50 years of Maldives magic
Sarah Marshall visits a true original in the Indian Ocean
Among the nearly 200 picture-perfect resorts in the Maldives, Baros is the stuff of legend. It welcomed its first guests in December 1973 and was just the third hotel to open (after Kurumba and Bandos) as the island nation took the first steps to becoming one of the world’s most desirable destinations. Before then, this chain of 1,192 low-lying tropical islands sprinkled across the Indian Ocean barely registered a flicker on the international stage. Most were uninhabited, with the rest home to small villages. So cut off, in fact, the only means to contact the rest of the world was to send a Morse code message to the embassy in Sri Lanka.
Word slowly started to spread of a paradise of epic proportions but the Maldives, back then at least, was not the luxury haven it is today. The first people to appreciate the beauty of Baros were an intrepid bunch of divers who had to jump into the water from boats and wade ashore.
But these people weren’t the first to spend time on the island; in the late 18th century it was presented by Sultan Hassan Nooraddeen as a gift to the indigenous Giraavaru people who swiftly used it as a place to harvest coconuts. The Robinson Crusoe experience remains at Baros, to a degree at least. Located in the North Male Atoll, it is an easy 25-minute speedboat journey from the airport and capital, Male.
The heart of the island is Sails, the breezy bar designed to replicate a traditional Maldivian house with a central living area surrounded by verandas all around. Think tall bar stools, swinging day beds, cosy corners, canvas sails on the ceiling and live music most evenings. The bar itself overlooks a coconut grove filled with dozens of shady palms . A few steps away is the beach, with sand as soft as silk.
Some properties have introduced underwater villas and spas the size of villages. Kagi Resort (kagimaldives.com), for example, pushes the boundaries. The chic and laid-back 50-room resort has just unveiled the first pickleball court in the Maldives, hoping to attract the growing number of people taking up the sport. Despite being unrivalled when it comes to history and heritage, Baros does not rely on its pedigree. Small enough to walk around in less time than it takes to drink a glass of champagne, the island is car-free and quiet and takes a refreshingly old-school approach to what a holiday should be.
The 75 villas – a mix of overwater and beachfront – are kitted out with private pools and custommade furniture crafted from locally sourced tropical timber. In the spa, Balinese therapists soothe away worries and knotted muscles, French and local chefs serve up fine-dining dishes at The Lighthouse restaurant, while nurse sharks patrol the waters beneath. The Maldives is all about the sea and Baros is blessed with one of the best reefs to be found. Resident dive guide Maria had a successful career in IT in a previous life, but ditched Microsoft and her native Czech Republic for an altogether different path. “I came on holiday and have been here ever since,” she smiles. “The marine life is like nowhere else.” She has a point. Divers, snorkellers and ‘pierpointers’ are in for a treat. Curious but harmless black-tip reef sharks are easily spotted from the shore, as are rays and the resident turtles. Further afield these waters are home to playful spinner dolphins, whale sharks and giant manta rays that glide along like something out of a sci-fi film.
Whether at sea or on land, Baros is special for visitors and locals alike. Ibrahim Afzal – or Appu as everyone knows him – is the island’s longest-serving employee, having joined at the age of 16. Now, some 36 years later, he has worked his way up the ranks and holds the senior position of laundry manager within the housekeeping department. “Baros was very different back then. Our facilities were much more simple,” he laughs. “I remember one evening a guest turned up at the bar in the middle of the night because his bed had collapsed.”
It’s safe to say there’s no chance of that happening today.
HOW TO PLAN YOUR TRIP Baros.com offers double rooms from £509 per night. Virginatlantic. com flys from Heathrow to Male from £802 return.