Review: Constance Moofushi and Halaveli – respite in the Maldives

Shoals of tropical fish swim past. From time to time, a blacktip reef shark comes into view, wriggling its tail at me. You might be thinking I’m at an aquarium or out snorkelling. But no, I’m having a massage in the Maldives, while watching the marine life below through a glass floor.

It’s a thoughtful touch and a surprise that has many guests gasping as they lie down for their treatment and realise they can see into the ocean. It’s one of the many “pinch me” moments of my trip. This is my first time in the Maldives, and I’m heading to a duo of Constance resorts on two islands.

After a ten-hour flight from London to the capital Malé, we board our seaplane to Constance Moofushi, a 30-minute journey away in the South Ari Atoll. I’m on “island time” from the moment I arrive – literally – as Constance Moofushi has created its own time zone, an hour ahead of the rest of the Maldives, to maximise daylight hours.

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Kick off your shoes

The resort has a laid-back atmosphere and you are encouraged to take your shoes off and enjoy the resort barefoot. You can stay in a “water villa” perched over the shallow water, a “beach villa”, or a “sand villa” that is somewhere between the two, offering easy access to the water. Constance Moofushi also has two restaurants and two bars.

My sand villa is elegant and spacious, and I love walking down from my private deck onto the beach and then just a few steps again into the warm Indian Ocean.

The resort has thought of everything, from the practical (there are life jackets in the room in case of a tsunami) to the indulgent (the al-fresco bath-tub is suspended above the sea, and there’s an all-inclusive mini bar). In fact, the whole resort is all-inclusive in keeping with its easy-going spirit. There’s no worrying about restaurant bills.

Wine lovers are well catered for. There are 125 wines on the all-inclusive list, and more than 900 if you’re happy to pay, plus regular events, such as wine tastings on the beach. The food is five-star. A varied buffet awaits in the main Manta Restaurant, while Alizée offers smarter à la carte dining beside the beach.

There’s also an ice-cream menu with 56 flavours. Despite my best efforts, I fail to try all of them, but I can highly recommend the coconut and pink guava flavours.

When not dining, drinking, swimming or just relaxing, the Maldives is perfect for wildlife spotting. Herons and ghost crabs can be seen onshore, plus sharks and colourful fish merely by glancing into the clear, turquoise waters (and indeed, when you lie down for a massage).

However, diving and snorkelling will get you closer to nature. I was amazed to see clouds of clownfish and angelfish, a hawksbill turtle, and a stingray sashaying past on my first-ever snorkelling trip – a truly memorable experience.

An upmarket affair

My next destination, Constance Halaveli, is a short speedboat ride away. It’s a bigger resort (like Moofushi, it occupies the whole island), but has fewer villas and each has their own plunge pool. In other words, it’s more upmarket.

Footwear isn’t quite so optional here and there are more dining options – four restaurants plus a wine-tasting room. Halaveli stocks 1,600 wine labels from 325 renowned winemakers.

I discover a fantastic riesling from Alsace, France, and a gorgeous chardonnay from South Africa. Some guests even message the sommeliers before their stay to check what’s available, or to request certain wines.

Asian fusion restaurant Jing wows me with its red-curry “cappuccino” and transports me to Thailand with one sip, while Meeru offers grilled meats and seafood on the beach. Do try the angus tenderloin and asparagus bernaise.

Guests can choose to pay for extra activities, such as a cookery or cocktail-making class, or private cinema viewing on the beach. As part of a cookery class, executive chef Siddiq Hameed has us whipping up a tuna coconut salad and Maldivian tuna curry like pros.

Nature is visible everywhere at Constance Halaveli. When I get back to my villa, built on stilts above the water, I find reef sharks playing beneath it. In the afternoon, an Asian koel squawks loudly from high up in a coconut tree, and moments later a flying fox dive-bombs just yards in front of me as I enter the swimming pool.

Moofushi is laid-back and Halaveli feels more exclusive. My recommendation? Visit both for a double dose of relaxation, indulgence and adventure.

Turquoise Holidays (01494-678400) offers a week’s holiday from £4,799 per person combining three nights at Constance Moofushi in a beach villa on an all-inclusive meal plan and three nights at Constance Halaveli in a water villa on a B&B plan.

Includes return flights, seaplane transfers and a direct speedboat from Moofushi to Halaveli, based on two people travelling. Visit constancehotels.com for more details on Constance Hotels.

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