Natural Allure

Maldivian resorts sometimes rely too heavily on their looks, but Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villa has style and substance

- Stephanie Shiu

Mention of the Maldives usually elicits one of two responses: envy, of enticing waters and unsullied shores, or apprehension at the thought of being on an island alone with just your thoughts. The latter traveller likely is accustomed to fast living, and is misguided in thinking that the tropical nation offers nothing but sun and sand.

Natural beauty, with the seaplane journey from Malé into the Baa Atoll archipelago delivering a spectacular sense of arrival, is of course a draw. But where some properties focus solely on their status as a faraway escape, Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villa offers everything you’d expect from an urban setting despite its remoteness.

Rich in fruit trees and with a lagoon brimming with fish, Kihavah once provided shelter for traders and seafarers. Today its inhabitants share the same thirst for adventure but are equally hungry for hedonism. Our maritime-inspired water villa has an oversized deck swing, infinity pool, cushioned nets from which to watch parrotfish frolic and rays glide past, and stairs straight into the cerulean sea.

Such beauty can pump up adrenalin, staving off the nosedive into jetlag –– but to undo travel-induced tension, booking the 90-minute Sleep Guru treatment on the first night sets you up for paradise properly. The massage is best performed on the deck outside, with lapping waves lulling you into bliss. What follows is equally dreamy –– an essential oil bath, with a side of chocolate chip cookies and chamomile tea. A real treat before you slide into 1,000-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets.

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