Soneva Secret 2024 Maldives

A longtime admirer of the Soneva brand, Divia Thani gets an early peek at its hush-hush third Maldivian chapter

- Divia Thani

I first visited the Maldives in 2009. Then, this far-flung cluster of more than 1,000 paradisiacal islands scattered in the Indian Ocean was a dream for most of us; a seaborne world of overwater villas and screen-saver vistas, where even the breakfasts floated (in private pools). But the food wasn't anything to write home about back then, and the focus on honeymoons always felt a little prohibitive to solo travellers. The evolution of the Maldives has happened fast. Almost every luxury marque in the world has gathered here since, each upping the ante with design concepts, experiences, and wine lists. Where once the food was to be tolerated more than enjoyed. today the archipelago draws starry chefs who've opened restaurants (Sri Lankan maestro Dharshan Munidasa, Singapore-based barbecue wizard Dave Pynt) or flown in for pop-ups (Gordon Ramsay, American TV chef Bobby Chinn). And the iconic honeymooners' go-to is becoming almost as well known as a family getaway. its kids' clubs focusing on learning as much as adventure, immersing children in marine sustainability principles, with programmes on coral, sharks, and manta rays.

Leading the pack has always been Soneva, the brainchild of Sonu and Eva Shivdasani, who arrived on the islands in the 1980shaving met, with suitable glamour, at the Monaco Grand Prix. It was Swedish model Eva who introduced the Maldives to Sonu, an Eton- and Oxford-educated British Indian. He fell as much in love with the islands as she had on a photoshoot some time before. Together, they built the first Soneva resort, Soneva Fushi, which was boho-chic before the term had been invented, with a "no news, no shoes" philosophy that is oft-copied. Over the years, the couple made these islands their home, and their Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani resorts are among the best in the world: repeat winners of Condé Nast Traveller's Readers' Travel Awards, and regulars on our annual Gold List.