access via a swinging bridge, it's next to the resorts' own organic produce garden. For the most memorable dinner, I’d reserve one of the round dining tables so you can enjoy a delicious dinner under the stars!

And if that’s not enough there’s also Deck-a-Dence, another amazing dining option, set over-water on a private jetty in front of the main restaurant. Dine from a carbon neutral menu at one of six low set cushioned tables with a glass bottomed floor. The stars are simply amazing from these tables.

And I’m not done yet! If you’re looking for a unique over-water dining experience, then don’t miss out on Zen, which offers diners a modern twist on delicious Japanese cuisine. Enjoy a Six Senses signature cocktail while you dine. If you’re still looking for more options, then there’s Sip Sip their stunning sunken swimming pool bar and light lunch area offering a full bar, wood fired pizzas and al carte menu. Relax here during the day or drop by for a cocktail and enjoy an amazing sunset. At Six Senses Laamu wine lovers will be amazed by the Altitude Wine Cellar which has more than 420 old world and new world vintages housed in a wine tower 6.4 metres above the Indian Ocean.

Finally, the Maldives is all about Destination Dining and there’s something so special about dining in the beautiful surroundings. It can be for a special occasion or honestly just because you can and you’re here. At Six Senses their Destination Dining covers a range of scheduled on island dining options: beach BBQ's, lobster dinners and decadent wine dinners. These dining experiences are extremely popular so I always book these in advance prior to arriving as you definitely don’t want to miss out. With so many options and experiences to choose from Six Senses Laamu takes dining to the next level. It’s easy to see why Six Senses Laamu is one of my favourite resorts in the Maldives - beautiful location, luxurious beach and water villas, endless activities and world class dining.

The Ultimate Private Island Resort

One&Only Reethi Rah is hands down one of our favourite exclusively private island resorts. So, if you’re looking for the ultimate in holiday luxury, then this is definitely the resort for you. And to be honest who isn’t?

The island itself is stunning, the soft white sandy beaches are long, and the lagoon is iridescently turquoise. I can say for certain that the photos only partly do this beautiful island paradise justice. It’s one of those bucket worthy trips you do once and then you immediately add it to the list to do again.

Reethi Rah is an incredibly easy 45 minute transfer from Male on a luxury private yacht. So, after your long haul flight, there’s nothing better than being whisked away by the beautiful Reethi staff to your awaiting yacht. And, if you’re arriving on a day flight you might want to try the Seaplane so you can enjoy the amazing views of the Maldivian archipelago from above.

If you’re arriving on a night flight like I usually do, the true beauty of this island will be revealed when you wake up the next morning. Reethi Rah was the first island I visited in the Maldives many years ago and I can honestly say I have never forgotten that morning I woke up in my over-water villa and went out on to my deck surrounded by the turquoise lagoon. Each time I visit now, I can still remember that amazing experience and my first taste of the beauty of the Maldives. This really is one of the reasons I love to travel, experiencing those moments that really do take your breath away.

Reethi Rah is also the second largest resort island in the Maldives so it caters brilliantly to both families and couples with enough space for everyone. You really do feel like this is your own private island. I love exploring this island by bike but there are also chauffeured golf buggy/carts that will take you wherever you want to go. I usually take advantage of this service back to my villa after sunset cocktails at Fanditha, a delicious Japanese dinner at Tapasake or one of my many visits to the One&Only Spa.

The hardest decision you’ll face is whether to stay in a beach or water villa. You’ll be please to know that there’s definitely no wrong choice here as all the villas are luxuriously elegant, private and decorated with beautifully fresh orchids grown in their own Orchid Green House. The Beach Villas are some of the largest in the Maldives with high rafted ceilings and beautiful wooden doors that slide open to your own private beach. All Beach Villas have their own outdoor shower which I love as this really will make you feel like you’re on your own private island, not to mention completely relaxed. If you stay in the Two-Villa Residence with Pool, this villa comes with your very own golf buggy/cart - very luxurious and convenient!  

The Water Villas are also extremely private and are located all over the island in clusters of only four villas per jetty connected by over-water walkways. Arranged in a semi-circle shape, each facing out towards the lagoon on a different angle offering the ultimate privacy. When you arrive, let your Villa Host arrange the complimentary unpacking service so you can relax immediately.

There’s no better time to visit One&Only Reethi Rah as we have amazing special offers including a huge 30% OFF when you stay 7 nights or more. Plus, FREE half board in Reethi Restaurant and FREE shared boat transfers from/to Velana International Airport. For stays now until the 16 December 2019.

This one is definitely worth the holiday splurge.

Manta Season

Photo by Manta Trust

One of my favourite times to visit the Maldives is Manta Season.  Mid May to Mid October is when these majestic creatures grace Hanifaru Bay with their impressive presence.  Hanifaru Bay is a UNESCO protected area where the Mantas go to feed and clean.  It is located in the Baa Atoll Maldives where it is estimated that 5000 Reef Mantas the largest population of Reef Mantas in the world.

In Hanifaru Bay over these months, you are not likely to see just one or two Mantas but literally so many you lose count.  They frolic about in the clear turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean feeding on the tiny plankton, performing what Marine Biologists have called the Dance of the Mantas.  This Dance takes a number of different forms and involves the Mantas teaming up in lines and diving together helping each other scoop up the plankton with their filters.  It is truly mesmerising to watch.

Dr Guy Stevens

On one occasion, I have been lucky enough to snorkel with the world renowned Manta expert, Dr Guy Stevens, who counted over 88 Mantas, all dancing and feeding around us.  They can work out how many there are at any time by taking photos of the marks on the Mantas bellies which are unique to each Manta.  It was a spectacular experience.  They come so close to you it is as if they may touch you, on some occasions the tips of their wings actually do and then they dive and tumble at the last minute.  I always point out on the boat ride from the resort to Hanifaru, especially to young children, that Mantas are plankton filter feeders and are completely harmless.

Four Seasons Landaa has the Manta Trust Representative located there and the resort offers an experience called Manta on Call.  Once registered for this, you are given a cell phone which you are to carry everywhere you go and be ready with swimmers and snorkelling gear to be called to head immediately to the water sports centre if any Mantas are sited by the Manta Trust research boat out in Hanifaru.  Once called, you go straight to the departure area where you are whisked off to an experience of a lifetime.  It is so exciting and the best way to guarantee seeing these amazing creatures.  You may encounter a Whale Shark swimming with them.

I’ve been lucky enough to travel to many other places around the world.  Hawaii, Mexico and so on.  Nothing beats the Maldives and nothing comes close to this experience of snorkelling at Hanifaru with Mantas in the natural environment.  The best news is that Manta Season is shoulder season in the Maldives so prices are low and the specials we have are amazing.  We have Stay 7 pay 5 nights so 2 free nights and free half-board breakfasts and dinners at the Four Seasons Landaa and Soneva Fushi and then 30% off and free half-board breakfasts and dinners at Amilla Fushi and Anantara Kihavah. Plus its Manta seasons!  If you are a marine lover, you absolutely have to add this to your Bucket List.

Where to stay 

Best resorts for Manta diving are Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru, Amilla Fushi, Anantara Kihavah and Soneva Fushi.