Review of Paradise Island Resort & Spa

If you do not like long and tedious transfers to reach your destination, then Paradise Island is ideal. Just a 20-minute speedboat ride or 9.6 kilometres away from Malé International Airport and surrounded by pristine beaches and a turquoise lagoon, the island, called Lankanfinolhu by locals, is located in North Malé Atoll. 

As one of the closest islands to the capital, it is also one of the most popular parts of The Maldives with North Malé Atoll comprised of 50 small islands or islets. All have incredible beaches and coral reefs and the area is particularly prized for diving with a wide variety of dive sites available.

There are 282 bungalows, villas and suites with sixty-two based over the water accessed by dual jetties whilst the majority of the resort’s accommodation is located on the beaches encircling the island, enjoying direct beach access and ocean views. Some – the Deluxe Beach Pool Villas, also have private plunge pools and private decks. 

Facilities wise, all the accommodation has both inside and outside space with amenities including individually controlled air conditioning; ceiling fans; safes; mini bars; LCD 81-centimetre TVs with satellite channels; seating areas; hair dryers; wardrobes; beach towels; coffee and tea makers. Six of the over water suites have private pools and Jacuzzis too and they also enjoy the best unobstructed ocean views too as they are located at the far end of the piers. 

The Beach Villas at Paradise Island at 54 square metres of living space enjoy a front row seat to the ocean, surrounded by greenery with terraces just a few footsteps away from the beach.  

For those who just cannot do without that sunset view, then upgrade to the Sunset Beach Pool Villas at 140 square metres of space to enjoy a mesmerising view from a private pool, surrounded by sheltering palm trees and greenery. Take the accommodation up a notch to the next category to the semi-detached Deluxe Beach Pool Villas and everything is a tad more luxurious and spacious at 150 square metres of space, enjoying a beach chic décor of neutral and cobalt blue hues with a private pool looking out over the ocean. Bathrooms are also larger with twin vanities, indoor and outdoor showers and a large standalone tub. 

Over water and the choices start with the semi-detached Water Villas at 77 square metres of space and close proximity to the beach. Enjoying a contemporary and luxurious feel with a touch of Japanese styling, these villas enjoy a deck for lazing and direct ocean access. If space is what you crave, then the Water Villas with Whirlpool might float your boat. With 86 square metres of indoor and outdoor living space, these semi-detached spaces offer ample open planned living. 

The premium accommodation are the stand alone One Bedroom Ocean Suite with Pool and its Two Bedroom equivalent at 255 square metres and 391 square metres of living space respectively. At the furthest point of the jetties, these indoor-outdoor, open plan spaces are the ultimate in Maldivian living, coming with private walk-in wardrobes, private pools, whirlpools and outdoor showers – one section houses the master bedroom suite whilst the other is designed for chilling with comfortable seating, a large TV and a desk if you simply cannot stay away from your laptop. The larger villa comes with two sleeping pavilions located each side of a central living pavilion to allow privacy and can sleep up to six people.  There are dual steps down to the ocean with a large infinity pool in-between.

For those who love the beach, there is a long ribbon of pristine white sandy beach and loungers with sheltering parasols with your name on them. For those who prefer a swimming pool, the main pool is close by too and straddles both the beach and ocean. 

Head to the water sports centre if high octane water sports is more your thing with a wide range of activities to choose from including snorkelling, stand up paddleboarding, canoeing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and dinghy sailing. There is also catamaran and Trimaran sailing, surfing, bodyboarding, jetblades and jetsurfing. Try out an underwater scooter with the Seabob or head out on a fun tube or water skis. Other activities include wakeboarding, kneeboarding, parasailing, sup skis and waterbikes. The resort also features a semi submarine, glass bottom boats for looking at the reef and its marine life and speed boat tours to nearby atolls. 

The North Malé Atoll is one of the best diving destinations in the world. The resort’s dive centre, DiveOceanus, hosts daily excursions to nearby dive sites for both beginners and experienced divers. They will introduce beginners to Scuba Diving whilst offering diving courses for beginners to PADI Dive Master. 

There are any number of excursions available from fishing trips to watching dolphins play in the sunset. Go island hopping, cocktail in hand, try big game fishing or even take a photo flight by sea plane. 

Other facilities at the resort include a sports centre offering basketball; billiards; volleyball; floodlit tennis; indoor badminton and squash court; table tennis and a well-equipped fitness centre with cardio and strength equipment with free weights. 

