cocolisodos

trying to make up our mind. any tips? if we finally decide to go for the soneva, any recommendations as to what jetty and what short of room should you choose?

thank you!!

Hanuman

Soneva Gili is my favourite resort in the Maldives! We were there a couple of years ago and our group had four villas all together - 2 villa suites, 1 spa suite and the "private reserve". My wife and I stayed in the regular villa suite but we inspected all the other units since a member of my family own the Soneva Kiri(Koh Kood) in Thailand and we were treated royally there as well as the Soneva Fushi.

The regular villa suites were more than adequate in terms of luxury and amenities. I would opt for the furthest unit from pier as you will have the deepest sea to play around in. Our unit was mid way up from the pier and at low tide it was only knee deep. The suites are very large comprising of 4 sections - the master bed room with a/c, the living room with a sun deck and access to the sea, the gigantic bathroom with bath, private swimming area(out of sight) in the sea, shower after a short walk on a covered bridge and the rooftop sun lounge. Beautiful and gorgeous!!

The more expensive units, like the Crusoe Residences, you will need a shuttle boat to go back and forth with the main island. This could be good if you want extreme privacy but IMO the 1/2 hour wait is too long just to wait for the shuttle boat. The "Private Reserve" is beautiful but expensive. At low tide, the water slide at the private reserve is useless as you will most likely injured your self.

You might want to enquire about staying at both the Soneva's resorts as they normally have a package. Both are different and both are quite unique IMO.

cocolisodos

Hanuman, thanks a lot for your response. One additional question. I have notice they have three different jettys. Do they have the regular villas in more than one jetty, and if so, any recommendation as to what jetty we should be asking for?

I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out.

Kind regards,

Hanuman

Hi again,

This information is over a year old but all the villas are the same on the jetties. If you take a look at the hotel map below we were in jetty 2 at villa number 25. To me the best villas are the one right at the end of the jetty or the villas furthest away from land.

Our group had another villa in jetty 1, a Crusoe Residence stand alone villa(not a spa suite that I mentioned early - my mistake) and the Private Reserve. Those of us that were in the villas suites had bicycles, 2 per villa, and can go to the restaurants, explore the island etc at our leisure.

If you like looking at the sunset then ask for a Westerly facing villa that is the furthest unit possible on the jetty. That should be perfect IMO. At night you can lie on the roof top and gaze at the stars and then pop down to the bathroom where there's a private swimming area in the sea(access by stairs from the bathroom) or just plunge in from the deck connected to the living area. We had baby sharks, rays and all sort of fish swimming down there while I took a dip but don't worry the fish will go away once you're in the water.

Let me know if you need any more information and don't forget to post a report when you're back.

http://www.sixsenses.com/Soneva-Gili...Resort-Map.pdf

cocolisodos

Hanuman,

thanks a lot. that was very helpful. I am planning to go in August (I know, I know, not the best time, but still I need to get married before we go in our honeymoon) so definetely will post my report once I am back.

Another question: I was told in a TA forum to check Mirihi resort. How would you compare it to Cocoa or to SG? I heard that snorkleing is great but I am not so sure since it seems from the pictures that the waterbungalows are too close and dont seem to be too big.

Thank you again!

Hanuman

Hi,

I can only speak of the SG since I've not been to the Cocoa(Como property). You can snorkel right out side the villa but the water is too shallow IMO and the reef are not that mature. The best safe snorkeling, safe since in August the sea outside the reef barrier is quite rough, are around the boat pier and the little island near the reef entrance. Soneva Fushi, the sister property in the Maldives. has better snorkeling and diving but again for August it will depend on the sea condition since the best diving and snorkeling will be outside the reef barrier that surrounds the islands.

I am an avid fisherman and I get to travel all around the world for deep sea fishing and I've visited some very pristine seas and resorts. I would rank the Maldives as one of the most luxurious destination, behind Lizard Island or chartering a yacht in the Great Barrier reef. I can safely say that the Soneva Gili is one of the best resort of it's kind.

For an over the water bungalow or villa you will have complete privacy since even though they might look close together they are designed to be private. There's nothing like waking up in the bedroom and opening the curtain to see the beautiful azure sea right below you. August is a low month so there will not be that many people at any of the resorts (we were there in August as well). Make sure you tell them when you reserve the villa that you are on your honeymoon and they will do something special for you.

cocolisodos

Hanuman and all,

finally I made my mind and decided to book in SG for a week in September. Really excited about it. I asked the management to be allocated in Jetty 3 in a Villa facing the one palm tree and as far away as possible from the land. They have been so far very responsive. Will let you know once I am back. Thanks again for all your valuable input.
Regards,

Javier

Hanuman

That's good news Javier. I really think you will be very happy with the SG.

Hanuman

Javier,

I have some pictures from the SG in the Maldives that I usually don't share. I've removed some of the private pictures and the rest is here if you're interested:

http://khun-pook.smugmug.com/Travel/...11199478_4HJXg

cocolisodos

Hi Hanuman, thanks a lot. I tried to check the pictures of SG but it seems like it is required a password.

However I checked also the pictures of Qatar which were great as we are also flying back with them.

I appreciate it very much. Kind regards,

Javier

Hanuman

Javier,

I took it off-line because they are sort of private and I thought you had already seen it! The web counter showed about 100 people looking at the pictures so I thought you were one of them. Oh well I think it's best if you go and experience it for yourself! If you do want to see it email me at [email protected] and I'll send you the password.

cocolisodos

Hanuman,

thanks a lot. sorry for all the inconvinience I really dont want to bother you but appreciate very much all your input. I will report myself once I am back from SG.

Best regards,

Maca

Javier,
We stayed at Soneva Gili for 5 days in January and we loved it, I cannot wait to go back. We also made the Four Seasons Cruise,also fantasctic and one more week at Fesdu W Retreat, we did not like it at all, specially if you compare to Soneva Gili and Four Seasons.

You will have a great time there. If you want to see pictures of Soneva Gili you can see my trip report on a Maldives Forum, which enterely dedicated to this islands, it is in Spanish but to view the pictures you do not need to speak it, you only need to join the forum.
There are trips reports about many resorts of the Maldives.
(You will find Soneva Gili on Reports of Male, North and South)

http://s1.elforo.de/maldivas/index.php

Hanuman, I will visit Soneva Kiri in May, have you already been there? I read on TA the resort is not completely opened, South Beach is not ready, neither the fine dining...
I hope it is ready when we get there.

Hanuman

Hola Maca,

Could not find the pictures and all the links require password! Oh well too bad.

Last I heard the Soneva Kiri kept postponing their grand opening date. It was April 2009 and last I heard it was July 2009 but I haven't really ask my relative if they have open(grand opening) it or not yet. I've only visited the island during the resort construction phase but I will try and find out if everything is open and running. I've been told the spa is going to be awesome there.

Hanuman

OK Maca,

Just hung up with my relative. The grand opening hasn't happen yet but the facilities, like the fine dining restaurant, is open. They are slowly opening everything and so far they have 27 villas open. There are 2 flights a day from Bangkok airport as well. Hope this help.

Maca

Hola Hanuman,

Muchas gracias for the information!

Finally we had to cancel the trip of May, Soneva Kiri and also Singapore, for problems at work. We will try to go next year.

We want to go back to Soneva Gili in November but I will wait to book until July when we are sure we can go.
To read my trip report and view the pictures you need a pasword and log in, you can use a translator in order to get one, it is not difficult.

Thanks again for your information!