Maldives
Welcome to the Maldives, where pure R&R is the main focus of each and every island. The Maldives is a tropical country located in the Indian Ocean just south of India and Sri Lanka. It is composed of 26 atolls (ring-shaped reef or island), which include over 1,000 islands. These atolls are surrounded by coral reefs and deep blue lagoons. You will find some of the most luxurious over-water bungalows, as well as world-class diving and snorkeling here. Be prepared for complete serenity. We promise the long haul is worth it! Experience a luxury Maldives honeymoon of lifetime in the crystal blue atolls.
It was tough to decide whether or not to spend our two week honeymoon in South Africa or Maldives. So…we decided to do both! At first, all of the travel seemed a bit overwhelming. 24 hours of travel to get to Kruger National Park, 12+ hours to get to Laamu Atoll in Maldives, then 40 hours to get back to the US. It just seemed like a lot of effort and time wasted. Boy, were we wrong! The multiple flights and boat rides were worth every bit of it. It was the most epic, luxury Maldives honeymoon we could have ever imagined!
The Resort
Maldives was an absolute dream from the moment we arrived. After researching tons of resorts and reading the reviews of the Six Senses Laamu, it was a no brainer. The resort was somewhat difficult to get to as the Laamu Atoll is located in the southern part of the Maldives. From Malé international airport (MLE), we took a quick 35 min flight to Laamu Kadhdhoo Airport. From Kadhdhoo, we were greeted by a butler who then brings you and your luggage to a speedboat. The boat ride is about 15-20 minutes to the resort. Let me tell you about this boat ride! We were greeted with a “no shoes, no problem” as we entered the boat. Everyone was handed a fresh glass of lemonade for the trip and a bag to put your shoes in for the rest of your stay. Being boaters from Florida, we appreciated the small gestures.
We arrived late at night and it was pitch black outside so it was a little frightening flying through the Indian Ocean in complete darkness. We prayed that the captain and his GPS were more comfortable with the waters than we were.. That being said, the boat ride was refreshing and made us feel instantly on vacation. Pulling up to the resort was magical. The glass-framed outdoor resort lit up in the darkness. It is hard to describe, but we felt like we were in a movie. If you have ever watched Couple’s Retreat, that was exactly how we felt on arrival.
Guest Experience Manager
We were immediately greeted by the resort manager and he introduced the guests to their own personal GEM (“Guest Experience Maker”). Our GEM, Shifu, was available to us 24/7 and assisted us with booking experiences, spa appointments, and dining reservations. She was there to help us with anything we could possibly need. Kudos to Shifu for helping make our stay more comfortable and exciting!
We were already in heaven and the best was yet to come. Shifu then escorted us to our transportation for the rest of the week.. bicycles! Everyone gets their own cruiser to get around the resort and island. It was such a nice surprise. Even the pedals had cushioning so you could still ride while barefoot. Our shoes didn’t go back on until we got to the airport at the end of the trip!
We took our new bicycles and rode them to the end of our jetty. Our bungalow was at the very end with open water views. The reef could be accessed directly from our villa. Schools of fish, reef sharks, and spotted eagle rays surrounded us. Whenever we saw marine life, we would grab our snorkel and Go Pro and jump in to watch.
The Overwater Villas
The bungalow was everything we had hoped for and more. It had the luxurious island vibes we had hoped for and more. A glass bottom tub, a huge private plunge pool, lounging bed and chairs, glass bottom table and bathroom, as well as an observation deck at the top. Our favorite spot was the outdoor shower. There’s something so peaceful about showering while listening to waves crashing below you. The villa even had a sound system throughout that connected to their ipod or a phone.
When booking a room, we suggest the Laamu water villa (with pool) facing the sunset on Jetty A. It had amazing open water views on the end of the Jetty, which allowed for more privacy and excellent access to the reef. We were able to swim out about 10 feet for great snorkeling. The sunset side (unlike the villa opposite us) faces the open water instead of other villas. Our villa and the last villa on Jetty C facing sunrise side were the most private rooms available. All are great, but Jetty C has more ocean waves, where as Jetty A has the calmer reef access.
The Food
Majority of our time was spent on our pool deck enjoying cocktails and fresh food or snorkeling around our villa. We enjoyed almost every breakfast and lunch delivered by room service so we could take advantage of our incredible views. There was no reason to eat at the restaurants, when the best view was the one from our room. One day we splurged and ordered fresh coconuts to sip on. It was the ultimate island paradise.
In the evenings, we would watch the sunset from our room and then head to the main resort area for dinner. The restaurant choices were all excellent and had many options to chose from. Everything is pricey, so expect to spend about $100 on dinner and drinks for two and $30-50 for lunch. Obviously, the prices vary when you add alcoholic beverages.
- Zen – Japanese fusion – Dinner
- Try the sushi boats w/sake bombs
- Chill Bar – A little bit of everything menu & cocktails – Lunch, Snacks, Late Night menu
- Try the We’re Not In Floridita Anymore cocktail (couldn’t resist the Florida reference!)
- Stone-baked pizzas..you can’t go wrong
- Leaf – Dinner – Organic, fresh ingredients
- Longitude – International/Asian cuisine – Breakfast Buffet, Dinner
- Sip Sip – Swim-up pool bar & restaurant – Lunch, Snacks
- Ice and Chocolate Studio – Over 40 flavors of homemade ice cream
Zen Restaurant
Our favorite restaurant was Zen. The food was amazing and we loved our server. He made sure we got our sake bombs every time! After dinner, and multiple times throughout the day, we headed down to the ice cream parlor for our free scoops. Unlimited ice cream was hands down our favorite feature of the resort.
