Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.
Today: Top 10 reasons to stay at Soneva Secret Maldives
The Maldives is one of my favorite destinations on earth and I recommend to travel at least once in your lifetime to this phenomenal Indian Ocean archipelago. Tiny islands and atolls house some of the world’s most exclusive hotels, and boast exquisite ribbons of powdery-soft white sand lapped by turquoise waters against a background of lush tropical vegetation. The three Soneva Resorts in the Maldives – Soneva Fushi, Soneva Jani and Soneva Secret – rank among my favorite luxury hotels in the Maldives. I previously published my top 10 reasons while you should stay at Soneva Jani (read my article here) and Soneva Fushi (read my article here). Today, I focus on Soneva’s most recently opened and most exclusive resort, Soneva Secret. Here’s my selection of 10 reasons why you should put Soneva Secret Maldives on top of your bucket list.
- Website: Soneva Secret
- Review: read my review of Soneva Secret here
- Rates: Contact me for the best rates (best rate, resort credit + two complimentary experiences)
Watch my Soneva Secret YouTube movie below:
10. MOST BEAUTIFUL SEAPLANE FLIGHT IN THE MALDIVES
The seaplane flight to Soneva Secret is a breathtaking sightseeing trip in itself, and probably the most beautiful seaplane flight you can take in the Maldives, as you fly over three of the country’s most spectacular atolls: the North Male Atoll, the Baa Atoll and the Raa Atoll. The journey takes around 75 minutes, although it can take a bit longer when a stop-over is often made at either Soneva Fushi or Soneva Jani to pick-up or drop-off other guests. The seaplane flies quite low over the Indian Ocean, offering an amazing view of Maldives’ tiny islands sparkling atop turquoise colored lagoons and the brilliant sapphire blue ocean. The seaplane lands at short distance from Soneva Secret as not to disturb the guests on the island, and docks at a small wooden platform, just off the island’s shores. From here, it’s just a three minute speedboat ride to the resort, with the boat landing directly onto the beach, Robinson Crusoe-style, which adds to the charm of the arrival experience (which feels a bit like a scene from the White Lotus).
9. PERSONALIZED WELLNESS
Wellness is a major part of the DNA of the Soneva brand. While Soneva Secret’s sister resorts in the Maldives – Soneva Jani and Soneva Fushi – each have their own Soneva Soul spa facility, Soneva Secret takes a different approach to wellness. Each water and beach villa comes with its own mini-spa (a spa room located on the top floor), where treatment are offered upon request of the guests. And I have to admit that just walking upstairs for a massage is a very comfortable feeling. In case you would not be a fan of an in-villa spa treatment, Soneva Secret also has a small communal spa facility, which comprises two pavilions, one with a sauna & steam room, and one with a serene treatment room. Whether guests choose for a private in-villa treatment or a massage in the spa’s treatment, a wide variety of curated wellness services is offered. Soneva Secret’s integrative wellness concept unites thousands of years of ancient healing wisdom with the latest in science and innovation.
8. COMBINATION STAY WITH SONEVA JANI
Soneva Secret is a 30-minute seaplane flight from Soneva Jani in the Noonu Atoll, and it’s very easy to combine both resorts in one itinerary (Soneva takes care of the shared or private seaplane flights between both resorts). Located on an uninhabited five-island cluster, Soneva Jani is the Maldives’ most famous ultra-luxury resort. The incredible property features 51 massive overwater pool villas, spread along two jetties that curve into a 5.6 km (3,4 mi) magnificent lagoon of crystal clear waters. Known as the North Jetty and the South Jetty, both jetties are connected to the Maldives’ largest resort island, a tropical paradise fringed by pristine beaches and blanketed with lush tropical greenery. Highlights at Soneva Jani include the villas’ retractable roofs, private water slides, a wide range of sublime restaurants, personalized experiences & excursions, and a spectacular spa facility, callled Soneva Soul.
You can read my review of Soneva Jani here.
7. COMBINATION STAY WITH SONEVA FUSHI
Soneva Secret is a 40-minute seaplane flight from Soneva Fushi in the Baa Atoll, and it’s also very easy to combine both resorts in one itinerary (you can actually stay at Soneva Fushi, Soneva Jani and Soneva Secret in one trip, with a few days on each resort). In 1995, the award-winning luxury resort Soneva Fushi set the standard for all desert island barefoot luxury hideaways in the Maldives, pairing Robinson Crusoe fantasy with intelligent luxury. Sixty-four private villas with their own stretch of beach are hidden among dense foliage within touching distance of a pristine coral reef, while 8 overwater retreats represent the largest overwater villas in the world. Highlights include the open-air Cinema Paradiso, counting Saturn’s rings in the high-tech observatory, the home-made chocolate and ice cream rooms, five hundred wines to choose from, nine fine dining venues, a treasure trove children’s Den, and a Soneva Soul spa.
You can read my review of Soneva Fushi here.
