Milaidhoo – Maldives
The Milaidhoo packing instructions are simple. Just bring flipflops. This tiny jewel of an island, strung far out in the Maldivian archipelago, is the perfect place to kick off your shoes, sink your toes into the sand and unwind. At only three hundred metres long and one hundred and eighty metres wide, with tall palms and lush tropical vegetation hiding the luxury villas, you’ll instantly forget your everyday life, the minute you set foot on the island’s shores.
It celebrates everything Maldivian, from the welcome to the food, from the laid back culture to the unique marine life of these waters. Milaidhoo is barefoot, intimate luxury.
At A Glance
Luxury Hotel
Why We Love It:
For its pops of colour, marine biology centre & superb cuisine.Style:
Thatched island chic.Location:
In the heart of the Baa Atoll, a 35 minute seaplane flight from Male airport.Rooms:
50 beach & overwater villas.Swimming:
Private plunge pools & the Indian Ocean.Children:
This is more of a grown-up island (children 9+ years old).Accessibility:
Arrangements can be made upon request.Open From:
All year round.rooms
It’s a tough choice between luxurious, open fronted villas surrounded by tropical vegetation, just steps from the water, or a sophisticated, thatched haven of an over water villa with achingly beautiful ocean views. From sleeping a romantic two, to a family of six, each one has a pool and a host or butler.
food
We love the food choice on this island – with three restaurants – one of which, Ba’theli, is on a boat, floating in the lagoon. The cuisine pays homage to the rich history of the spice route, when traders would stop off throughout the archipelago en route from Indonesia and India to Arabia. Thus the food is exotic and full of flavour. Sit on the deck under a canopy of stars, or inside where you can watch marine life below you through the glass floor.
Right on the beach, The Shoreline Grill has a show kitchen, serving deliciously fresh seafood and meat, whilst the very casual Ocean Restaurant has a delicious international menu and very dreamy views. And if you’re after a romantic beach dinner for two, the chefs will prepare a feast, just for you and serve it at an intimate spot on the island.
activities
Milaidhoo may be a very small island, but it certainly has fabulous facilities, and the team here aim to go that little bit further, so each experience creates a lasting memory. Set in a UNESCO biosphere reserve, the resort has its fair share of protected aquatic life. The island’s expert dive team will take you to the best sites in the atoll and can cater for beginners right through to experienced divers.
With each dive, there’s a focus on environmental awareness, and guests have the opportunity to explore underwater with the resort’s resident marine biologist. It goes without saying, that the snorkeling at Milaidhoo is also first-class. Not far away is Hanifaru Bay, where at certain times of the year, it sees one of the largest gatherings of rays in the world. It’s also the perfect place for spotting whale sharks and dolphins. There’s an excellent selection of non-motorised water sports equipment here, with the gentle waters of the lagoon offering perfect paddle boarding and kayaking. The latter have translucent bottoms for seeing the amazing marine life as you glide around. Guests can also sail and windsurf. Local fishermen will take you out to fish Maldivian style, or go big game fishing (this is on a catch and release basis). And then there’s the Spa, with daily yoga and meditation sessions, and an extremely relaxing menu of holistic treatments and therapies.
Location
Baa Atoll, Maldives
In the heart of the Baa Atoll, 126 miles northwest of Malé – a 35 minute seaplane flight from the international airport. Alternatively, take a 15 minute flight to Dharavandhoo domestic airport & then another 15 minutes speedboat ride to arrive in Milaidhoo.