The other restaurants had excellent cuisine options as well. On top of the a la carte dining, the resort held daily buffet dinners that had some type of theme. One night it was a beach BBQ and another was an Asian fusion style. These cost $100+ per person, not including alcoholic beverages. Our last night, we treated ourselves to the Asian street market buffet. We went with a few fun couples that we had met during our stay. The food was unreal. Hundreds of Asian cuisine options, ranging from Indian to Chinese. We didn’t know what most of the dishes were, but we loved all of them!
Longitude Restaurant
Now don’t get us started on the breakfast.. as if breakfast outside on our pool deck wasn’t enough. On the day of our dives we grabbed what we thought would be a small bite at the Longitude buffet. Boy, were we in for a treat! The spread was unlike any we had seen before. All fresh, gourmet dishes from their local Maldivian cuisine to American style eggs benedict, they had it all. They even had about 20 different honey and jam flavors, as well as freshly squeezed juices for the mimosa bar. The best part was the wine cellar filled with charcuterie meats and cheeses. It was difficult to make only one plate!
The Facilities
Aside from the gourmet restaurants, the resort has plenty to offer. The Six Senses offers an extensive list of scheduled excursions, some of the best diving in the world, and a spa that will make you never want to leave. We indulged in the diving, aerial yoga, and the 90 minute couple’s massage. Gregg’s first aerial yoga class was a blast and somewhat comical to watch! The class was simultaneously relaxing, yet challenging. The yoga “studio” was basically just an open room overlooking the lagoon. I’d take this view over a mirror wall any day! The class was early in the morning, so the weather was perfect and still got a nice morning sweat in!
The Spa
The spa was unlike any we had ever been to. Each room was a small nest-like structure that was open to the lagoon. Between the ocean breeze, the views, and the birds singing from the surrounding trees, we were in complete serenity. Not to mention, the 90 minutes of ultimate relaxation that was in store for us. They welcomed us with robes that we changed into in their outdoor locker rooms. Then we were shown to our private pavilion. The therapists were professional and soothing through out the treatment. It was by far the best massage we have received.
Juice Bar
Afterwards, we were shown to the juice and smoothie bar that overlooks the lagoon as well. We ordered freshly squeezed juices. A nice refreshing beverage while enjoying the view was the cherry on top of a great day. It was the right amount of rejuvenation that we needed after all the wedding stress.
(Photos above are from the Six Senses spa webpage)
The Activities
Our favorite activity by far was the diving. Being our third open water dive, we were a little nervous about what to expect. The Deep Blue Divers staff were extremely knowledgeable and professional. They made us feel safe and didn’t push us beyond our limits. We were probably the least experienced divers on the boat, but we were still able to go out in the channels.
The Diving
The first day they required an orientation dive to see how comfortable we were in the water. They took us on a 5 minute boat ride to one of the inner reefs close to the resort. We dove twice around the reef to about 60 feet. The marine life was incredible. We couldn’t wait to get to the channel and outer reefs! The next day we suited up and went out with the big boys to the channel. An hour boat ride takes you to this diving oasis. The channel was unlike anything we could have imagined. There were so many fish, you could hardly decide where to look. Fish of all shapes and sizes surrounded us. Tons of reef sharks were on the deeper outskirts of the channel, where as the smaller fish were closer to the reef.
On our second dive of the day we headed to one of the outer reefs. This site was not very deep, but there were plenty of reef sharks and smaller pelagic species. Beautiful, brightly colored fish surrounded us once again. Our favorite part of the dive was when this school of fish circled our group of divers. They surrounded us for a good couple minutes. It was a sight to see!
Our biggest regret of the trip was not diving more. We only went two out of the five days. We learned about the importance of scheduling dives appropriately around your flight schedule. You must allow 18-24 hours before flying, so you should plan non-diving events for your last day. This would be the best advice we could give for new divers. Also, experienced divers must visit manta point if the weather permits! Friends of ours saw a whale shark there in February.. it’s a must do.
The Service
Aside from the exceptional views, amazing bungalows, savory meals, and endless activities, the best part of the Six Senses Laamu was the service. We received five-star service through out our entire stay. We cannot speak highly enough of the staff and facilities. Everything was top notch and the way the guests are treated is unlike anywhere we have traveled.
Each day, we came home to little special gestures for our honeymoon. It was always a nice surprise. The Six Senses staff make sure that your happiness and tranquility is up to par. They do not slack on anything as they are there to please. Above all, everyone was so genuine, friendly and helpful. We got the impression that the staff were grateful to work on this magnificent island and truly enjoyed their job. The dive guides and marine biologists raved about staying in the Maldives, as well as the rest of the staff. We never felt bothersome to anyone. We were treated like royalty from the moment we landed. And most importantly, we always received smiles and felt welcome. You will no doubt experience a luxury Maldives honeymoon at the Six Senses Laamu.
We could go on and on about this resort, but we’d prefer for you to experience it yourself! It was hands down the best service we’ve received from any resort. It truly is a one of a kind experience.
Thank you to the Six Senses staff and Shifu for making our luxury Maldives honeymoon stay such a unique and pleasurable experience!
