Baros Maldives
The sparkling azure atolls of the Maldives are the touchstone of luxury romance for starryeyed lovers and honeymooners—but that is not all they are. These secluded islands are also a perfect spot for solo travelers to pause, explore, and recuperate.
The sparkling azure atolls of the Maldives are the touchstone of luxury romance for starry-eyed lovers and honeymooners— but that is not all they are. These secluded islands are also a perfect spot for solo travelers to pause, explore, and recuperate.
AAs a solo traveler, I know the many benefits of taking some time away to disconnect and take care of yourself. However, when I do get a chance to head somewhere new, I find myself gravitating towards city breaks, with long lists of places to go, things to do, and distractions to get lost in. So, when the opportunity arose to experience the Maldives, my expectations were mixed. I thought these paradise islands were deep into couple territory, solely designed for lovers looking for romance, not single sightseers looking for alone time? I was wrong.
The Maldives are a collection of 1,192 coral islands scattered across 26 natural coral atolls. They officially cover 90,000 square km, with the sea accounting for 99% of this area. Less than 200 of the islands are inhabited, and more than 100 of these have been turned into resorts for tourism. Each resort is rich with flourishing palm trees and encircled by clear lagoons, and most have a jetty of water villas protruding from the beach. From the air, these lush islands look like green and turquoise paint droplets randomly splashed across the otherwise deep blue Indian Ocean. But while at first glance they may appear very similar, every resort has its own personality.
Personally, I was looking for somewhere luxurious but unpretentious to disappear for a while. So, I headed to Baros, where the vibe is very much about understated tranquillity. The island is one of the smallest and oldest resorts in the Maldives. Just 384m x 303m in size, it was the third Maldivian island to open to tourists in the 1970s. Of course, it has had a couple of major renovations since then to modernize and expand, but the setting still feels very simple and serene. Just what I was looking for.
First impressions: When I arrive by speedboat from Malé, it is very early morning, and the only people I see are the team that greets me warmly and shows me to the welcome pavilion before taking me to my villa. It's my first time staying on a desert island, and coming from a bustling city, the abundant natural greenery and ocean air are immediately refreshing. I also appreciate the calmness. Baros is intentionally subtle in its style. There are no gimmicks here; the hospitality genuinely feels sincere.
The environment provides peace and seclusion, while the Baros team quietly looks after everything else in the background. This is aided by the villa hosts, who are on hand to assist you, cater to any requirements, and generally help in any way they can. I value this particularly highly as a solo traveler. I feel very safe knowing that there's a friendly expert just a message away if I need them. All the staff are very welcoming. They all live on the island, and as a guest you very much feel that you are amongst a community.
Accommodation: At the center of Baros is vibrant tropical vegetation made up of towering palm trees, wild bushes, and indigenous flowers that envelop you as you walk along the main inner pathway circling the island. Walking is the only way to get around, but it is possible to stroll across the whole place in about 10mins. The beach villas are set around the edge of the island, almost hidden amidst the greenery, while the water villas stretch out into the lagoon. I'm lucky enough to experience both during my stay. This is apparently not uncommon, with many guests choosing to spend time in each.
The Baros Suite beach villas consist of a large bedroom with a king-size bed, a separate living room, a bathroom stocked with L'Occitane products, an outdoor terrace and shower, and a private pool with built-in jacuzzi and beach access—the suite I stay in is bigger than my apartment at home. With wooden features and light-colored décor that blends in with the natural surroundings, it feels both comfortable and elegant. However, I spend most of my time outside. The pool is big enough to swim or just float around, and a sheltered swing seat is the perfect place to curl up with a book. There are also sun-loungers nestled amongst the bushes marking out a pathway to the beach and the lagoon, with easy access to the house reef for snorkellers. Even outside of the water, nature features heavily when you're lounging around a tropical island. Huge fruit bats soar among the trees overhead, while smaller birds confidentially scuttle across the terrace for a dip in the pool, and bees hover
in and out of the bushes. While you are not overlooked, you do have neighbors, and the beach is accessible to all villa residents. However, it is very easy to stay concealed if you don't want to bump into anybody.
The water villas offer a different style of solitude. These structures have become iconic and well-recognized as epitomizing the Maldives. Whereas the beach villas cocoon you in green, the water villas maroon you in sapphire— looking out to the ocean from the deck of my over-water hideaway, I counted six different shades of blue. The villa itself is modestly sized but well fitted-out, with a kingsize bed, pop-up TV, sofa, private pool and terrace, and a bathroom looking out onto the pool and stocked with Aqua Di Palma products. Outside there are also steps leading directly into the ocean. The lagoon around the water villas is not a premium spot for snorkeling, with most of the underwater action happening around the reef that circles the island; however, it is safe to swim, and you do still get some curious visitors. While lounging on the daybed, I spotted a couple of blacktip reef sharks exploring the area, and on one occasion a huge reef manta ray nonchalantly glided by. Again, you do have neighbors, and everyone can access the sea, but aside from the odd person swimming past, you can enjoy your privacy.
