Our recent trip to the Maldives in December left us with our mouths open to the floor- literally the most beautiful place we have ever travelled to.
For those planning a trip to the Maldives for their honeymoon, or with your special someone, this hotel hotel will surely impress your socks off!
We selected Gili Lankanfushi Resort to shoot our new summer collection, for its idyllic white sand, palm trees and crystal clean water! We also loved the fact that you could ride your own bike around the island, in which it has several different beaches to explore.
How to Get to Gili Lankafushi
We fly from Dubai to get to Male, the capital city of the Maldives. It was only a 3.5hr flight from Dubai. Male airport is on a harbour, so its literally only a 5 minute walk outside of the airport to the boat harbour where most hotels will organise a transfer to pick you up. Gili Lankanfushi has their own private boat that will pick you up, and from here, its only a short half hour boat trip to the Island. ( we did think that it may not be as quiet and romantic being so close to the airport- but I can assure you- the island feels like a secluded ocean gem!)
When we arrived, we were greeted by our own private ‘Butler’ that will be looking after our every need during the stay. Gili Lankanfushi Resort is based on the Robinson Crusoe movie and books, so you have your own ‘ Mr Friday’ to make your dreams come to life during the stay! We didn’t read the fine print in the accomodation booking, so this was a welcomed delight on our arrival! Our ‘Mr Friday’ took as by golf buggy to our villa- which honestly was the most amazing 1 Bedroom villa I have ever stayed in! ( The photo below is the overwater bungalow we stayed in- with several living spaces, chill out zones, day beds, roof top terrace and private access to the ocean.)
The first thing that happens when you arrive, is that they take your shoes away. The island is a ‘ no shoes’ zone, so you can truely relax- in true ‘Island style’. I didn’t know how I would feel about this, but over the two days that we were there, I really appreciated this rule- as it truely does make you relax! ( It is truely a novel thing going to dinner in a fancy dress- with no shoes!) But all the decks of the restaurants, villas and boardwalks are finely sanded and polished, so its smooth on your feet.
Things to do on the Island
There is literally so much to do on this island ( besides taking a million photos of everything- cause everything just looks so damn gorgeous!) We didn’t get to do too many water sports, but we did manage to snorkle from our over water villa, seeing plenty of colourful fish and coral! This was great, because the water was shallow, and you could swim back to your villa at any time- for a bite to eat before going back into the water.
The other activity we loved was the underground wine cellar- where they held private wine tastings! You walk down stairs to this time room surrounded by white rocks, with a glass ceiling looking up to the blue sky and palm trees above! They also gave you a hot water bottle for your feet ( cause your not wearing shoes- and its a bit cool…) I just loved this touch! It was by far the best wine tasting I had done- with a sommelier from France- explaining the difference between champagne and prosecco! ( Yum!)
The other activity that we didn’t get to experience- but we would certainly do next time- is the outdoor movie theatre. You can book the outdoor movie theatre for the night, with your own little beach picnic setup amongst a private palm tree oasis, with the movie of your choice.
Photographing our summer collection here was the most rewarding part of our job- although being a work trip, it truely felt like we were on holidays!
With out a doubt we would certainly come back again!
How to Book
If your interested in staying at Gili Lankafushi Resort in the Maldives ( even if it is for one night) you can book directly through there website, https://gili-lankanfushi.com/ or through booking.com as well. There is an option to do all ‘full board’ inclusive of meals and drinks, or accomodation only. We went for the accomodation only rate, and paid for our food and cocktails while we were on the island.
I will say- word of warning- Gili Lankanfushi is a luxury resort, so pricing is more expensive then other accomodation options in the Maldives. In our opinion, it was totally worth every dollar, as it was hands down the best place we have travelled to. So if you really want that ‘ wow’ factor holiday – and a memory that you will remember for years to come- this is a ‘splurge’ that really does live up to expectations.
If you love these photos- and want to know more about our stay at Gili Langafushi, please feel free to email us at info@palmcollective.com.au and we can give you our honest opinion and answer any questions you may have.
