Where to stay in the Maldives Fushifaru Maldives
One thing I always do when I see a hotel I like on Instagram is to save it to a location folder. I have a list of countries on my travel bucket list and have folders dedicated to them. As soon as I saw a reel from Fushifaru, I saved it to my “Maldives” folder. This meant that when I was researching where to stay in the Maldives, Fushifaru Maldives was top of that list.
I had saved a few more resorts and then did my usual background checks. Budget, family friendliness and aesthetics played major roles on narrowing down my choice.
About Fushifaru Maldives
Fushifaru is a 5 star boutique resort that is located in the Llaviyani Atoll. It opened in 2017 so it is actually a relatively new resort and is locally owned. The fact that it is one of the few resorts in the Maldives owned by a local company makes it special. Since it is a local brand, it is authentic and you can see how Maldivian culture has shaped the resort.
Fushifaru has 63 beach and over water villas that are a mix of Maldivian design and modern aesthetics. The villas are luxurious and cosy as well which makes for the perfect Maldivian stay. Llaviyani Atoll is known for its marine life especially turtles and sharks which makes Fushifaru perfect. It really is a slice of paradise especially for those into water activities like snorkeling and diving.
Getting to Fushifaru Maldives
Getting to any of the luxury resorts in the Maldives is actually a full on process.
We flew from Doha, via Qatar Airways to Male Airport.
Once we landed and collected our luggage, Shihab who is the Fushifaru representative met us at the airport. He took us to the seaplane counter for Trans Maldivian Airways to check in. At this point, our luggage was weighed; including hand luggage. Anything above the recommended amount of kilos, we had to pay excess baggage fees. However the payment is not made here; we were given a token and asked to pay at the Seaplane airport.
We boarded a Trans Maldivian Airways bus to the seaplane airport, which was about 10 mins away. Once we got there, we paid the excess baggage fee and then were issued our Boarding passes for the Seaplane. I assume if we did not have the excess, we would have been issued our boarding pass at Male airport.
The next stage was to wait in the lounge area. I noticed that some resorts had their own private lounges; ours was Coral Lounge. After about 15 minutes of “lounging”, it was time to board our seaplane. To me, this was the beginning of our Maldives experience.
Our seaplane had the capacity for 15 passengers and their luggage; all tightly seated. We boarded the tiny seaplane and our barefeet pilot announced it was time to fly. Fushifaru is about 35 mins from the airport so it’s one of the closer resorts. Flying in the seaplane is an epic experience to do in the Maldives. It is not as scary as I thought and any fear calmed once I saw the incredible views.
Our Arrival to Fushifaru Maldives
We landed to the most beautiful welcome from the Staff. Traditional drums beat as we got off the seaplane and walked into the resort. A traditional Maldivian horn was being blown in the distance as we found our way to the reception. We were warmly greeted with smiles and a drink as we waited to be checked in.
Every guest is assigned a host who is your go-to for everything you might need throughout your stay. Our hostess, Diksha introduced herself and explained our room categories to us. The whole experience felt so surreal to us and it was the perfect Maldivian welcome.
Rooms at Fushifaru Maldives
Once check in was complete, it was time to show us our rooms. I had seen a few snaps of our room categories on the Fushifaru website but nothing prepared me for the reality.
We stayed in 2 of their beautiful overwater villas and I still cannot get over how beautiful these were. Our first few days were in the Overwater Jacuzzi Villa (room 310); and our last 3 days were in the Premium Pool Overwater Villa (room 504)
When considering where to stay in the Maldives, Fushifaru Maldives was top of our list due to the room categories.
The overwater villas are at the far end of the resort, which makes them more exclusive. The walk from reception to these villas is scenic as well. You walk past the kids club and outdoor playground. Then, the beach villas and of course Korakali, the restaurant.
Fushifaru had its own local toiletries, which smelled like spa products. In both over water villas, the bathrooms had a 3-post formation. There was a shower room, toilet room and big space that had the piece de la resistance – the standalone bath. It formed the main point of the bathroom and looked out to the patio.
