Douglas Easton Travel Blog - Douglas Easton Travel

February 04, 2009

Soneva Gili Island, Maldives

Imagine a tropical vacation that couldn't be improved upon... what would it look like?

Naturally, the water would have to be as transparent as glass. One could gaze down seventy-five-plus feet and admire with absolute clarity the magnificent and jewel-hued sea life and corals. From the surface, the sea, or more accurately, the lagoon, would striate in a thousand shades of turquoise, emerald, cerulean and cobalt.

A confetti of islets, each alluringly carpeted with undulating palms, would each be fringed with sand as soft as talcum powder. As for the color, the sand would be derived from coral rather than from rock, and would thus be bleached by the sun to an almost blinding whiteness. Its contrast against the magnificent sea would be striking.

The temperature would be a more-or-less even 82 degrees, with constant, but gentle, breezes. The water would be similar to a bath that has lost its heat and retains a soothing warmth.

That is precisely what we've found at the Six Senses Soneva Gili.

We arrived yesterday in the Maldivian capital of Male, an easy 3.5 hour flight from Dubai. From Male, Soneva Gili is then only a 20-minute boatride in the resort's launch.

Upon our arrival, we were struck speechless by the beauty before us. The long, Z-shaped, bleached-wood jetty over which we walked from the launch spanned the clearest waters imaginable, teaming with rainbow-colored fish. We were led to another jetty, this one adjoining our magnificent villa, built over the water on stilts.

Our villa is truly quite a sight to behold, the perfect stress-free hideaway. It has myriad impressive features: there are sections of the dark wood flooring which have been replaced by glass, allowing one to lounge in the enormous living room while gazing at the aquatic world ten feet below; there is a private, outdoor shower half-encased in glass; there's a wonderful private staircase descending right into the lagoon from the bathroom(!!!); and on the enormous top deck (there's one huge deck on each of the two floors, natch), there's an outdoor lounge bed, with views about which words cannot hope to convey an adequately fulsome description.

In addition to the fabulous accommodations and surroundings, the food provided by the resort is second-to-none. It's a mystery how cooking this accomplished can be created so far from "civilization." There is no way anybody leaves Soneva Gili losing weight!

Other fantastic features of Soneva Gili: a gym that has to be seen to be believed (you've never walked on a treadmill with a view like this!); an unbelievably gorgeous wine cellar/tasting room, with a supremely knowledgable sommelier who will happily arrange tastings; aging rooms for both cheeses and salami (how many other hotels have something that esoteric?); and a spa where the massage tables are built over glass, so that you'll be admiring eagle rays and a sea turtles as your back is being rubbed... bliss.

As for service, it is phenomenal. Our friendly, fantastic Man Friday (private butler) Mohammed is ensuring that every aspect of our stay is perfect. He arranged for John to re-qualify for SCUBA diving (the Maldives is widely considered to be the best diving location in the world); he prepared the upstairs deck bed with sheets and light blankets so that we could sleep ouside (with a gazillion stars overhead); he methodically unpacked our bags while we were at lunch; and he hooked up our computers to the internet so that there was no fuss when we reluctantly checked our messages. We want to steal him away from here!

We'll hate leaving here, but we're headed for another spectacular Maldivian resort, Soneva Fushi (in the latest Conde Nast readers awards, Soneva Fushi & Soneva Gili ranked #1 and #2 worldwide in their class). Soneva Fushi is a Robinson Crusoe-type property that emphasizes its unique and lush island vegetation. It provides a tranquil and private experience yet offers a variety of different restaurants options. However, it is significantly larger than Soneva Gili. We'll be traveling there by seaplane, a trip which will be sure to offer stunning views of coral-dotted islands, reefs and lagoons.

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