Olivia Palamountain leaves the UK (for business purposes) to explore the Sun Siyam portfolio of island resorts in the Maldives, and ends up taking an extended workation.
It’s March 2021 and I’m cruising over the Maldives in a sea plane. An incredible experience at the best of times, this journey is made even more extraordinary because we’re in the grip of the pandemic and travel from the UK is banned.
Considering the severity of the government’s stance on travel, I’m not quite sure how I managed to make it this far but I know that there was blood, sweat and tears involved – as well as my fair share of luck. Travel journalists don’t always feel like VIPs but with business travel one of few permissible reasons to leave the country, I guess you could say this was our chance to shine.
Due to the naturally distanced nature of these islands, the Maldivian government had – at that point – managed to contain the virus wherever it sprung up, ensuring that the destination remained open to the tourists allowed to visit.
For UK citizens intent on travelling when borders are expected to open on May 17, it was hoped that this agile response would guarantee the the Maldives retained its place on the “green list”.
The news will come as something of a double blow for a nation built on welcoming visitors to paradise and for whom the UK is a key market. Why? According to tourism minister Abdulla Mausoom, and as reported by CNBC, the Maldives was in the process of gearing up to offer visitors vaccinations on arrival.
But while the status of this destination may have changed in the eyes of UK law (for now), the beauty of the Maldives has not.
Like a series of atomic explosions, islands burst out of the deep blue like batik on indigo silk, surrounded by halos of dip-dye turquoise and ringed by coral reef.
Some appear uninhabited, others wear tails of wooden villas that snake into the sea – the telltale giveaway of a Maldivian resort.
For a girl that’s always maintained she wasn’t interested in visiting the Maldives (“too chi chi”…”too obvious”…”too many couples”), I’m pretty excited. I was only going to stay a few days, but when I found out that I would have to quarantine in a UK airport hotel as a consequence of having flown with Qatar Airways via Qatar (at that point on the “red list”), I decided to stay longer and work from afar, flying back direct with British Airways.
As remote as it is ravishing, the isolation of the Maldives only serves to enhance its allure – when local transport of choice is a seaplane you know you’re somewhere special. Undoubtedly the grooviest way to get around, these aircraft on skis buzz about the islands captained by the aviation equivalent of Jimi Hendrix, bare-footed pilots in Ray-Bans who know they’ve got the coolest job in the world.
At 52 acres, it’s the brand’s largest resort to-date (newcomer Sun Siyam World will dwarf this when it opens in the autumn) and is renowned for its family-friendly vibe, excellent facilities (including a PADI and DDI Diamond certified diving school) and great value all-inclusive dining.
The resort was built as a Hilton in 2008 and it appears that much of the infrastructure here hasn’t been updated since.
Parade up the majestic catwalk of over-water suites that trail into the sea on either tip of the island and you can’t fail to be impressed by the scale of the place but while the the proportions are generous, the décor and atmosphere are tired.
While spotlessly clean and tidy, these rooms need some TLC and a revamp in terms of texture, colour and print, something I’m told the powers that be are working on.
That said, they are solid and feel ultra private, despite the relative proximity to neighbours. Plus you’re slap bang in nature – rays glide by regularly and you’re welcome to join them via private ladder access into the ocean.
It’s lucky I like it here because after just three days on Iru Fushi, the headline hits that Qatar is being moved to the red list – in advance of my scheduled return – and my flight is via Doha. This means that if I stick to the status quo, I’ll be forced to hole up in a quarantine hotel on my return.
While a few options present themselves, I decide to extend my stay by 10 days and buy a direct BA flight to London Heathrow, arriving home at least 10 days after I last touched terra firma in Qatar (read more about how and why I plumped to strand myself in paradise here).
Crisis averted and I gain myself another 6 days to explore Iru Fushi. After a while, resort life can feel a bit samey, which is why Sun Siyam’s all-inclusive concept affords access to 15 different bars and restaurants. There’s something for everyone, from Indian to Italian, French and Middle Eastern, along with a groaning daily buffet and a cold drinks at every turn.
The barefoot chic restaurant serves up bright, fragrant cuisine – papaya salads, curries, pho, satay – all perfectly at home in this exotic climate, washed down by fruity cocktails, sake and beer.
