Soneva Fushi

A trip to the luxury Soneva Fushi Maldives resort begins with a 30-minute seaplane flight to a floating pontoon in Baa Atoll. From there, a boat ferries guests to the resort’s private island, Kunfunadhoo. On the five-minute boat ride, guests are invited to remove their shoes (the whole island is a “barefoot zone,” though you can put your shoes back on if you prefer).

At just under a mile long, Soneva Fushi is one of the larger resort islands in the Maldives. A network of winding jungle pathways connects the many restaurants, bars, spa, tennis court, gym, outdoor theater, and other amenities. Guests are given bicycles to get around the island (outfitted with peddle cushions so your bare feet don’t get sore). Chickens, lizards, and rabbits are a common sighting on the dirt roads.

Virtually all the structures and interiors on the island were designed by former Swedish supermodel Eva Malmström Shivdasani. (Eva co-founded the resort with her husband, Sonu Shivdasani -- “Soneva” is a blend of both their names). The unique, Robinson Crusoe-inspired architecture features raw wooden beams, high palm-thatched ceilings, and white stucco walls. One of the restaurants, Fresh in the Garden, even has a rope bridge suspended over the treetops.

Soneva Fushi has a luxury resort meets eco-camp vibe. Personal butlers, romantic gourmet restaurants, and large beachfront villas feel distinctly upscale -- but we also trudged barefoot through ankle-deep mud puddles. Still, it's one of the top options in the Maldives and is similar in many ways to Gili Lankanfushi, down to the titles of the butlers (referred to on the island as Mr. or Ms. Fridays, after the fictional character who served as Robinson Crusoe's assistant). This is no accident, as the Gili also used to be part of the Soneva brand. But while both resorts have some of the Maldives’ highest prices, there is one major difference: All of the rooms at Gili Lankanfushi are overwater, while there are only a handful of those here. Also, Soneva Fushi is more kid-friendly than Gili, with a kids' club and paid babysitting service. And while both are rustic-luxe, there's a touch more emphasis on the "rustic" aspect here, as this is one of the Maldives' eco-friendliest resorts. Soneva Fushi is also more remote than Gili.

With a remote island location, plenty of privacy, and castaway-style luxury, it’s no surprise that celebrities are drawn to Soneva Fushi. Repeat guests have included Madonna and Paul McCartney. In more recent years, Kate Winslet and Guy Ritchie are also rumored to have visited the island.

Soneva Fushi is located on its own private island, locally known as Kunfunadhoo, about 115 kilometers northwest of Male in Baa Atoll. A pricey, 30-minute seaplane flight from Male International Airport is required to reach the resort. At 1,400 meters long by 400 meters wide, Kunfunadhoo is one of the larger resort islands in the Maldives. It takes about 10 minutes to ride a bicycle across the island, from tip to tip. Recognized as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, Baa Atoll has some of the richest marine life in the Maldives. Hanifaru Bay, one of the world’s best places to swim with whale sharks and giant manta rays, is about 15 minutes away by speedboat.

The Robinson Crusoe-style villas at Soneva Fushi feel a bit like luxurious tree houses. From raw wooden construction elements to messages encouraging guests to switch off their Wi-Fi for health reasons, there’s a strong all-natural theme in the rooms. (But Wi-Fi is free, for those who don't want to fully unplug.) Decor-wise, villas feature white stucco and wooden walls, vaulted thatched roofs, bright cushioned sofas, and earthy-looking light fixtures. Four-poster or canopy beds come with mosquito nets, and all units are outfitted with air-conditioning and ceiling fans.

Villas come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from single-story, 4,252-square-foot one-bedroom villas to massive, 60,000-square-foot units, complete with a private pool, sunken lounge, mini-gym, sauna, kitchen, and nine bedrooms. The Crusoe Villa with Pool and Family Villa Suite with Pool units are particularly popular, while the Private Reserve is a massive mansion with nine bedrooms and space for 18 adults.

