By Arati Thapa

I have the habit of checking on google (we all do I guess ) when I am invited by an international luxury resort just to know what would I be expecting. This time I didn't, I wanted an element of surprise, having visited Maldives a number of times.

I was invited to organise a familiarisation trip for Indian wedding planners to Soneva Fushi, lluxury beach in Baa Atoll Maldives,  as the Editor of www.weddingfables.com and usually I would write about it in WeddingFables but this once I wanted to write about it here as my wedding planner friends  Mansi Kohli, Rabbaz Wedding and Tejveen Kaur, Tzires Bespoke Wedding have already blogged about it in WeddingFables.  I am also very choosy about pictures, most of the articles in this website does not have more than 10 pictures, but with this write up I am going overboard so brace yourself for the pictures. Soneva Fushi is so beautiful that you just can't stop clicking.

Me and my wedding planner friends were booked at two of the sunset villas. The villa that I was in had an amazing outside shower with water bodies and 2 Jacuzzi, his and hers wash basins, swimming pool with sea water, a private path to the sea, 2 large drawing rooms, a balcony, two large bedrooms, a kid bedroom and kitchen, a well done dining area and a separate area in between with a swing. Oh every bedroom had a chilled bottle of wine.

Our luxurious villa opened up to this stunning view making our early morning tea something to remember and we could get into the sea water private pool when we felt like it.

The resort follows the philosophy of  "No shoes, No news" and they mean it. Once you have experienced the private lounge of the resort at the Male airport where you are taken in your luxe car ride (seen here with me below is Nidhi Sharma Chadha of @memoriesdesign by NidhiJC ) and then back to the private area where the Soneva sea plane waits you to take you to your destination.  At the pier, that takes you into this marvelous island you are handed a bag to put in your shoes and sandals, hence forth you will be walking bare feet in an island resort that must be spending a generous amount to keep the island natural, so you can get that soft feel of the white sand under your sole.

I had no idea what my itinerary but was pleasantly surprised to be escorted by our courteous and pleasant Mr Friday (each villa has one) to the Out of Blue restaurant for an out an out culinary experience with a view to die for. The bluest sea. a row of hammocks, a lounging area and the choicest of food to savour made by internationally trained chefs most of them under Michelin Star chefs!

Here we were met per chance by Sonu Shivdasani, Indian British hotelier, founder and CEO of Soneva Properties who smilingly gave us a list of all his favourites in the restaurant and we began to dig into the yumminess that magically appeared on the table, Did I forget to mention that Sonu seemed so humble and so friendly?

Sonu Shivdasani, founder Soneva Fushi with our group

Experiences? You will be spoilt for choice.

The ones that I will forever remember is the snorkleing session with two of our most affable marine biologist instructors Aayana and Mohan who made even the novice snorkelers jump into the ocean without a single strand of fear. The snorkel session just before our fantastic picnic at SONU'S PICNIC spot is a part of a private daytime experience in a private island.The experience allows us to taste sand barbecued food. that's right  fishes and vegetables cooking under the sand and served by the chef with a variety of delicious salad and breads. Its gourmet food under the bluest sky served piping hot! Is there anything to beat that?

The stunning view of Sonu's Picnic Spot where we lunched on the sand barbecued fish and vegetables

Ready for the speed boat after the special private picnic to take us back to the resort

If you think you can you can finish exploring 1.4 sq km of the isand then think again. There is a reason why bicycles have been parked in front of every villa. The island offers plenty to see and explore in Soneva Fushi that has all of 63 villas to enable you to enjoy it in privacy and luxury like no one else. From discovering the area where all the wastes turn into useful items to the glass blowing studio, or just enjoying the outdoor Cinema Paradiso experience to the renowned Six Senses Spa facilities to just lounging around admiring the natural beauty there is plenty to do here. Oh you could also breeze in and out of the chocolate bar, yes that's right, a chocolate bar with amazing number of chocolate yummies and then burn it out while doing the eco-friendly surfing, free diving or just request for the complimentary like kayaking, stand up paddleboarding.

One of our experiences was the dinner at the private sand bank owned by the resort. It's the whitest ever, very exclusive, luxurious and private. A speed boat whizzed us here! The sunset dinner organised for us consisted of barbecue done right there in the middle of the ocean with lights all over the island making it like a fairyland. Oh the chef whispered on his walkie talkie just as we were about to finish our  dinner and a speed boat brought us our desserts.  Super luxury experience I would say and that's what the resort excels in.

All set for sunset dining experience at the resort owned private sand bank

The island has Maldive's first vegan restaurant Shades of Green and we had a super experience eating a seven course dinner that consisted of morel mushrooms among others. Much of the vegetables that comes looking beautiful on your plate is grown on the island itself. We did explore the garden, in fact our first course, the starters were hidden in the rows of vegetables, we had to fish it out, how exciting. 

The saddest part of staying in a luxe resort and being treated like the royalty is when you have to say goodbye to the awesome experience. But amazingly even that experience is made to feel good as the entire staff stands on the pier to bid you a warm farewell until you reach the Soneva Sea plane waiting to fly you in utter luxury to the Male airport.