SonevaFushi
Resort hotel
Kunfunadhoo Island, Eydhafushi, Maldives
ByJuliaNeeson-100.jpeg "SonevaFushi by Courtesy Soneva Fushi")
Highlights
Barefoot luxury resort with sustainable practices, villas, dining, spa
Barefoot luxury resort with sustainable practices, villas, dining, spa
"A pioneering barefoot-luxury resort in the Maldives emphasizing sustainable, slow travel—guests typically arrive shoe-free and by bicycle—and features villas designed for indoor-outdoor living with retractable roofs, open-air bathrooms and reclaimed-material furnishings. The property recycles the vast majority of its waste, runs coral-restoration and sea-turtle rehabilitation programs, and repurposes discarded bottles in an on-site glass-blowing studio. Unique experiences range from treetop dining via zipline to stargazing at an overwater observatory; wellness is offered through a comprehensive center and an expansive kids club fosters creativity and exploration." - Laura Begley Bloom, Devorah Lev-Tov
"A five-star resort in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Maldives, hosting the annual SOUL Festival with mindful movement activities on white-sand beaches and panel discussions with health and wellbeing experts."
"A beacon of barefoot luxury and a pioneer of sustainability since opening in 1995, this property ‘redefined tourism in the Maldives’ and earned recognition on Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards and Global Vision Awards. Guests encounter intuitive butler service, an open-air cinema, an on-site glass-blowing studio, and unique extras like the world’s first fine-dining zipline experience, where you ‘soar above the treetops ahead of dinner.’ The Soneva Unlimited program is one of the most generous all-inclusive packages in the country, covering meals and drinks across nine of the 11 eateries, offering access to a rotating cast of Michelin-starred chefs, unlimited spa treatments and fitness center access, and experiences like ziplining and diving. Family amenities include access to The Den — the country’s largest kids' club — along with ice-cream rooms and extensive kids’ programming; note there’s no communal pool, but nearly every villa has a private plunge pool." - Sophie Dodd Sophie Dodd Sophie Dodd is a travel, wine and lifestyle writer. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"“Resorts have the responsibility to protect their house reef,” said Arnfinn Oines, of the Soneva Foundation, which supports coral restoration at Soneva Fushi. Guests can tour a lab maintained by the nonprofit Coralive, where coral reproduces and grows in controlled conditions before it’s mature enough to be placed in the sea. Offshore is one of the world’s largest underwater nurseries that use mineral accretion technology, or MAT, a weak electrical current that causes limestone to collect on frames, which encourages coral to grow up to three times faster." - Betsy Andrews Betsy Andrews Betsy Andrews is an award-winning journalist with over two decades of experience writing about food, drink, and travel. She contributes to Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, The Wall St
"A sustainable luxury resort known for being family-friendly with the country's largest kids club and complimentary rooms dedicated to ice cream, chocolates, and meat and cheese." - Travel + Leisure Editors
