Faarufushi Maldives – A Romantic Luxury Resort in the Maldives
Our lives feel so hectic sometimes.
We’re constantly running around from place to place, trying to squeeze into our schedule as many things as we can.
Family, friends, work – we try not to let anyone down, and at the same time we want to try and find time for ourselves.
Even on vacation , lots of times it seems like we’re running to attraction after attraction , another one of the best restaurants, all for the sake of completing the checklist.
Don’t you ever feel like pressing “pause” every once in a while?
Close your eyes and picture infinite peace.
You’re not rushing anywhere.
You have no obligations or things to get done.
Picture yourself in a place where all you are required to do is sit back and relax.
Simply adopt The Art of Doing Nothing.
This is exactly what the Faarufushi Maldives resort, which belongs to the Small Luxury Hotels chain, has to offer . On a charming, small coral island, with white sand surrounded by a clear turquoise lagoon, you can experience a taste of paradise. Faarufushi's simplistic yet modern approach is perfectly in synch with the tropical landscape of the coral island, creating a holistic space that fills the body and mind with fresh energy.
Faarufushi Resort opened in December 2018, and we had the pleasure of being invited to stay there during our trip to the Maldives. For 4 nights, we enjoyed excellent tranquility, ate great food, and just enjoyed a relaxing romantic vacation.
Location and Arrival
Faarufushi Resort is located on a small, beautiful island in Raa Atoll, and can be reached in two ways – a 50 minute seaplane ride which arrives at the hotel dock, or a 40-minute domestic flight to the small Ifuru airport, followed be a short ride on one of the hotel’s speedboats. We opted for the domestic flight, which was a breeze, although boarding the seaplane is a pretty unique experience, you should definitely try it out {we did at the beginning of our trip, and really enjoyed it!☺️}
We received a warm welcome by the lovely resort staff, who accompanied us to the beautiful open lobby at the other end of the dock, where we quickly checked in. From there, we were picked up by a cute buggy and were given a short tour of the place which ended at our villa.
Our Villa
Faarufushi has five different types of rooms, some on the beach, and others literally on the water. Many people have asked me if a room on water is a “must” in order to fully experience the Maldives, to which I replied- it’s fun to mix it up!🤗 If you’re spending time in the Maldives, I think it’s best if you spend some nights on the beach and enjoy the sand between your toes and the picturesque landscape of palm trees and turquoise water, while other nights can be spent in a villa on the water, which is an amazing and super unique experience thanks to the encompassing view of the ocean.
Since our stay at Faarufushi was actually our second holiday in the Maldives, which began at a different resort (where we stayed in a villa on the beach) we spent all four night at Faarufushi in a villa on the water, named ‘Ocean Retreat with Pool’.
The villa spans 163 square meters and has a clean, Nordic style that combines natural wood with gentle splashes of color in light shades. The harmonious interior has a large comfortable bed is set in the center of the room, and around it are all the rest of the areas of the room; a work corner and closets in the back, and a sitting area and little bar overlooking the endless view of the lagoon. The view is simply unbelievable… I would jump out of bed every single morning, open the curtains, and breathed in the amazing energy coming from the beauty before my eyes!
Dining
I was very surprised by the culinary experience at Faarufushi. Being that it is a 5-star resort hotel, I knew it would be good, but I definitely didn’t expect such high quality ingredients and flavors, and variety of cuisines. Every meal we had at this resort felt like an outing at an excellent restaurant, both in terms of the dishes and service.
Despite it being a small boutique resort, Farrufushi runs 3 restaurants and 2 bars, all in different locations on the island, and they all overlook the amazing view of the lagoon.
Iru – The hotel’s main restaurant is first and foremost very easy on the eyes, with impressive architectural symmetry, and a combination of Nordic style and bright colors. This restaurant serves three meals a day to hotel guests, with a buffet for breakfast, and lunch and dinner are à la carte.
Lunch and dinner were just as wonderful, and offer a wide variety of dishes, with a daily special.