For indulgent and restorative pampering, there is the Araamu Spa, hidden away in a corner of the resort amidst tropical planting and greenery. With facilities including a couple’s suite in its own pavilion, a sauna, steam bath and Jacuzzi, the Spa offers a range of massages, facials, wraps, remedies, reflexology, manicures, pedicures, and more using both ancient techniques, Indian Ayurveda know-how and all natural botanical products. Local ingredients include fresh indigenous plants and herbs such as coconut, lemon, rose and papaya. 

For entertaining the kiddies, Paradise Island Resort offers the Wavy Navy Kids Club featuring a wide range of fun-filled activities including games, racing track, arts and crafts, a dedicated kid’s pool and nap lounges. For children aged eight and above, the dive centre, DiveOceanus offers diving courses for children ranging from using bubble makers in the pool to finding out about the basics of scuba diving from a PADI seal team member.

One of the largest resorts in the Maldives, this is entry level luxury, perfect for those who want to experience the beauty of The Maldives but who are on a budget with all-inclusive options available. It is also perfect for those impatient travellers who cannot wait to walk in the sand or dive into the ocean as it is just a short speedboat transfer from the international airport to the resort. 

As it is a larger resort, there is ample space for guests to spread out and enjoy that Robinson Crusoe moment for themselves although there are ample facilities, spa and water activities to enjoy too. For accommodation, if budgets will stretch a little further, head to the newly refurbished Deluxe Beach Pool Villas or the water villas with a whirlpool orientated for the best sunsets. There is nothing like relaxing in a tub or a pool, cocktail in hand, watching the sun go down.

There are five restaurants and two bars offering a wide range of cuisines to suit all palates. 

Bageecha Restaurant offers a wide selection of buffet-style breakfasts, lunches and dinners and is situated on the beach, enjoying the soft ocean breezes throughout the day and evening. Breakfasts are continental or English whilst the menu opens up into Asian and Maldivian cuisines for lunch and dinner. It is the main restaurant for those in the beach villas. The Lagoon Restaurant is similarly the main restaurant for those in the water villas and it is located in their midst. 

For speciality seafood, head to the over water Farumathi Restaurant on the edge of the reef with indoor and outdoor dining. There are lobster feasts, platters, wraps and grilled meats too on offer. The à la carte Fukuya Teppanyaki offers a taste of Japan with live teppanyaki stations serving seafood, chicken and steak or fresh sushi and sashimi, accompanied by a wide list of sake and Japanese beers. The Italian restaurant, Ristorante al Tramonto, is located at the end of the main jetty overlooking the ocean. The menu has something to suit everyone from homemade pastas, to pizzas, to risottos as well as dishes of seafood, chicken, lamb and beef. 

The main bar is Hulhangu Bar which overlooks both the ocean and the pool, perfect for relaxing refreshment during the day and music and dancing as the sun goes down with live bands and a resident DJ spinning the decks. The other bar is Athiri Bar located on the sand down on the beach. Enjoy anything from a cup of tea, to freshly made smoothies, a glass of wine, a signature cocktail or a single malt.

Paradise Island is part of Villa Hotels & Resorts, a brand which strives towards minimising their environmental footprint with a number of environmental and sustainability initiatives designed to save water, reduce energy usage, avoid the use of plastics and to manage waste efficiently. They recognise that the guest experience relies on the enduring beauty of the natural surroundings and the culture and people of The Maldives so they are committed to best practices with products and services sourced from local famers and fishermen. 

Villa Hotels & Resorts harvests and uses rainwater at all their resorts introducing reusable glass bottles throughout and are on track to eliminate single use plastics completely. They donate plastic for recycling in partnership with Parley for the Oceans, an environmental protection organisation. 

To help preserve the surrounding coral reefs of the Indian Ocean and the marine species that call them home, Villa Hotels & Resorts has implemented several initiatives at their resorts including regular beach, ocean and nearby sandbank clean ups and regular reef care and maintenance carried out by DiveOceanus dive centres. They also regularly plant coconut saplings to replenish and sustain the greenery around the islands. 

Villa Hotels & Resorts regularly hold awareness programmes for both employees and for guests on the importance of environmental and sustainability believing in the power of change by spreading the word and raising awareness. Even their Dive Oceanus dive centres are 100% paperless with all training material and admin forms sent digitally to guests. 

The company follows the UN Sustainable Development goals for a healthy ocean and sustainable future and source fish and seafood only from local fishermen who use the traditional pole and line method of fishing. They also prioritise sustainable lobster fishing by size as part of their commitment to preserve The Maldives’ ecosystem and biodiversity. 

The brand also encourages guests to do their bit too by switching off lights when not in their villas, recycling and only replenishing linens and towels when required.