Island arrivals in the Maldives and new BA flights!

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  Beachtime at Shangri-La Villingili, Maldives

  © Shangri-La

Endless skies, baby reef sharks swimming past the water villa, the Indian Ocean at the end of the deck, rippling in a million colours of green to blue. Overhead, fluffy balls of cotton-wool clouds make their way across the horizon, as the occasional heron and dinky little seaplane fly into view. It could only be the Maldives.

British Airways has launched direct flights to the Maldives from the UK, which is great news for anyone who is a bit fed-up with mediocre airlines on the route or having to fly via somewhere in the Middle East. And even better news - into this postcard-world, a clutch of new five-star resorts have arrived this summer which demand to be checked out, their sun loungers tested, décor scrutinised, menus analysed and spa treatments sampled.

Largest of the new guys to open, this place has been in the works for years, way down south in Addu Atoll, one of the 26 atolls in this sprawling necklace of a country. But was it worth the wait? I would have to say a resounding yes. Having seen more than 15 resorts in the Maldives over the years, this is now one of my favourites. It may not be the scant little Robinson Crusoe island so often seen in the Maldives, with just a smattering of villas, palm trees and little else, but Shangri-La Villingili brings a resort of great depth to the Maldives mix.

The vegetation is some of the most varied I have come across in the Maldives, from the island’s 17,000 palm trees (local islanders are employed to climb the trees and stop the heavy coconuts from falling on guests’ heads), to huge banyan trees, morning glory trailing along the beach, beach hibiscus, frangipani and pretty sea trumpets. It is the largest natural resort island in the Maldives and even has inland lagoons with complex mangrove systems. 

Water babies

If staying in one of the three sections of water villas - the resort has 142 land and water villas in total -you’ll be able to drop into bath-warm calm shallows from your private deck, but from the beach villas and signature treehouse villas on the ocean side, you’ll get to see big waves crashing on rocks, not something you see often on a Maldivian island; you have to like hearing the roar of the ocean to stay on this side of the island.

If you can drag yourself away from hanging out in the villa, there’s plenty to do on the island, including the fantastic Chi Spa, one of the biggest in the Maldives, with private garden treatment rooms, Ayurvedic highlights, Cowrie Shell massage - which left me blissfully zoned out - and yoga pavilion. The island’s beach is stunning, long and deep with beachfront dining in poolside salas for lazing the day away. 

Other distractions from sunbathing include a little eco-centre offering nature tours and talks, self-guided trails through the jungle, cooking classes, an excellent dive centre and watersports, kids' club, gym, sauna, steam and tennis courts. Most of the options are clustered around the ‘village centre’, which is the hub of the island and also has a few boutiques, and a small library and organic farm are also on the way. And you get your own bike to zip off round the island.

You also have the chance to go for a guided cycle ride on the country’s longest road. The 17km-stretch connects several nearby islands via a series of bridges, including Gan, Feydhoo, Maradhoo, Maradhoo-Feydhoo and Hithadhoo, all islands on the western side of Addu. The area was home to British soldiers during World War II, so there are lots of tales and a few remnants around, from old bunkers to the British memorial on Gan. The island was once a British army base but now sits eerily as an uninhabited island mostly consumed by its role as the country’s second international airport.

Not everyone will like the larger scale of this island, nor will they like having to catch a 70-minute domestic flight to Gan from Male after a long-haul flight and still not feeling as if you’ve made it far enough away from civilisation. But the location does give a chance to experience the remote southern region of the country, with Shangri-La the pioneer resort putting the area on the map.

More from the Maldives

Alila Villas Hadahaa

Not a million miles away from Shangri-La in the south of the Maldives, but several thousand miles in terms of philosophy, this new compact resort from sharp designer Asian brand, Alila is already riding high in 'best newcomer' lists.

