COMO Maalifushi is the only resort to open in the Maldives’ Thaa Atoll, nestled in the archipelago’s southern reaches. With overwater villas and beach suites, COMO Maalifushi is therefore the ultimate away-from-it-all destination for families, couples, surfers and divers. There are some excellent breaks nearby as well as a string of uninhabited private islands, where there are seasonal hammerhead and manta ray sightings.

Aditya and I were lucky enough to visit Como Maalifushi for our honeymoon last month. After 2 weeks of celebrations in Mumbai and Jodhpur, this was the perfect get-away.

A flight to Kochi, followed by a flight to Male and a seaplane ride later, we were finally there. Paradise. I was awe-struck and spent the next few hours pinching myself. I knew it was going to be beautiful. I knew it was going to be secluded. But my expectations were exceeded. Mind blown.

The gorgeous island is extremely private, with nothing but shades of blue for miles ahead – very “Robinson Crusoe – esque”. We stayed in the COMO villa; a bountiful overwater villa with beautiful sit-outs and a lovely private butler who took care of us very well.

We spent a week engaging in activities like snorkeling, swimming, wind surfing, cruising with dolphins and lastly snorkeling at night with the whale sharks. We spent some time unwinding at the COMO Shambhala retreat at COMO Maalifushi with yoga sessions, deep tissue massages (A restorative full body massage that aids in releasing deeply held patterns of tension, removing toxins, relaxing, soothing and thereby encouraging muscles to operate at full capacity. The techniques used in this massage create a prolonged state of reduced muscular tension by applying deep muscle compression and cross fibre friction to increase blood and lymphatic flow. ) & COMO Shambhala massages (A nurturing massage using our signature blended massage oil to calm the mind and rejuvenate the body.) at the overwater spa.

The dining options were fantastic; an abundance of fresh local seafood featured on the menu at the hotel’s Japanese restaurant Tai as well as the other eateries Madi & Thila. The COMO Shambhala wellness menu incorporated a lot of organic ingredients rich in living enzymes, fresh juices and guilt free snacks.

We had a beautiful, private dinner on the beach, on our last night; we dined under the stars and satiated our taste buds with a delicious three-course meal and plenty of champagne.

A week later, we were in love with the island life; sun-kissed, happy, relaxed and well-fed. We were sad to leave, but made a promise to return.