For the first time in my illustrious career at Hummingbird, I visited the Maldives with my wife and child in tow. Having my family with me gave me a completely different perspective on my stay, and it’s one I found incredibly useful. I was lucky enough to be granted a 3-night stay at the exclusive Soneva Secret, based in the far Northwest of the country in Makunudhoo Atoll. This is as remote as it gets in the Maldives and was once a place that political dissidents were exiled to, not even recognised as part of the Maldives until the 19th century. Reachable by a private seaplane transfer that takes 75 minutes, on arrival you really notice the lack of building projects, reclaimed islands, or large boats carrying construction materials. Instead, it’s just the vast expanse of the lagoon laid out in front of you, with the gentle crashing of waves on the reef far away in the distance. Uninterrupted views as far as the eye can see.
Soneva Secret is made up of 14 Villas (the floating villa is still a work in progress), and the best word to describe the resort is “intimate.” The level of exclusivity and privacy is quite unlike any other resort I have visited in the Maldives. On arrival, we swapped the seaplane for a speedboat and were dropped directly on the beach in front of the “Living Room,” which functions as the island’s main hub area, for a quick welcome from the management team. There is also a proper arrivals jetty near the centre of the island with a view of the staff accommodation, which is perhaps one of the reasons arrivals are dropped on the beach instead. It looks like a perfectly good staff area, but it’s not the most exciting view for new arrivals at the most expensive and exclusive resort in the Maldives.
The “Living Room” is where the Library, the Ice Cream Room, the Chocolate Room, and the Cheese Room are based, and it also offers à la carte breakfasts and lunches. It’s a huge terraced wooden structure, using faded, treated woods that Soneva specialises in, and like the villas, it is all about open-air space. Compared to the other Soneva properties, many of the island facilities are on a smaller scale and more pared down. There is a small spa, kids club, and dive and watersports centre, but really this resort is all about the Villas and the facilities that come with them. We were introduced to our two fully dedicated Barefoot Guardians, Ruhusha and Aslam, who looked after us incredibly well for the whole stay. They set up a WhatsApp channel for us and were attentive to our every need without being overbearing or intrusive. Anytime we wanted meals, a buggy pick-up, or anything we could imagine, they were quick to respond to our messages.
The island is quite thin, with ample foliage surrounding the villas and tall palm trees lining the front by the beach. There is plenty of shade and cover around the Villas, and it has a lovely beach, generous in size, with perfectly soft sand and easy access to a beautiful lagoon offering perfect views of the sunset. It was a joy to swim and paddle in. The Villas themselves are all about space and light, and apart from the bedrooms and kitchen, which are enclosed in glass panels (there are optional wooden panels should you want even more privacy), everything is open-air with a thatched roof covering. We had a Beach Hideaway, and we particularly enjoyed using the main deck area with a sunken table where we ate most of our meals as a family. There is also an open TV area, a swing seat overlooking the pool, and an upstairs viewing platform.
The one-bedroom villas actually come with a second bedroom and bathroom, perfect for children, guests, or a nanny, and it’s the same case with the two-bedroom villas, which come with two extra bedrooms. A nice bonus for families. What really sets these villas apart is that they come with their own kitchen, gym, and spa, so you are entirely self-sufficient and have everything you need without ever leaving the villa. We fully embraced this concept and were very happy to just relax and let everything the resort had to offer come to us. Eating out for dinner with an 18-month-old baby is not the most relaxing experience, so having dinner brought to our villa was a convenient concept that made meal times much less stressful. The island has 14 chefs, each specialising in a different cuisine. We had a Maldivian breakfast cooked by a Maldivian chef, followed by a Thai lunch cooked by a Thai chef, and an Italian dinner cooked by an Italian chef, all served directly from the kitchen in our villa. The Maldivian breakfast was the best I have ever had, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to sample the best of Maldivian cuisine.
For families or couples wanting good quality time together with no distractions or other people to worry about, the in-villa dining is such a nice treat. If you don’t want to be disturbed by anyone, the Barefoot Guardians can leave your meals and drinks in a special hatch by the entrance to the villa, which you can collect without anyone entering. So, the option for complete privacy is very much there, and these villas are as private as it gets in the Maldives. The private pools also deserve a special mention, as they are long and allow more space for swimming than your usual plunge pool.
On one of the nights, we had a home cinema screen and projector set up in the open-air living room with “The Jungle Book” playing while we had dinner—a lovely touch and one of the many special experiences you can enjoy from your villa. On another night, we made full use of the babysitting facilities provided by our Barefoot Guardians and went out for dinner at the signature restaurant, “Out of This World,” which sits over water and is reachable by zip line or by walking. There is an observatory at the top, a wine cellar at the bottom, and a delightfully indulgent fine-dining restaurant in the middle. We sat up at the chef’s table overlooking the kitchen and had a front-row seat as culinary magic was created by a young and, as my wife keenly pointed out, “a very good-looking” hotshot chef named Carlo. He treated us to a tasting menu full of wonderful ideas and flavours based on the creation of the universe. A particular highlight was the aubergine in a rich red wine jus. Out of This World is also the best place to do some house reef snorkelling from and gives you easy access.
On our last day, we visited the local island of Makunudu followed by a sunset dolphin cruise. Makunudu is a very peaceful and quiet island with colorful Maldivian houses draped with bougainvillea. As we walked around the empty streets, we passed by locals relaxing and gossiping on traditional Maldivian Joali chairs, a wheelbarrow filled with enormous Wahoo fish, an ancient island mosque and graveyard, and an old, ruined house that once belonged to exiled Maldivian poet and political satirist Bodufenvalhugey Sidi. He was sent here as punishment for his role in an attempted plot to depose the Maldivian Sultan in 1925—not a bad place to be banished! There was very little traffic besides the odd scooter, and you got the sense that island life hasn’t changed much for hundreds of years. Soneva also offers the opportunity to sit down and visit a local family and enjoy a traditional meal on your visit.
Maknunudu is a typical local island, and I highly recommend that all clients visiting the Maldives take a short break from sunbathing to visit one. It’s the real, authentic Maldives and gives you a sense of having truly visited the country, which is not always possible if you just stay on a resort island. It also gives you a bit more of a story to share when you get home. After a relaxing, late afternoon stroll, we proceeded on to our speedboat as the sun was beginning to set and zipped around the lagoon looking for dolphins. It didn’t take long for them to oblige—a pod of dolphins put on quite the display for us. Being so remote in the far north of the country, the marine life is truly abundant and undisturbed.
Overall, I was extremely impressed with Soneva Secret. It is a top-end, exclusive property with a price to match, but for guests who value privacy and intimacy above all else, I think it is an obvious choice to recommend. What really makes or breaks the stay is the quality of the service, and we were very well looked after by Ruhusha and Aslam, who made our stay incredibly special. They were very kind and attentive, with lots of personality, and our daughter Kiara loved being around them and was only too happy to spend some time in the kids club with them while we did a site inspection or went out for dinner. It’s the best family holiday we have ever had, and it’s going to be very tough to beat!
Tomas Cochrane
December 2024