Overwater Jacuzzi Villa
This was the first villa we stayed in and it was actually epic. I think I gasped once we walked in and saw that it opened to a patio that led to the open sea. We were on the sunrise side, which was exciting. It meant that I could wake up early one morning to watch the sunrise from bed or the patio. Adanna loved the Jacuzzi so much and spent a lot of our afternoons in there just living her best life.
Premium Pool Overwater Villa
It is very similar to the Over Water Jacuzzi Villa in terms of how it is laid out. The main difference is what the patio looks like. Once you walk through the doors to the patio, there is the infinity-like pool that seems to sit over the sea. The pool is very cute and Mr E and I spent most of our afternoons in it while Adanna had her nap. Next to the pool is a sun net which is perfect for a chill. The premium pool water villa is one of Fushifaru’s best rooms and we felt very lucky to have stayed there.
The Beach Villas
I actually think these are the most appropriate for toddlers and young kids. Parents who might feel anxious about having a pool so close to their rooms will enjoy the beach villas. They come in 2 categories: with pool and without pool. There is also the option of picking a sunrise or sunset side.
Another advantage of these beach villas is that they are the cheapest option at Fushifaru. I use the word “cheap” very lightly because we all know that the Maldives is not a cheap destination. However, I think if you’d like to experience Fushifaru without the hefty price tag, a beach villa is a good option.
Are the rooms in Fushifaru Maldives kids friendly?
All the rooms in Fushifaru can accommodate children. The resort prides itself on being one of the best family friendly resorts in the Maldives. If required, cots and extra beds can be added to the room.
Fushifaru has different room categories to cater to everyone’s needs. There are beach sunrise villas and beach sunset villas; with pool and without pool. I loved that they had beach villas without pools for families who were not comfortable with the kids being in close proximity to a pool.
The Infinity Pool at Fushifaru Maldives
I have knowingly given the pool its own segment because it was a full vibe on its own. The pool area is to the front of Fushifaru and it was where everyone gathered during the day. There was bar and entertainment area, which led to the most beautiful pool ever. It overlooks the ocean, which makes for the illusion of an infinity pool.
I also loved how pretty the whole area is. The pool is open from 9am daily and the pool bar has every drink one may want. There are sunbeds and parasols to shield you from the sun and the whole area is very pretty.
The Spa at Fushifaru Maldives - Heylhi Spa
Fushifaru’s spa is an award-winning spa and is quite popular for the treatments being offered. I really wanted to book a treatment but I’m not sure why this ended up not happening. I think I finally remembered the day before we were due to leave and it was just too late. However, it is yet another pretty part of the resort and smells so calming.
The spa is located in the prettiest natural jungle. Some of the treatments are holistic and the therapists use local coconut in their treatments.
Dining in Fushifaru Maldives
We had the Full Board menu option in Fushifaru and it was perfect for us. We tend to go half board when we visit resorts because we’re mostly out exploring during the day. However, in the Maldives, staying in a resort means there is nowhere to eat except within your resort. Also, as Adanna is now eating more, lunch is an important option.
Fushifaru has breakfast only, half board, full board and all-inclusive options. The all-inclusive option includes alcoholic drinks. As all alcohol is imported to the resorts, the tax on alcohol is very high so drinks are expensive. Mr E had the odd beer or red wine at dinner and beer was about $8-10 and then add tax. So if you are going to be drinking a lot, the all-inclusive option might be a better deal.
Korakali Restaurant
This was the general walk-in buffet style restaurant, which served breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. I loved that there was a theme each night; Indian, Maldivian and Italian nights were my favourites. There was also a grill section – you basically pick meat or seafood and it is grilled on the spot. Breakfast consisted of the usual English and continental offerings; however on the side, there were Maldivian and Indian breakfast choices.
Raakani Restaurant
Raakani Restaurant is the hot pot restaurant, which was fine dining.
We visited for the Teppanyaki Menu, which we had booked through our hostess. Although it is Japanese and I really am not a fan of sushi, Mr E is. We had the most delicious meal that consisted of Miso soup, sushi and sashimi; Norwegian Salmon and Australian rib-eye steak served with Teppanyaki fried rice. Dessert was Teppanyaki pineapple ice cream.
