Just 20 minutes speedboat ride from Malé international airport in the North Malé Atoll, this really is the quintessential Robinson Crusoe island - one of the oldest islands to be developed for tourists. No news, no shoes: that’s the philosophy at Gili Lankfanfushi in the Maldives, and when you return home you will miss your, Miss or Mr Friday.
Ultimate privacy can be found at Gili Lankanfushi. With just 45 sumptuous overwater villas, including Crusoe Residences and The Private Reserve reached only by boat, you will have a piece of paradise all to yourself. Each villa is designed with the utmost attention to detail and built to be environmentally friendly without compromising on luxury. Your own private water garden and sun deck, as well as a separate shower linked to your bathroom by an open-air walkway, allows you to live right by the water’s edge.
The extensive facilities include a swimming pool, tennis courts, bikes, fitness rooms, bikes, ping-pong and pool tables. Cooking classes and the jungle cinema will keep you entertained. For families, babysitting is available although no kids club and the over water accommodation is not suitable for young children.
The Dive centre organises diving, PADI certificates, fishing and snorkelling. The underwater experience at Gili is not as amazing as other remote islands. The disadvantage of the proximity to Male. Tropic surf organises the surfing expedition for those wanting to catch a good wave.
For the less active, the Meera Spa sits in a secluded bay and includes six over-water treatment rooms, an Ayurvedic Treatment Champa, steam and sauna rooms and an open-air relaxation area offering breath-taking views. Complimentary morning yoga by the seaside is offered. Take advantage of your location to start your meditation practice to train your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts to reduce stress and develop concentration, healthy sleep patterns, and even increased pain tolerance.
Less is more. This boutique resort does not have an extensive array of restaurants but Kashiveli restaurant located on the beach offers various themed evenings: a culinary journey featuring virtuoso cooking displays from around the world accommodating a variety of food preferences. For pescatarians, the Japanese restaurant, By the Sea where chefs offer mouth-watering sushi, sashimi and Japanese fusion dishes; street food originating in Osaka the knife throwing theatrical Teppanyaki griddle.
The Travel Gallery take If you’re looking for luxurious over water accommodation on a private island, easily accessible from Male, pampered by Fridays, then Gili Lankanfushi wont disappoint. It is worth noting that there a couple of other islands visible on the distant horizon & you don’t get the remote feeling that some islands offer.
