TURNING UP THE VOLUME ON ISLAND PARADISE
Fiji and Maldives add to the sizzle of luxury island living
The sound of palm trees dancing in the wind, the salty smell of the sea, and the calmness of waves lapping at the shore are only some elements of an island vacation that end up on the favourite list of travellers. Fortunately, many island hotels and resorts offer so much more.
The new Six Senses Fiji in Malolo Island boasts of crystal clear waters, a climate perfect for water sports, and a 650-metre long secluded beach. The island is quiet and peaceful with a third of it uninhabited. Six Senses Fiji is also a green establishment. It is 100 percent solar - powered and the first resort to have a microgrid of Tesla batteries. Aside from 26 spacious pool bures or villas with private plunge pools, the resort also houses 60 luxury residences ranging from a 3-bedroom to 5-bedroom unit. Of course, a Six Senses Spa is all about providing the perfect holistic treatments, and a gourmet market is in-house for the taste of discerning travellers. Ingredients are sourced from local farmers and fishermen. Guests can engage in surfing, snorkeling, and sea kayaking.
Just when we thought the Maldives couldn’t get any better as a luxury destination, Baglioni and Fushifaru Resort make a spectacular entrance. Baglioni Resort is the first Italian-owned luxury resort and hotel in
Maagau. Expect to see an unusual but magnificent fusion of timeless Italian design and the charm of the tropics. The Indian Ocean is the perfect stage for adrenaline junkies to participate in numerous water sports activities. Meanwhile, in the Lhaviyani Atoll, a cute island nestled between two channels that connect the atoll’s inner lagoon to the beautiful Indian Ocean, the marine life is definitely one for the books, making it a famed diving spot. One of the two channels is the Fushifaru Kan’du where the new Fushifaru Resort lies, a national Marine Protected Area home to three diving sites renowned all over the world: Fushifaru Thila, Giri, and Thila. Schools of cleaner fish, manta rays, turtles, the occasional sharks, and other beautiful underwater creatures can be seen here in abundance.