Travel Blogs: No Shoes. No News. Pure, Private, Beach Relaxation.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

No Shoes. No News. Pure, Private, Beach Relaxation.

No Shoes. No News. Pure, Private, Beach Relaxation.
Relax, truly, at the Maldives' Soneva Gili

There are only two rules at the Soneva Gili resort in the Maldives and, trust us, after a few minutes here you won’t mind following either: 1) No shoes allowed and 2) No news of the outside world.

This resort that occupies an island in the Maldives archipelago, in the Indian Ocean, is a place to escape, unwind and relax. And what a place it is! Peaceful, quiet and stunningly beautiful. There’s scuba diving and snorkeling, yoga and tai chi classes, and massage stations on the beach. Not to mention some of the world’s more scenically placed bathtubs (see the second pic, below).

The accommodations at the Soneva Gili consist of 45 villas divided among three “jettys.” Each villa is HUGE and includes a private deck. Your private deck is where you’ll find the above-mentioned scenically placed bathtub. Each villa also comes with a refrigerated wine bar, an espresso machine, an air-conditioned parlor and a TV/DVD player (guests can borrow DVDs from the Soneva Gili’s collection free of charge). And, of course, since every villa is perched on stilts above calm, crystal clear waters you are never more than a few steps away from a refreshing swim.

The upshot of all that is: At the Soneva Gili you can happily enjoy your privacy cloistered in your own beautiful villa. Or, when/if you are feeling social, there’s a delightful restaurant, swimming pool and bar where you can mingle with other guests. This makes the Soneva Gili a splendid choice for a honeymoon or romantic getaway.

The Soneva Gili is only a 20 minute boat ride from the Male airport and so doesn’t require the extra (and usually expensive) flight many of the other high-end Maldives resorts do. If you stay here, we suggest getting a meal plan—it is cheaper than eating a la carte. (The food, not incidentally, is really good here). The villas around Jetty 3 are the best value.

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