A milestone birthday ending in zero calls for something unforgettable — and when the birthday boy is my husband Bryan, famously impossible to buy for, the pressure is on.
The answer was simple: if I couldn’t find the perfect gift, I would give him the holiday of a lifetime.
Sharing the adventure with our best friends, Kate and Marcus, who were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary, made it even more meaningful. Two milestones. One bucket-list destination.
For years we had dreamed of the Maldives, that far-flung group of islands scattered across the Indian Ocean, but somehow never quite justified the trip.
The only challenge was choosing where to stay. With more than 175 resorts scattered across turquoise atolls, visitors are spoiled for choice. We settled on two sister properties: Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giravaaru. Different in size and setting, both run an hour ahead of Malé time — a clever touch that stretches sunsets, lengthens lazy mornings, and makes every day feel less hurried.
Kuda Huraa: coral gardens and castaway glamour
After landing at Velana International Airport’s new terminal, we stepped straight onto the Four Seasons’ sleek speedboat. Twenty-five minutes later we arrived at Kuda Huraa, our first island escape.
The five-star resort has the charm of a small Maldivian village and measures 1.3km long and 150m wide. Accommodation ranges from one-bedroom villas, including family rooms, to two- and three-bedroom beach and overwater villas, all with private pools, arranged along sandy pathways and wooden jetties. Our home for three nights was a sunrise beach villa, with Kate and Marcus our next-door neighbours.
Interiors were chic: a king-size bed piled with cloud-soft pillows, every modern comfort, a secluded open-air shower and outdoor space just steps from the beach. The villa was polished and elegant, and it would not look out of place in the pages of Architectural Digest.
We all loved the many thoughtful touches in our villa which ranged from the in-room aloe vera gel for sun-kissed skin to an automated foot-washing station for sandy toes after the beach (we are in the Maldives after all!).
First stop after unpacking was The Marine Discovery Centre, where guests are introduced to the island’s conservation ethos. Full-time marine biologists lead coral regeneration and reef preservation projects, oversee turtle rehabilitation, and even work alongside a dedicated on-site turtle vet. Here we met one of the centre’s residents, Artemis, a young turtle rescued after his fin became trapped in a ghost net — abandoned fishing gear that continues to ensnare marine life. We learned about his rehabilitation and the wider conservation work, a humbling reminder that we are visitors in their world.
Snorkelling and diving here is remarkable. With a marine biologist in the water, guiding each excursion, even a simple encounter with fish or coral became a fascinating learning moment. We encountered black-tipped reef sharks gliding past coral formations, schools of surgeonfish, and, in one hushed moment, a green sea turtle drifting beneath us over the coral garden reef.
Not every adventure was serene. Sunrise fishing called at 6am, high on Marcus and Bryan’s wish list. Lines were cast, we all caught fish for supper, but Marcus scored the best story of the morning when a hammerhead shark sliced half his catch clean off the line before his eyes. It’s a tale he has been dining out on ever since.
Dining at Kuda Huraa is an event. Baraabaru serves refined Indian cuisine over the lagoon; Reef Club delivers rustic Italian by the sea with a menu by the two-Michelin-star chef Nino Di Costanza; Kandu Grill specialises in perfectly cooked seafood and steaks beneath the stars. One afternoon we swapped a planned surf lesson for a private Indian cookery class, inspired by the dishes we’d eaten at Baraabaru the night before. Keen to recreate the flavours at home, we spent a few hours learning to prepare Tandoori prawns, balti lobster, chicken biryani, cucumber raita and naan bread from scratch, before sitting down to enjoy the feast we had made. It was one of those spontaneous decisions that became one of our holiday highlights.
The wellness sanctuary at Kuda Huraa is far from being a typical resort spa offering facials and massages. Its programme is intelligent and reflects current wellbeing trends. Treatments are personalised with guidance from in-house specialists including a doctor, physiotherapist, and nutritionist.
Following a consultation with the resort’s wellness team, I tried two diagnostic scans designed to reveal mineral levels and potential stress points. Discussing the results with the resident doctor was unexpectedly revealing and gave me a fascinating insight into my overall wellbeing.The session ended with an over-water massage grounded in modern and naturopathic principles. I left feeling restored, lighter in body and mind, and tuned into my wellbeing in a way I hadn’t been before.
Three magical days at Kuda Huraa flew by. As we prepared to leave for our next island, we thanked Didier, the resort’s fabulous general manager, and confessed we had lost track of dates entirely. He smiled: “Who cares? Every day feels like a Sunday here.” He wasn’t wrong.