All villas have direct beach access and at least two beach loungers and a rope hammock. Most villas also feature small private pools. There are just a handful of overwater units here, but all feature slides that offer direct access to the sea, private infinity pools, and rooftop lounges.

Standard amenities include free bottled water, nuts, coffee, dried fruit, tea, yoga mats, French presses, espresso makers, and minibars. Villa TVs (most of which are hidden in colorful travel trunks) don’t have cable, but they do have iPods that are pre-loaded with music and movies. Indoor-outdoor bathrooms are large and beautiful. They have ample counter space and glass walk-in rainfall showers, plus big soaking tubs in the garden.

Villas also include 24-hour, on-call butlers (called Mr. Fridays). The Mr. Fridays essentially act as personal assistants and will arrange excursions, unpack luggage, run a hot bath -- you name it.

Soneva Fushi has a number of unique features, including an observatory for stargazing with the resident astronomer, and an outdoor movie theater with weekly free screenings plus free popcorn and ice cream. The resort is also home to an impressive wine cellar, a fitness center with modern equipment, and a kids’ club for children 4 to 12 years old. The Den is the technology-free center for children and teens to play without electronics. Babysitting is available for an hourly fee.

The spa offers a full range of massage and beauty services (except for hair), and features five indoor treatment cabins, two outdoor massage cabanas, a sauna, and a steam room. Free yoga classes are available several times per week, and there is one tennis court for guest use.

The resort offers a stunning range of wonderful freebies, including 24-hour chocolates, cheeses and cold cuts, weekly sunset cocktail parties on a nearby sandbank, non-motorized water sports (motorized water sports such as waterskiing, wakeboarding, and fun-tubing are available for a fee), glass-blowing demonstrations, loaner bikes, and Wi-Fi.

Guests can snorkel at a great on-site reef or sign up for an excursion to Hanifaru Bay -- a protected whale shark and manta ray hot spot. A dive center offers lessons and organizes excursions to nearby dive sites.

Unlike most resorts in the Maldives, Soneva Fushi doesn’t leave lounge chairs and umbrellas on the beaches. Instead, each villa comes with its own patch of beach and at least two chairs and a rope hammock. For those who want to sunbathe elsewhere on the island, loungers and umbrellas can be arranged. Most sections of beach are filled with soft white sand, but there are a few rocky areas and bits of washed up coral, so guests may want to wear flip-flops. The water is crystal-clear, and the temperature was perfect during our November visit. With the exception of one tiny plastic wrapper, we couldn’t find a speck of trash anywhere.

Soneva Fushi has a number of excellent a la carte restaurants, all serving top-notch cuisine. Fresh in the Garden is located in the treetops above the resort’s vegetable garden and serves Mediterranean, organic cuisine for dinner. Housed in a large overwater structure, Out of the Blue is a stunning Asian restaurant complete with a slide to the ocean. A free gourmet breakfast buffet featuring cooked-to-order omelets, pancakes, and fresh fruit is served outside at Mihiree Mithaa restaurant. Down to Earth by Ravi is only open for dinner and offers South Asian cuisine in portions to share.

For something even more unique, Shades of Green offers a five-course Maldivian menu for dinner several times per week, while So Bespoke is an eight-person teppanyaki table offering panoramic views of the atoll. There is also a sushi counter created in partnership with a three-starred Michelin Japanese chef. The chef at Once Upon a Table creates a different menu every day for a maximum of eight people.

Most guests opt to pay for the (very pricey) food as they go, but half- and full-board dining packages are available (no beverages included), as is an expensive all-inclusive package that covers three meals, in-villa dining, house brand alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and in-villa minibars. A great perk at Soneva Fushi are the free tasting rooms next to the main bar, which serve unlimited artisanal chocolates, gourmet ice creams, cheeses, and charcuterie all day. There are also private chefs who can prepare any meal in the guests’ villa.

The resort has a spacious main bar, “By the Bar,” which offers a jaw-dropping variety of high-end wines, champagnes, liquors, beers, and fresh juices. The second bar, bar and Cellar, has an extensive collection of alcohol and it open "until the last guests leave".