I understand that there is insufficient local cultivation and agriculture to feed hordes of additional holiday-making mouths, so of course some produce must be imported. But in a destination built on its relationship with the sea, I’d rather this wasn’t fish. Management agrees with me, but how to update the menu without offending returning guests and less adventurous Western palates is, apparently, a perennial debate.
“Tourism is our golden egg-laying goose, but it also has very devastating impacts on coral reefs, both during the construction and operation phases of resorts,” Hashim says.
To offset at least some of the footprint associated with incessant imports, Sun Siyam has commandeered its own island – Farm Island (does exactly what it says on the tin) – to grow veggies and micro herbs exclusively for its resorts. A Farm Island-to-table tour and experience is also available to guests.
Operated under French beauty brand Thalgo (renowned for its marine-based skincare), this temple to mind and body gives little away at first glance, from its humble bungalow HQ.
But step over the threshold and you are at once transported to a Babylon-inspired sanctuary of tropical plants, navigated via a labyrinth of of smooth pebble pathways that snake over gurgling books to a series of private spa suites.
From a state of bliss, during 60-minutes of expert pummelling and deep tissue massage, I think I finally reach Nirvana. At around US$200 a pop, treatments aren’t cheap but this is the Maldives, and as massages go, it’s worth every penny.
Travellers wanting to island hop rather than corral at one resort are obliged to take a PCR test before each move. While it’s easy to feel frustrated at the seemingly unnecessary expense ($150), it’s these kinds of protocols that ensure that the various islands remain Covid-secure so I’m more than happy to play my part.
There’s masses to like about Iru Fushi, but as soon as I land at Iru Veli, the undisputed jewel in Sun Siyam’s crown and just a quick 30-minute sea plane transfer away, I’m in love.
Iru Fushi and Iru Veli might be part of the same Sun Siyam dynasty, but like a great-aunt and her Millennial niece, they don’t have much in common. Where Fushi is staid and traditional, with a sense of gravitas that appeals to mature travellers, Veli is playful, bright and conducive to Insta-likes.
The clientele reflect the vibe – gone are the multi-generational families as seen at Iru Fushi, replaced by loved up couples frolicking with selfie sticks by the shimmering adults-only pool.
Pool parties kick off to the tune of live DJs every Thursday (go for the music and stay for the shisha – every room receives a complimentary pipe per day) and there’s live music most evenings too.
The new industry has significantly lifted the Maldivian economy in what the World Bank calls a “development success story” but as the lowest elevation country in the world and with a fragile marine ecosystem, the Maldives is one of the countries most at risk due to climate change and rising sea levels.
The coral reefs that comprise the Maldives have been damaged by rising sea temperatures, ocean acidification, pollution and overexploitation.
A recent paper by Marine Conservation scientist Jean-Luc Solandt showed recent resilience and recovery from a mass coral bleaching in 2016, so there is hope, but it remains to be seen if a growing tourism industry can put conservation before short-term profits.
The struggle between positive evolution for luxury resorts and the old school, grossly indulgent attitude of “more is more” is a conflict felt acutely here in the Maldives. It’s something I feel Sun Siyam could do more to combat and I can’t help but feel that instilling a greater sense of place and localisation throughout the resorts should be a priority.
Hungry? Iru Veli has glimmers of excellent dining, especially at the buffet where rotating live stations compliment a spread of international and local dishes. The Indian vegetarian options are a highlight, as good as any high-end London restaurant and, best of all, curries are available at breakfast too.
It’s easier than I expected to travel as a single female here, and thanks to the sunny efforts of the resorts teams, I couldn’t feel more at home. If you could bottle Maldivian charm, you’d make a killing.
Despite my reservations, as the days melt into one another, I fall further under the spell of the islands. What was supposed to be a six-day jaunt has turned into more than two weeks soaking up the Sun Siyam vibe – and, especially at a time when the rest of the UK battles on at home, what a privilege that is.
While Brits might not be able to recreate this Maldives trip right now, good things come to those who wait, as they say. And when it’s our time to travel here again, experiencing this phenomenal part of the world will taste all the sweeter.