Words by Marianna Hunt
With its small-island culture, the Maldives is the ultimate fly-and-flop destination. Or more accurately: fly-and-have-fun. That’s because islands such as Maamunagau – where InterContinental sits – provide convenience in spades: with coral reefs on your doorstep (quite literally), wildlife everywhere you look, and activities aplenty. There’s no need to think about the logistics of getting from A to B or finding a snorkelling excursion that fits your schedule. Just sit back and enjoy the (seaplane) ride.
But does its convenience mean you get an off-the-shelf experience? Not necessarily. Giving guests authentic encounters with the surrounding nature is InterContinental’s USP – and with a first-of-its-kind manta ray retreat launching this year, the team is taking that to the next level.
Hotel
InterContinental Maldives occupies the whole of Maamunagau, an island crowned with tropical plants and ringed by coral reefs. On arrival each guest is given their own personal bicycle – complete with wicker basket. The island is so compact you can whiz from one end to the other in less than 10 minutes.
The nicest part of the day is the cycle to breakfast – when you’ll be greeted with a cheery ‘Good morning’ by every staff member you pass.
Everything you need is contained within that 10-minute cycle: whether it’s taking a quick dip in the mini sea lagoon that sits amid the villas, stopping by the Marine Centre to borrow a snorkel and flippers, munching your way through the island’s six restaurants and bars or grabbing some sun cream and a lounger at the beach.
The island’s private status means you’re not having to fight for sun loungers or worry about booked-out restaurants. It’s very child-friendly with a kids’ club for those aged four to 12. There they can get stuck into workshops with the resort’s in-house marine biologists, mess about in the splash pool or on the climbing frame and cook up a storm with the chefs.
Adults, too, get their alone time thanks to a no-child zone, The Retreat, where you can order cocktails and laze about in the infinity pool.
Room
Villas come with one to three bedrooms. You can pick from those opening straight out onto the beach, to ones facing the lagoon or villas floating directly over the sea on stilts. Each one comes with its own pool, and many have steps leading directly down into the sea – so you can hop out of bed and snorkel straight to the reef.
The rooms are light and airy – with floor-to-ceiling windows maximising the views and soft colour palettes with beige fabrics and light wood. There is lots of comfy seating both indoors and outdoors on the verandas as well as dramatic freestanding baths. The hotel only opened in 2019 so it has all the mod cons you need – including USB charging points and very good aircon.
Food
Each of the four main eateries has a distinct personality. Café Umi – the main restaurant – is perfect for relaxed dining (you’d feel comfortable in your swimsuit and shorts) yet superb quality. The menu has Asian undertones, but really does a bit of everything – from burgers to sushi. The star of the show has to be the grilled local tuna, served as an enormous slab which flakes apart at the brush of a knife.
For special occasions, there’s a beautiful blue-and-white striped lighthouse – now a restaurant serving upmarket Mediterranean food. The portions are a little smaller here and the presentation more flamboyant. Make sure to meander up to the top of the lighthouse at sunset for panoramic views across the whole island.
The Collective is a daytime pizzeria with a proper stone oven – ideal for children. While the adults-only Retreat is where you can go for a dainty afternoon tea or a cheese plate and aperitif.
Finally, the Fish Market is the place for a sea-to-table experience. Here you can pick your own lobster or enjoy the chef’s special dim sum bursting with plump king prawns.
There are also two bars – one by the pool, the other on the deck of a boat that is permanently moored by the Fish Market.
Breakfast is both buffet-style and a la carte and served at Café Umi. In the buffet there are chef’s stations where you can order everything from French toasts to Korean bibimbaps to be made on the spot or you can pile up on perfectly laminated patisserie items that could have come straight out of Paris. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the local breakfast speciality: tuna and coconut spread on a wafer-thin roshi flatbread. From the menu you can order European classics like Eggs Benedict.
To do
InterContinental’s main USP is its tie-up with The Manta Trust, a UK charity dedicated to researching and protecting manta rays.
The Maldives is one of the best places in the world to spot reef mantas – and swimming with these graceful, gentle giants is considered to be one of nature’s most magical encounters. The resort benefits from having one of the trust’s full-time marine biologists, Jess Haines, based there and together InterContinental and The Manta Trust have launched a first-of-its-kind manta retreat.
The five-day retreat mixes snorkel excursions – where you have the chance to swim among gliding mantas and watch hawksbill turtles graze on sea sponges – with interactive workshops. During the latter, you’ll be learning from Jess how to ID the rays spotted on your snorkels and help to replant coral in the local reef in a ‘reforestation’ programme. Prices – including seaplane transfers, accommodation and half board for the five days – start from $10,950 per person.
Outside of the retreat, you can still book on individual snorkelling tours and manta ray excursions with the in-house marine biologists. There’s also a Marine Centre – essentially an adults’ toy shop – where you can rent anything from water-skis to jet boots that allow you to hover like magic about the sea. Guests can use kayaks and stand-up paddle boards free-of-charge.
There is an on-site spa, which is spread across a number of villas, with palm thatched roofs and floor-to-ceiling windows so you can watch the waves wash underneath you. Guests are led to an individual villa where your feet are carefully washed before you begin your treatment. These range from deep tissue massages to invigorating facials.
In a nutshell
Sublime nature – without hassle – is the main selling point of this comfortable and friendly resort. There’s no need to look for wildlife: you stumble across it everywhere you look, whether it’s spying a baby reef shark on your way to dinner or hearing the flop of flying fish as you wake up.
Factbox
Getting there – British Airways flies directly from London Heathrow to Velana International Airport in Malé. There are a number of alternative (and typically cheaper) routes that involve a transfer. Once in Malé, it’s around a 45-minute seaplane ride to Maamunagau.
A two-person villa can be booked from $1,640 per night, including breakfast.
Address: Maamunagau Island, Raa Atoll 05060, Maldives
Phone: +960 658-0500
Email: Intercontinental.Maldives@ihg.com
Website: maldives.intercontinental.com