6. DINING WITH PRIVATE CHEFS
The underlying theme at Soneva Secret is the personalized service and the freedom of choice that guests enjoy. This is especially true when it comes to the dining options at the resort. The resort has 13 private chefs, one for each villa, which craft bespoke menus and unique culinary journeys, whether savored in the privacy and comfort of the villa or enjoyed in nature at one of the island’s most picturesque spots (it is up to the guest to choose). The chefs come from different countries, with expertise in their local cuisine, to present an indulgent, bespoke menu of Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Maldivian, Italian, Indonesian, French, South American, Sri Lankan, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Korean, Indian and Nordic flavors. Besides Soneva Secret’s signature private chef experience, the resort also offers three restaurants, including a castaway dining tower, located on the island’s sunset side, which serves a terrefic multi-course tasting menu based on the five basic tastes (sweet, savory, sour, bitter, and umami).
5. FABULOUS, SELF-CONTAINED VILLAS
Soneva Secret features 13 fabulous villas, making it one of the most private island resorts in the world. The villas – which rank among the largest villas in the Maldives – are designed in perfect harmony with the untouched natural setting, and come with Soneva’s signature features such as retractable roofs to reveal star-strewn skies. Having stayed in water villas at the other two Soneva properties in the Maldives (Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani), I didn’t think Soneva could outdo itself – but they have. All villas are massive and feature a master bedroom with bathroom (with sunken bathtub and rain shower), a smaller room with ensuite bathroom (for children), several lounge and dining areas, an infinity pool, a kitchen (with a well stocked Smeg fridge), a private gym, and a rooftop with a private spa room, another dining area and a curved pool. All the villas are designed to be almost entirely self-contained, so in theory, you never need to leave your villa during your holiday.
4. SWIM WITH MANTA RAYS
Soneva Secret Maldives is an underwater haven – a paradise for divers and snorkelers – as there is no other resort in the atoll, to the entire marine area is untouched and full of life. The crystal-clear waters are home to colonies of majestic manta rays (which area relatively to observe as they often visit some spots close to the resort) as well as giant pods of dolphins (for example, during our stay, we encountered a pod of more than 100 dolphins who stayed with our boat for about one hour, creating unforgettable moments). Whale sharks have also been spotted in the waters around Soneva Secret, although their sighting is not guaranteed. Besides marine excursions, Soneva Secret also has a water sport center equipped with motorized and non-motorised tools. Lots of curated activities on land are also on offer; for example, a highlight is a trip to the atoll’s only local island, where guests can dive into the local culture and enjoy some traditional Maldivian lunch.
3. MALDIVES’ MOST STUNNING WATER VILLA
Soneva Secret features six beach villas, five water villas, and two lagoon Crusoe Villas, which are accessible only by boat. Featuring one and two bedrooms respectively, the Crusoe Reserve (two bedroom villa and ) and the Crusoe Villa (one bedroom villa) both offers incredible views over the bluest lagoon in the Maldives. Inside the Crusoe Reserve- which is the Maldives’ most stunning water villa – an open plan living area maximizes the uninterrupted views, while the two master bedrooms’ retractable roofs are made for stargazing from the comfort of the king-sized beds. There are also two children’s bedrooms , which both feature ensuite shower rooms and toilets. Designed to ensure the utmost privacy in the Maldives, the Crusoe Reserve features an extensive outside deck with its own private pool and catamaran nets, a waterslide that goes directly into the lagoon, shaded dining areas, sun loungers and sunken seating. The water villa’s upper deck includes an al fresco dining sala, comfortable daybeds and spa treatment room.
2. NEXT-LEVEL HOSPITALITY SERVICE
Soneva Secret sets a new, unmatched standard in intuitive, personalized service. Each villa comes with a dedicated team of two “butlers” – a Barefoot Guardian (main butler) and a Barefoot Assistant (assistant butler) a – to ensure every stay is wholly personalized. The Barefoot Guardian acts as the main points of contact throughout each guest’s stay and their role really transcends the butler concept that is sometimes offered at other resorts. For example, they unpack guests’ suitcase, serve all the meals (in the villa and at the dining destinations), and accompany guests on excursions. Each Barefoot Guardian is only appointed to one villa at a time, ensuring a seamless experience as they learn about the preferences of the guests in an unbelievably quick manner. For example, during my stay at Soneva Secret, Barefoot Guardian Mohamed was appointed to look after my villa and travel party, and he truly did an incredible job to make my holiday as pleasant as possible (he was always there when you needed him, albeit never in an intrusive matter).
1. ONE RESORT, ONE ISLAND, ONE ATOLL
Soneva Secret enjoys a magical location in the Makunudhoo Atoll, one of the Maldives’ most remote atolls. Set in the far north of the Maldives, the Makunudhoo Atoll consists of only one local island and the island of Dhipparufushi, on which Soneva Secret is set (and which is the westernmost tip of the Maldives). Since Soneva Secret is the only resort in this remote atoll, it transcends the Maldives’ famous concept of “one island, one resort” to “one atoll, one resort”. In fact, no other island is visible from Soneva Secret’s shores, just the open ocean, so it truly feels like a pristine paradise, far from the rest of the world. This is a contrast compared to staying at one of the Maldives’ other atolls, where you may spot other (sometimes local) islands in the vicinity, with seaplanes and boats often passing by as a constant reminder of civilization. Because of its remote setting, Soneva Secret is the ultimate castaway island in the Maldives, offering a sense of tranquility and isolation that no other island resort can compete with.
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