Located idyllically on Kunfunadhoo Island,, Soneva Fushi offers all the charm one expects of the Maldives in utter sophistication and luxurious comfort. SHAFINAZ SUHAIMI learns of their responsible tourism practices through the philosophies of "S.L.O.W. L.I.F.E.".

Written by Intan Shafinaz on 17 Nov 2009 with 0 comments. Be the first!

I waited for my 'taxi' at the Soneva Fushi 'International Airport', which was nothing more than a floating platform in the middle of the sea. I had just arrived from Male, the capital of the Maldives, via a Trans-Maldivian twin-otter seaplane piloted by barefoot young, tanned captains. Minutes later, my taxi, a boat, came by to whisk me away to Soneva Fushi, Six Senses' flagship resort.

Soneva Fushi, located idyllically on Kunfunadhoo Island of the Baa Atoll, offers all the charm and luxurious comfort one would expect of the Maldives. There is a 'one island one resort' policy in the Maldives and resorts can only be built up to a maximum of 20% of the total land area. Soneva Fushi comprised 10% of Kunfunadhoo and the highest point of its infrastructure was no higher than the tallest palm tree on site.

Soneva's Nests

Abdul Latheef Hassan, Soneva's Guest Service Officer, greeted me with a warm smile and checked me into my villa. Tucked away amidst lush tropical vegetation and generously spaced out for privacy, 65 villas stay cool from the hot and humid Maldivian weather.

Rooms are kept dimly lit as glass doors allow enough natural light to enter during the day. The villa is buffered by thick green hedges and the outdoor shower area is closed in by walls which allowed me to take rejuvenating showers out in the open without a worry.

Other than a few battery-operated buggies, cycling is the main mode of transport in Soneva. Each guest gets a bicycle to use, and if you are a repeat guest, your bicycle would have your name on it. Exploring the resort, I observed that every nook and cranny has a place to unwind, from the library to the award-winning spa. My favourite place to unwind was the café!

Living the slow life

Meals are taken at Mihiree Mitha (a Dhiveni phrase meaning 'It's Here'), a sandy dining area under the shade of trees,cooled by the sea breeze. Bats swooped over our heads and rabbits hopped about, enticing the children who had left their meals to chase after them with lettuce leaves. Parents can dine and relax in peace as Soneva's 'Mr. and Mrs. Friday' keep a close watch on their precious little ones.

When it comes to food, Soneva's choice seems endless. At Mihiree Mitha, I usually make a bee-line for the cheese room, aptly named Ever So Soneva So Deli-cate, where you'll find two shelves lined with fromage, home-made preserves and a table of freshly sliced cold cuts.

The café boasts a fusion of culinary delights - from pasta to rice and curries, fresh tropical fruits and salads, deliciously displayed at various stations. Directly across the cheese room past the pasta station sits the Ever Soneva So Hot and So Cool - filled with pretty mouth-watering desserts and cakes. That quickly became my most favourite corner.

I took my time to try out the food from all five cooking stations. There was so much to eat. Where to start? I asked one Italian guest how he decided what to put on his plate. He simply answered that he had time to taste everything because he was staying here for weeks!

And that is Soneva's core purpose - to create a slower pace of life experiences hence S.L.O.W. L.I.F.E. which focuses on Sustainable, Local, Organic, Wholesome, Learning, Inspiring and Fun Experiences. Anke Hoffmeister, Soneva's Marine Biologist and Environmental Manager, explained that the concept of S.L.O.W. L.I.F.E. began with the birth of the Slow Food Organisation as a response to the industrialisation and globalisation of food supply and the resulting loss of food varieties and exquisite flavours. Slow Food was quickly followed by a slew of sub-cultures in other areas, such as Slow Travel and Slow Shopping.

Taking my cue from that, I slowly traipsed along the winding sandy paths with Anke to the resort's Organic Gardens. One of Soneva's most acclaimed environmental and nutritional initiatives, the Vegetable Garden, Organic Garden and Mushroom Hut are the resort's best sources of fresh ingredients. By avoiding the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, and using compost, the resort is able to enhance its green footprint while at the same time increase organic garden productivity.

Munching on mint, we walked to 'Fresh in the Garden', a restaurant spectacularly constructed from certified timber, four metres high above the organic garden. To access the restaurant, guests can choose to walk on a suspended bridge, or for the faint-hearted, a walkway on terra firma.

Complete with its canopy-high composting toilet with full glass sliding doors, this restaurant is situated on a vast 200-square metre platform with an 85-square metre terrace. In the centre of the platform is the kitchen and bar, surrounded by just a few tables with spacious daybed-type seating. Its oversized oh-so Soneva green-and-orange cushions are perfect to sink into after you've pigged out. Guests are also able to satisfy their cosmic curiosity at the Observatory just a boardwalk away. Blessed with clear night skies, Soneva is home to the only resort-based observatory of its kind in the Maldives, fittingly named Ever Soneva So Celestial.

The 12-metre high observatory tower houses a telescope on the uppermost level, along with a fully-automated dome providing 360 degree views of the night sky. It sounded inviting but I decided to give technology a miss and strolled back to my villa. On the way back, I looked up at the clear night sky marvelling at the stars twinkling above. I was beginning to appreciate Soneva's philosophy of SLOW LIFE.

Into the blue

Feeling rejuvenated after a good night's sleep, I was ready to dive into the deep blue. Maldives is, after all, famed for its underwater riches.

Blessed with some of the best dive sites, Maldives' marine world is a profusion of vibrant colours bursting with life, warm waters throughout the year and optimum visibility exceeding 50 metres. At Soneva's Soleni Dive Centre, blue-eyed Italian dive instructor, Fabio Giungarelli, briefed me on our diving at Nelivaru Thila. At Nelivaru Thila, we descended upon a field of garden eels and drifted along walls of soft and hard corals teeming with fish - but the most exciting part of the dive was the last few minutes during our safety stop in the shallow area. One stealth-looking manta ray, spanning 2.5 - 3 metres glided towards us, not at all intimidated by our presence.

Manta rays (Manta birostris) are listed as 'near threatened' by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and almost nothing is known about their population ecology, use of critical habitat, movements or reproduction. One of the best ways to understand the manta ray population is to recognize and record the individuals. I photographed the manta's belly. The underside markings of each manta ray are unique, much like our fingerprints. These photos would enable Soleni's Dive Centre staff to compare them with the conservation database they maintain, which determines whether it is a resident or a brand new visitor of the atoll. This data then contributes to an on-going research Soneva is involved in.

Just a few kicks from the shore, snorkellers too can also experience the same underwater bliss. Equipped with laminated pictorial sheets, Anke would lead the snorkel 'tour' and explain the myriad of marine life one could easily find in the area, such as giant clams, morays, parrotfish, wrasses, trevallies, anemone fish, triggerfish and turtles.

Whether you decide to stroll along the beaches or jungle paths, star-gaze at the Observatory or dive into the depths of the sea, you're bound to embrace Soneva Fushi's S.L.O.W. L.I.F.E experience. It will have you craving for more.

Special note: Soneva Fushi by Six Senses is a finalist for Wild Asia's annual Responsible Tourism Awards 2009.

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