What's it got: Strong eco story with a great sense of place, located in the North Huvadhoo (also known as Gaafu Alifu) atoll which is virtually untouched by tourism - it's so remote that when the manager of the resort, Julian Moore, went around to schools on local islands, many of the kids had barely ever heard of the concept of a hotel. The Spa by Mandara has a great garden setting and its own pool, great for girls to hang out around. The 14 Aqua Villas are very chic and sexy, but box-like; 36 beach villas have a tropical garden setting, 20 of them with pools, so opt for those for a spot to cool off. Sunset around the main pool is magical, evoking a Thai feel, whilst the resort claims to have what is the only real Maldivian restaurant in the Maldives, Battuta's, as well as Relish for main meals. Diving here is incredible, given the unspolit nature of the area and location in the deepest atoll in the country. For snorkellers, the very healthy house reef is just a short splash from the beach.

USPs: Designed to Green Globe standards. The 'leisure concierge' can organise innovative 'Journeys', such as Journey to the Environment, which explains the evolution of an island via a series of boat stops and snorkels. Star gazing this close to the Equator is unforgettable. The rooftop bar and horizon dining rooms set a new super-stylish benchmark for the Maldives.

Constance Halaveli Resort

Open just a couple of months, this resort brings a French twist to the Maldives. Part of the Mauritian group behind Lemuria in Seychelles and Prince Maurice in Mauritius, Constance Halaveli is a small island with lots of water villas, yup, one of the longest decks in the Maldives connects all 57 villas, with the spa and a restaurant in their middle.

What's it got: Reached by seaplane from Male, the resort is in one of the best atolls for diving. Its water villas are well executed with eliptical, dhoni shaped rooms for the bedroom/lounge and bathroom with freestanding tubs and private decking area for dining, reclining and swimming, but watch your tootsies on the hot metal ladders into the lagoon though. The eight double-storey beach villas are stylish and spacious with upstairs lounge (also converts into bedroom for family guests) and balcony, pool, tropical outside bathrooms and beach access through your own little garden. The overwater Spa Constance has an extensive offering, including Ayurvedic treatments in a dedicated suite and ila, the organic British brand, is used for some treatments too. A Thai massage at sunset with the doors open to the sea soothes and stretches.

USPs: The only all-pool villa resort in the Maldives; great culinary story, so one for foodies, with the choices including Jing, with its Asian-fusion open-kitchen restaurant and cocktail bar and innovative cocktails at the bar created by female British mixologist. The villas come with iMac Mini systems beamed through an enormous flatscreen TV, with extensive range of complimentary movies - a great one for gadget junkies. There's even a wine cooler in the mini-bar amenities area. 

InOcean Villas, Angsana Velavaru 

If you know your Banyan Tree from your Angsana, you’ll know Angsana is the younger, funkier and more affordable little cousin to Banyan Tree, but both offer the same warm Asian hospitality. Maldives already had resorts under both brands, but has now confused the issue by adding a luxury bolt-on to Angsana Velavaru in the shape of InOcean Villas.

What’s it got: The seaplane lands, a boat trundles you across for a couple of minutes and there you are, fruit cocktail in hand in the airy bar at InOcean at Azzurro restaurant, all on stilts and a kilometer from the nearest island. There are three types of villas – 20 standard villas, 11 ‘premier’ and three ‘sanctuary’ villas – all of them two storeys apiece, with infinity pools and the new must for the Maldives, an over-water hammock. Premier and sanctuary villas have an extra catwalk deck down to another pavilion with floaty drapes so it’s just you, a book and the sound of the sea. You can have treatments in your villa or head down to the spa villa at the end of the jetty where you can also relax with some rooftop sunset yoga. A quick boat trip over to Angsana Velavaru and you have more restaurants, larger outdoor spa and one of the only in-resort marine labs in the country.

USPs: The first ‘floating resort’ in the Maldives, not connected to an island but built completely in the ocean. OK, the island part of Angsana Velavaru is 1km, or a few minutes in a boat, so you’re not totally deserted, but it does feel pretty special. 

By April Hutchinson