Soneva Fushi & Jani, The Maldives

Words: Sarah Morgan

To date, the magic of The Maldives has eluded me, despite the regular encounters I have with overenthusiastic ambassadors, who preach its virtues the world over. I have a rather misguided idea that, if I avoid these precious islands, I will protect them from the ravages of tourism. The very essence of The Maldives – their purity, rarity, fragility – is what’s kept me away. Until now. And it seems I, too, have now joined the ambassadorial chorus, having found the perfect islands to feed my appetite for high-end luxury and low-impact travel.

Let me introduce you to Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani, two distinctly different islands, created by husband-and-wife team Sonu and Eva Shivdasani. Soneva Fushi quickly established itself as a leader in desert island, barefoot luxury, with an eye on conservation.

They call it ‘intelligent luxury’, a way to rejuvenate their guests’ love of a SLOW LIFE (Sustainable, Local, Organic, Wellness, Learning, Inspiring, Fun, Experiences) whilst being diligent to mitigate tourism’s impact and make a positive contribution back to the planet. A heady promise – but having made a pitstop at the sister islands, I have now experienced this ethos, and can now preach to the congregation.

Clearly this intoxicating SLOW LIFE and intelligent luxury is connecting with discerning travellers, having met guests that were on their eighth or ninth trip to Soneva. It appears once you have visited these islands, you’ll always come back.