They say good things are worth waiting for, and in this case, it sure was. Back in December, Tom and I flew a short 4-hour flight from Abu Dhabi to Male (Maldives capital on the main island). As soon as we landed, I noticed it was raining. As we were greeted by the friendly staff of the Lux Resort, I then realized it wasn’t just raining. There was heavy rain, crazy wind, and waves outside of the airport. The Lux team informed us that there was a hurricane passing by India and Sri Lanka, and the Maldives was getting the tail end of it; say what!!! Again…good things are worth waiting for.
What would have been a short 25-minute seaplane ride from the airport to the Lux hotel in the South Ari Atoll turned out to be a full day of travel. Due to the heavy winds, all the seaplane flights were canceled, but the Lux team was quick to secure a backup plan for us on a domestic flight. After a 4 hour wait at the domestic terminal, a short 20-minute flight to another island, a bus ride to who knows where and a scary boat ride (huge waves), we finally made it to the Lux. I have to say this was one of the scariest experiences I’ve had. The current and waves were so strong the boat couldn’t dock, and some of us ended up jumping to the dock. I want to take the time and say thank you to the Lux Hotel and Resorts team for getting us safely to the hotel! Thank you for hosting us and securing another way of transportation for us!
As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by the marketing manager, Daisy, who was nice enough to give us a short introduction to the Lux property. With over 8 different restaurants, 5 bars, and 2 swimming pools, the property is one of the biggest resort islands in the Maldives. After the long travel day, Tom and I quickly made our way to our overwater bungalow, showered, and got ready for dinner.
Unfortunately, it rained every single day, but one, during our stay. But the rain didn’t stop us. Even in the rain, Tom and I loved riding our bikes and discovering the island. We visited the Lux Me Spa (the overwater treatment villas are beautiful and relaxing), we had a Maldives-inspired cooking class, relaxed, drank rose, and enjoyed some beautiful sunsets. We loved the way the property was spread out and how every day we would discover something new. Either a hammock on one side of the beach, a complimentary phone booth for you to call home, or a private and secluded beach chair, the Lux was one of my favorite hotels to date.
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We enjoyed having breakfast at Mixe, outside, and eating breakfast with our feet in the sand…the best feeling. The fresh fruits and pastries were on repeat, and the staff was always welcoming and willing to help. We also had dinner at the Middle Eastern and Indian restaurant, Senses. But, our favorite dining experience was at the Japanese robata grill restaurant, Umami. We enjoyed the food and ambiance so much that we actually ate there twice out of the four nights we were at the hotel. In addition, Lux has an ice cream shop where all the ice creams are made in-house (must try), a luxury coffee shop, and multiple beach bars for any fruity and refreshing drink of your choice.
When the sun finally came out, Tom and I couldn’t believe how lucky we were to be in such a beautiful place. We have been to the Maldives before, but even then, we were still amazed by the crystal clear water. Tom still jumped like a child every time he saw a fish outside (or below) our villa, and I swam off the beach every morning. I am completely biased because I grew up going to the beach, and it’s where I feel the happiest. If you are planning a dream vacation, then the Maldives should be on the top of your list. After three days of full rain…it was worth waiting for…a single day of sun in the Maldives.
For all my readers who are moms or have small families… I’ve gotten this question a lot. Is the Maldives a good place to travel to with kids? Of course, it depends…if you are traveling from the US, where it will take up to 2 full days to get to the Maldives…then I would be hesitant to travel such a long distance with your little ones. If you’re in Europe or the Middle East, then yes, do it. It is without a doubt the most beautiful place I have ever been to. The water bungalows are romantic and sexy for a couple. For a family, I would recommend the beach villas. No matter what property you visit in the Maldives, the beach rooms or villas are just a few steps from the beach with no stairs. They are also closer to the restaurants and lobby, and you won’t have to wait as long for the buggy.
A few things:
- The hotel offers bikes for a small fee. After being in the hotel for 4 nights, I highly recommend getting the bikes. I do think the hotel should offer these for free my bike kept on breaking down, and at some point, someone else took our bikes! But nonetheless, the property is spread out, and I found it essential to have the bikes.
- The best restaurant on the island is the Italian/ Mediterranean restaurant, Allegria. We were told time and time again it was fully booked we decided one day to show up and wait. We were finally seated at 9:30 pm as walk-ins, and it was totally worth the wait. An amazing dining experience, the seafood was fresh, and the desserts were amazing.
- Make sure to visit the diving center at the hotel, which provides snorkeling gear and information about whale shark diving.
- Take your time to discover the hotel, try to find both phone booths (you can use them to call anywhere in the world for free)!
- Make sure to always check the weather before traveling!
Thank you to the LUX Resorts and Hotels for partnering in this post.