One thing to note is that the water villas are, of course, completely open to the elements, and therefore bad weather would likely keep you indoors. The one bout of heavy rainfall and wind during my trip came when I was staying at the beach villa, which was sheltered enough that I was able to sit on the swing seat outside and safely enjoy the storm.
Activities: Whereas every island in the Maldives technically has an underlying coral reef, not all of them have one that can be easily and safely accessed from the beach within swimming distance—those that do are said to have a house reef. Baros has a 300m-long house reef. This is partially marked out by a man-made wavebreaking wall that protects the beach from potentially damaging surfs as they hit the reef drop-off. The wall is dotted with gaps so that swimmers can access the reef and the wider ocean.
Snorkeling equipment can be picked up from the dive center, and on my first adventure I'm shown the ropes by an instructor. We access the lagoon from a stretch of beach near the bar and swim through the wall, which we then follow around the length of the island up to the water villas. It takes about an hour, and along the way we see a myriad of marine life—the reef is thriving. Blacktip reef sharks are a common sight, and while I admit that the first time I spotted something shark-shaped my heart skipped, it quickly became apparent that they care very little about the humans floating around their territory—and they are hypnotizing to watch. I also saw Pana the turtle—a regular Baros resident— munching on the coral, and I spotted a baby nursing shark hiding in the sand.
Although not (yet) PADI-certified, I was also able to book an assisted scuba-dive as part of the dive center's Discover Scuba-Diving package. While as a novice you cannot dive further than 12ft, this is far enough to explore the reef dropoff and get up close to the marine life. For expert divers, excursions can be tailored, with ship-wrecks and deeper water voyages available.
On top of the water, Baros offers a variety of water sports, as well as cruises for fishing, dolphinspotting, or sunset watching. These are understandably weather dependant and cannot go ahead in windy conditions, which you can expect sporadically between May and October. As I'm there in August, conditions are warm but temperamental, often changing between bright sunshine and moody clouds.
If land-based exercise is your thing, there is a fully-equipped gym, and I even spotted some guests jogging around the island while I sat at Sails Bar enjoying a drink. For morning people, there is daily 7 am yoga on the deck of the Lighthouse Restaurant with a qualified instructor able to tailor the movements to suit beginners or experts.
And let's not forget that relaxing is an activity. Arguably the main one on this type of holiday. The Spa is the perfect place to unwind and let someone else soothe your troubles away. I had a signature massage, which was an hour of total peace. After filling out a form for the therapist about what areas to focus on and my preferred pressure, I simply lay down and drifted off.
Dining: Despite its small size, Baros houses three restaurants located on the edge of the lagoon. They each offer a choice of over-water seating for alfresco dining, and they each have their own unique style. The friendly chefs and waiters remember you by name and are on hand to offer recommendations or tell you more about any of the dishes according to your preferences. As a pescatarian I was in my element—Maldivian cuisine unsurprisingly features a lot of fresh fish and Asian-style dishes. Although I didn't try them, there were also plenty of meat options and vegetation selections.
The Lime restaurant hosts a vast breakfast every morning, as well as lunch and dinner, and is home to the resort's infinity pool, which is open to all guests. This also attracts other visitors—while enjoying my coffee, I watched as herons drifted in to walk along the water's edge, have a wash, and contemplate their own breakfasts. One morning I treated myself to a floating breakfast, whereby your pre-ordered meal is delivered to your villa at a specified time and served to you in the pool in a floating basket. It's wildly impractical, but the food is lovely, and it makes for great photos.
I had most of my meals at Cayenne, often eating myself into a food coma as I worked my way through a menu full of seafood, sauces, and side dishes. One afternoon I was able to have a teppanyaki lunch freshly cooked for me by a charismatic private chef, who literally juggled with his knives while preparing my feast as I sat at the restaurant's live cooking station. Another night the restaurant laid out a Maldivian buffet for guests, with an immense selection of sushi, curries, and salads. The sashimi was so fresh it was cut straight from a whole tuna laid out on ice. While sitting on one of the tables on the wooden deck at night, there is the added bonus of being able to watch a throng of reef sharks darting around the restaurant, attracted by the lights.
The Lighthouse Restaurant is the island's signature fine-dining experience. Sitting out on a jetty, the building itself is a memorable feature of Baros Island, with a distinctive cone-like sail roof, a circular structure with outdoor seating, and a lounge on the upper deck with live music. The menu is extensive. I ordered the lobster bisque—one of the restaurant's most famous dishes. Minutes after ordering, a chef wheeled over a mobile cooking station and began preparing the bisque with fresh ingredients at my table. Entertaining and delicious.
Final thoughts: If you're traveling alone and looking for something a bit special, don't be put off by the Maldives' romantic reputation. Pick the right island, and you will find a peaceful getaway, an opportunity to unplug, and a fascinating environment to explore. If you get the chance to treat yourself, take it.