Kids Menu at Fushifaru
Korakali had a kids’ menu, which was offered to us each time we visited. It had the usual stuff kids would usually enjoy – fries, nuggets, pasta bolognese etc.
Your host/hostess sends a weekly itinerary, which usually includes a number of fun things for kids as well. There were daily activities for kids and since we were there over Easter, they had an Easter egg trail.
The kids club – Kokko Club
It is the perfect place for kids to have all the fun. Kokko club is open daily from 9am and for kids between 4-11 for painting classes, Disney movies etc. There are also cultural experiences on offer such as Maldivian board game of Ohvalhu Gondi. Adanna was more interested in the slide and swing; she made sure we spent time there most evenings.
There is a tennis court and football field for older kids. What I liked about the kids area is that there was something for kids of any age to enjoy. Babysitting services are also available for parents who might need the service.
Adventures in Fushifaru Maldives
The Maldives is one of those places where people think that there is not much to do. So imagine my surprise when we got there and our hostess, Diksha messaged us a list of things to do each day of the week. Fushifaru is well positioned that it makes for so many cool adventures; which can all be organised by the team.
Once we were settled, we made sure to book all the things we were interested in.
Of course, there are so many water activities and the cool thing is that there is an office that organises all this. Best Dives Maldives actually has an office on site so every water experience you can think of can be booked. From Catamaran cruises to Fishing trips to Kitesurfing to Board water sports; everything was possible.
For those who love snorkeling and deep sea diving, Fushifaru is a perfect base for you. Just in front of our patio, we saw guests snorkeling from time to time. They saw stingrays, reef baby sharks and all kinds of fish.
Water Sports and Activities
Fushifaru boasts of 3 spectacular reefs for those looking to snorkel close to the resort. There is the incredible Fushifaru Thila, where seasonal mantas visit yearly and is a marine protected area. You could go diving, kiting, kayaking, fishing, snorkeling, and surfing at Fushifaru. They had a water sports desk for enquiries and a dive center as well for all things water sports related.
Staying in the overwater villa was also quite epic. We saw stingrays and reef sharks swim around our villa.
Epic Adventures we did in FushiFaru
Dolphin Quest
The closest thing to swimming with dolphins is sailing with dolphins. The thing about a dolphin quest is that there is no guarantee you will see any. However, if you have the right team, they will do everything to find the pods. We set out with high hopes as we had been told the dolphins had been out and about all week. We were told about the different types of dolphins – the shy and show off ones.
The first ones we came across were the shy ones who immediately disappeared.
After about 30 mins of searching, we finally hit jackpot. 100s of dolphins began to circle and swim around our Dhoni. It was the most magical thing ever. It was truly one of the most incredible experiences of my life. We had a show off dolphin that jumped and spun as we clapped. They really put on a show for us and I did not even know when I started to cry. They were tears of happiness and just gratitude.
It cost $85 per person and I thought this was quite reasonable for the experience we had.
Sandbank Experience
We booked the half day 2 hour experience for $90 per person; Adanna went for free. This experience included a picnic of light bites and drinks.
The sandbank gives the illusion of being castaway on your own deserted island. Except that you get dropped off by boat and picked up afterwards. It is romantic and quite surreal when you think of the fact that you are the only one on the island. It was booked by our host, Diksha and is a 5 mins ride by boat from Fushifaru’s island. We were picked up at the jetty and given a mobile phone for emergencies.
For a full day picnic (4 hours), it was $140 per person. This is better value if you would like to snorkel around there and have a full beach day.
Where to stay in the Maldives: Fushifaru Maldives
I would very happily return to Fushifaru for another stay. We spent 6 days there and I think we came back home quite refreshed and very content. There were so many wholesome moments that were made possible because we stayed in Fushifaru. Maybe one day, we can go back and retrace our lovely experience.
Until then…
…Bisous, Bugo x
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One Comment
Tiesé
Bugo, it sounds like this was such a wonderful experience just reading you write about it, so I can’t imagine what being there IRL felt like. I love love an establishment that is so thoughtful, it makes all the difference. Thanks for sharing with us 💛