This Remote Atoll in the Maldives Just Got Its First Resort — Here’s What It’s Like to Stay

There’s nothing quite like a seaplane ride in the Maldives. Gliding over a string of impossibly blue lagoons with rows of overwater villas jutting out like spider legs gives you goosebumps. After dozens and dozens of seaplane rides during my yearly visits, few sights are more jaw-dropping than a Soneva resort from above.

When I first saw a handful of the resort’s massive overwater villas with roofs speckled like the eagle rays that frequent its lagoon, a squiggly wooden dock, and waterslides dipping into the ocean, I knew I was in for something unique.

A resort 30 years in the making, owners Sonu and Eva ( Soneva, get it?) Shivdasani had been looking for the perfect location for the resort of their dreams. They found it on the uber-remote atoll of Makunudhoo, where they’ve just opened its first resort.

Once the seaplane touches down at Soneva Secret, it’s pure pampering from dawn to dusk. I boarded the speedboat, where my dedicated butler, Efro, asked for my sandals. I quickly put them into a “no shoes, no news” bag — a “barefoot luxury” concept created by the Shivdasanis. From there, the boat pulls up to a blindingly white beach, and I step into the sand for a castaway experience Robinson Crusoe would kill for.

The island is quiet and practically deserted, lending to that far-flung, exclusive feel Soneva Secret does so well. Once I’m taken to my overwater villa, one of just five (the others are still being built), I see why. These nearly 5,000-square-foot overwater mansions are better stocked than most homes. I spent the next 20 minutes roaming every inch, from its rooftop private spa room to its gym to its five outdoor seating areas, each with sparkling ocean views.

With the whole resort spread across a small and narrow island, relaxation is the goal here, and I did relax. During my stay, I read two books, got three massages, snorkeled with eagle rays, and ate my weight in multi-course meals.

Afternoons were spent walking on its soft silica or zooming down the waterslide between visits to Soneva’s beloved chocolate, ice cream, charcuterie, and cheese rooms. Activities like diving a nearby shipwreck, a private movie screening, or a deserted island picnic are available. You dream it, and the team here will make it happen.

After visiting nearly 40 resorts in the Maldives, it’s hard to imagine a more bespoke and want-for-nothing experience than Soneva Secret. Read my full review for the Maldives resort that ups the luxury ante on an already-opulent resort destination.

The Rooms

Rooms here are more like palaces. Each of the 14 villas and residences (standalone overwater Crusoe villas and its floating villa are still under construction) has the exact blueprint. Its two residences are double the size but look and feel the same. The villa’s airy layout features massive open-air seating areas, a primary and children’s bedroom, an infinity pool, a kitchen area, and a sprawling main bathroom with a soaking tub. So basically, you never have to leave your villa.

Each is decorated in Soneva’s signature style: light wood everything, bright linen cushions that add a pop of color, cowhide light shades from Thailand, and petrified wood counters from Indonesia. Another over-the-top yet whimsical feature is the retractable roofs above the primary bed. The only difference between the overwater and beach villas is the waterslides — a fun addition for kids and adults.

Food and Drink

This is arguably the resort’s USP, or unique selling point. A first in the Maldives, there are 14 private chefs, each specializing in a different type of cuisine. Guests can request Indonesian for breakfast, Italian for lunch, or Japanese for dinner. Be aware that sometimes the chefs are booked by other villas, so requesting at least 24 hours in advance is crucial.

If you do want to leave your villa, there are three restaurants: So Primitive, which focuses on wood-fired meat and seafood; the Living Room, for all-day dining; and Out of This World. Its signature celestial-themed restaurant, Out of This World, starts with a ride on the country’s longest zipline. Thrill-seekers can zoom over the water from The Living Room and land on the other side, where a 250-bottle wine room with a glass bottom awaits, then climb the stairs to a chef’s table and seating area for a 10-course European fusion dinner. Afterward, take in the stars with the resort’s resident astronomer.

Activities and Experiences

It’s hard to leave your villa, but the variety of unique offerings is well worth it. Spend days snorkeling or diving with the resort’s marine biologist or using any of Secret’s motorized or non-motorized toys. Try your hand at traditional weaving, visit the atoll’s local island, or plant coral.

Bespoke and private experiences include an astronomical dinner cruise, a sunset dolphin cruise, lunch, and lounging on a deserted island. They have the basics, like a gym overlooking the ocean and a tiny island spa with every treatment under the sun, from Ayurvedic massages to 24-karat gold facials.

Imagination and creativity are encouraged here, so if you have a special request for an activity, your butler will likely respond, “Anything for you.” Guests can also try the “Secret Day” option, a tailor-made itinerary designed just for you.

The Spa

There’s a small thatched roof island spa suitable for couple’s treatments. The spa has nine pages of treatment options for kids and adults, including body scrubs and sleep rituals. But one of the “wow-factor” aspects of Soneva Secret is the private spa rooms on the second floor of each villa. Book a treatment here, where you can feel the ocean breeze and listen to the sound of the lapping waves while you get a rub down from massage therapists with “magic” hands.

Family-friendly Offerings

While this resort does feel more suited to couples, it’s also made for families. Each villa has a second bedroom and bathroom designed for children, with a door stuffed with stuffed animals and toys.

The Den is also available for young children, although teeny tiny compared to the massive kids’ clubs at their sister properties. Decorated with beach bags, hula hoops, and drawing tables, kids will love personalized attention, and parents will enjoy their alone time. Various daily activities include scavenger hunts, mini Zumba classes, cupcake baking, ziplining, and kite making.

Accessibility and Sustainability

The resort is not ADA-compliant, but it is extremely sustainable. Soneva is one of the world’s most eco-conscious hotel brands. From its Waste to Wealth center to its chemical-free mosquito traps to its island garden, sustainability is at the forefront of pretty much everything. Repurposed offcuts and driftwood make up its villas, beef and lobster aren’t served in its restaurants, and zero-waste is the resort’s goal. Plans include three floating solar farms that will power up to 85 percent of the resort.

Location

Guests can reach Dhipparufushi Island in the country’s northwest via a 70-minute seaplane ride from Malé. As it is known administratively, Makunudhoo Atoll, or Haa Dhaalu Atoll, is one of the country’s least developed, so a stay here, with no neighbors, feels ultra-secluded and supremely private. There is almost no seaplane or speedboat traffic commonly found at other resorts in the Maldives — and there’s no light pollution, so the stars put on a show.

How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay

You’ll pay a pretty penny here, but it will be the vacation you’ll dream about when you close your eyes. Travelers can book with luxury travel agencies like cazenove+loyd for special perks, like a complimentary castaway picnic experience with a seven-night stay.