Athiri – This tapas restaurant is located on the beach, inside a complex offering water sports and a gym, and, of course, overlooking the ocean 🙂 We weren’t too active during our stay, but we did dine twice at this tapas restaurant, which is finger-lickin’ good. No matter what we ordered, it wa excellent. Seviche, onion rings, fried wings, chicken salad, and even pizza – everything was delicious! 🙂
Sangu – The resort pool bar serves cocktails and other alcoholic drinks with light snacks that are fun to munch while sporting a bikini.
Eclipse – It’s great to go from sunset drinks straight to dinner at the hotel’s luxury restaurant. Eclipse, located right by the water and right next to Boli, serves creative and precise gourmet dishes based on European cuisine with an Asian twist. Everything we tasted, from soup and carpaccio, through fish, steak, and dessert, was an absolute pleasure.
In Villa Dining – And of course there’s always room service if you’re not in the mood to leave your room… We spent almost all of our time in our villa (and enjoyed every moment!) so each time we went out, we got dressed up to go out to a restaurant.
Attractions and Activities
Snorkeling and Water Sports – The obvious activities on when vacationing in the Maldives are of course the many activities connected to the amazing surrounding ocean. First of all – snorkeling, which can be done directly from your Villa on the water, or at the dock by the Boli bar. Personally, I’m a bit uncomfortable when it comes to the sea so I’m not much of a diver to say the least (I assume standing on the steps that enter the water doesn’t count:>)Though I did see the multicoloured fish and little sharks without having to go too deep! If you’d like to dive professionally, and see even more underwater life, the resort diving center has lots to offer, read about it here. At the Athiri Center different kinds of equipment can be rented for activities such as windsurfing, banana boating, kayaking, jet skiing, and more…
Resort Pool – Although most villas on site have a private pool, the resort also has a large infinity pool that serves the public for anyone who wants to swim laps, or just change it up a bit 🙂 with poolside lounges and tanning beds, and even big poufs right beneath the coconut trees and Sangu Pool Bar.
Spa – Let's start with the bottom line – you cannot pass up a massage at Faarufushi Spa! As an avid massage lover, who has already had quite a few good treatments in the world, I have to say that the couples’ massage that Daniel and I had at the resort's Nika Spa was an outstanding experience.
At Faarufushi, the whole experience begins way before you lay down on the massage bed. First of al, as soon as we walked in we were given fresh towels and served tea, while we filled out the medical form pre-treatment. So far nothing new… Then, we were given a small ipod with 5 options for sounds we would like to listen to during the massage, and we also got some samples of essential oils to select our scent of preference {perfection :)} Afterwards, we were shown into a private room to prepare, located right at the beginning of the trail that leads to the treatment room. Designed like a coconut inside and out, the room is stunning and relaxing. The massage itself was incredible, and so professional, and following our treatment we were welcomed to relax on the sofas in the spa complex with a cup of tea in hand.
Besides the treatment rooms, the beautiful complex also has refreshing ice pools, saunas, rest areas, and daily yoga classes.
And if you were worried about being bored around here – the resort offers more activities like a tour of the local village, sunset boat ride, fishing, special private meals, and even a vow renewal ceremony!
Bottom line – this is the perfect resort for a honeymoon or romantic vacation ♥️ If you’re looking for a luxurious relaxing getaway, with a high quality culinary experience and a wonderful spa – Faarufushi is an excellent choice.
📌 PIN FOR LATER
Many thanks to Faarufushi Resort for amazing hospitality. All opinions expressed in the article are mine.
5 Responses
The pictures are stunning. Have been planning on visiting for the last 5-6 years, but the cost stops me. I think I will have to go now.
Thank you!! The Maldives is really an amazing destination… definetly worth a visit at least once in a lifetime
I loved this post very informative and useful! Thanks for sharing such kind of useful stuff. Scanner App Excellent and well described article. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
in love with your photos on the blog
Thanks!! ?