Review: Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives – a luxurious island retreat

I barely noticed the turmoil in financial markets last April caused by Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs. I was relaxing at Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives.

The US president’s trade war had set market traders’ pulses racing, but from my 152-square-metre beach-side villa with its own private pool, my heart rate never exceeded the normal resting pace of 60-100 beats a minute.

And while investors grappled with the shock waves, the waves I was dealing with brought in nothing more dangerous than the odd baby reef shark.

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My time on the island was one of pure bliss. Kuda Villingili, a 30-minute speedboat ride from the capital of Malé and located just next to Chicken’s Break, a world-renowned surf point, is a very special place.

Being one of 50 small islands situated in the North Malé Atoll, the resort is made up of 75 villas – 39 on the beach and 36 built over the water – each one with its private pool and views of the Indian Ocean.

Every villa has been designed with “tranquillity in mind”, with floor-to-ceiling windows providing panoramic views of either the sunrise or sunset, depending on which side of the island you are housed, say the resort’s managers.

Meanwhile, the “interiors [are] of neutral tones, earthy textures and pops of vibrant blue celebrate the spectacular natural surroundings”.

The accommodation is indeed lovely. Rates for a sunset beach villa on a bed and breakfast basis, excluding taxes, start at around £1,200 a night.

Prices for the three-bed beachside retreats, meanwhile, begin at around £3,000 a night, with the houses sleeping up to nine people over two floors. They also come with three en-suite bathrooms, a fully furnished kitchen and dining room and an infinity pool.

Excellent restaurants to try

Quite why you might need a kitchen is not obvious as dining out is integral to life on Kuda Villingili. The island has seven restaurants, three bars and an exclusive whisky and cigar lounge offering one of the largest whisky and cognac collections in the Maldives.

At the island’s centre, situated below a sweet-smelling neem tree, is The Bar, which comprises three eateries – Med, Spice and East. Med opens for lunch and serves Italian and Mediterranean dishes, while Spice and East open for lunch and dinner, accompanied by live music.

Flame-grilled kebabs and charcoal tandoori are among the Indian-Middle Eastern inspired dishes on offer at Spice. East, meanwhile, serves up Thai, Korean and Chinese cuisine, including papaya salad, pad thai and dim sum.

In addition, there is The Restaurant in the northern part of the island, which has three dining rooms – Fire, an American steakhouse, Earth, which offers classic Asian dishes, and Ocean, serving up European-style seafood.

On Fridays, the whole space is taken up by the resort’s Maldivian night, with amazing regional food forming the backdrop for a night of mesmerising local music and dance. Breakfast also takes place at The Restaurant, which is a buffet-style affair with a selection of yoghurts, cheeses, cereals, cold meats and hot dishes on offer. I thoroughly recommend the dosas – thin, savoury crêpes that are a local favourite.

Mar-Umi is Kuda Villingili’s most recent addition to its roster of restaurants. It offers a fusion of Japanese-Peruvian cuisine, complete with its own theatrical teppanyaki (a flat iron griddle) experience.

Adventures on the water

Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives opened in 2021 and boasts the largest freshwater pool in the Maldives, spanning over 150 metres and surrounded by palm trees, sunbeds, and private shaded cabanas. There is additionally a shaded Jacuzzi, a lounge pool, and a separate child-friendly pool.

Water sports are conducted by third-party provider MSTS, who are based on the island. Diving and snorkelling excursions are an option, but the sunset dolphin cruise, which takes place on a traditional wooden dhoni boat, is a must. The dolphins can be shy, but they were out in full force during my voyage.

Back at the resort, the island offers two floodlit tennis courts, a state-of-the-art padel court, a fully equipped gym, a volleyball court and a futsal pitch (an indoor sport related to football). Facilities also include a nail and hair salon, two steam rooms and a wellness centre offering yoga sessions in a pavilion overlooking the ocean.

There are also spa treatment rooms and, on the day international markets tanked, I was treated to a 60-minute massage in one of the eight villas built over the water that are located on a separate island from the main Kuda Villingili resort accessed by a short wooden bridge.

While I listened to the waves gently rolling in beneath me, the massage squeezed out of my shoulders and back any lingering concerns I had about my Isa and pension being decimated by Trump’s trade war. And the choice of oils meant I literally came out smelling of roses, which is more than could be said of global markets at the time.

Chris was a guest of Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives. Rates start from $1,340 a night for a Sunrise Beach Pool Villa on a B&B basis in low season.

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