The 35-minute seaplane transfer to Landaa Giraavaru is part of the adventure. The pilot stepping off the polka-dot aircraft in flip-flops immediately set the laid-back tone. From above, the atolls are an unforgettable sight, like a vast mosaic, and before we knew it, we had landed at our second stop.
Landaa Giravaaru: Pristine reefs, manta rays and treetop dining
Situated in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the island is a luxury retreat with a purpose. Just like Didier at Kuda Huraa, Landaa’s visionary general manager, Armando Kraenzlin, has cultivated an incredibly passionate team, each one genuinely invested in making sure guests have the most memorable of stays.
Accommodation at Landaa Giraavaru ranges from one-bedroom villas, including family options with a small study, to two-, three- and even a four-bedroom villa, offering space and privacy for groups or families. For the super wealthy, there is also the option of staying on your own private island, Voavah, complete with 28 staff, seven bedrooms, two villas, two-storey Beach House, spa, yacht and lagoon is reserved solely for you.
Home for us for four night was a sunrise beach villa. This was slightly larger than the one we had at Kuda Huraa, equally sleek and stylish, with a private pool, outdoor shower, and indoor-outdoor spaces. Interiors are spectacular, extremely comfortable, blending seamlessly into the natural surroundings.
The island’s commitment to sustainability is tangible: kitchen gardens produce herbs, microgreens, chillies and mushrooms, while hens and quails supply what staff cheerfully call “happy eggs”. Curious to learn more, we booked one of the newest experiences guests can do: a behind-the-scenes tour led by its gardening team. We foraged for ingredients and handed them to two chefs, who skilfully transformed them into a Vietnamese feast in the garden’s kitchen. We climbed the steps to the Banyan Tree House, a treetop table overlooking the gardens and enjoyed a very special lunch. It was superb, made even better when a curious lovebird unexpectedly perched beside us, joining us mid-lunch.
Another morning, we boarded a boat in search of manta rays. We were aware it was off-season and sightings were not guaranteed. With snorkels on, we slipped silently into the water with our marine biologist guide. We were soon joined by a group of manta rays, their vast bodies gliding gracefully, mouths open as they fed on plankton. It was a hypnotic, unforgettable encounter, and a moment that will stay with us forever.
Another excursion we loved involved searching for dolphins — bottlenose and spinners — again with an expert on hand to share insights as pods arced alongside the boat. Other highlights included snorkelling with green sea turtles, pufferfish, parrotfish, Moorish idols and fusiliers.
Wellness at Landaa draws on Ayurvedic principles. Treatments in the lush gardens, four-hand massages, morning yoga with visiting practitioner Sandeep Acharya and an introduction to aqua yoga in the saltwater swimming pool, all allowed our bodies and minds to reset and even inspired yoga-novice Kate to continue at home. Relaxation here is encouraged gently, without being preachy, letting guests fully recharge between adventures.
While staying in the resort, guests are offered a complimentary photoshoot. We hesitated at first, thinking it was the preserve of honeymooners and influencers, but I said to Bryan, “Let’s do it”. The result? Sun-kissed, slightly smug images of the two of us looking happier and more relaxed than we had in years. When we sent them home to our daughters, their reply was swift: “We are coming next time!”
Dining options at Landaa are excellent and cater for all tastes. Its Blu Beach Club serves up contemporary Italian dishes with incredible views; Al Barakat delivers rich Lebanese and Mediterranean flavours with mezze, grills and stews under the stars; and Fuego Grill offers grilled meats, fresh seafood and hearty beachside fare cooked to perfection. Each dinner was delicious, and without fail, we left every night saying it was the best one yet!
For our final night we went all out: sandbank dining with a five-course feast cooked over charcoal by our own private chef. After Mai Tais at our tiny makeshift sand bar, the four of us sat around a beautifully lit table in the middle of the ocean, counting off all the unforgettable moments from the week, one by one. We all agreed, it had been the best holiday of our lives.
As we left the island, the team gathered on the jetty to wave us off. They told me, we never say goodbye, only ‘see you soon’. I suspect they may be right.
FACT BOX
Four Seasons Resort at Kuda Huraa: Garden pavilion with pool from US $750 https://www.fourseasons.com/maldiveskh/
Four Seasons Resort at Landaa Giraavaru: Premier oceanfront bungalow with pool from US $1700 https://www.fourseasons.com/maldiveslg/
British Airways flies from London Heathrow to the Maldives from £711 return, including taxes and carrier fees.
British Airways flies from Dublin to the Maldives, via London Heathrow from £785 return, including taxes and carrier fees.
