Reviewed by Emma Taylor
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COCOA ISLAND - REVIEW
Discovered by Playboy photographer Eric Klemm in the 70's, this islet is a sliver of sandy perfection, washed by warm seas in every shade of blue. It's a place to leave shoes and cares behind, enjoy caster sugar sand between your toes, sun on your back and tropical fish through your mask. Common stuff in the Maldives, perhaps; but what sets this resort apart are its location (40 mins by speedboat from Malé airport), its world-class spa (courtesy of Shambhala) and its easy, laid-back atmosphere.
Moored on stilts above the turquoise lagoon, design supremo Christina Ong’s rooms are sheer style: think NY loft combined with beach-shack-chic and you’re close. There's a fantastic restaurant next to an infinity edge pool, which blends seamlessly with the sea beyond. Through the trees: a beautiful spa, an open-air yoga pavilion and massuesses who read your body like a book. This is five-course bliss served on a plate; you need hardly move. But you should. Shuffle barefoot around the island to find a private stretch of beach; slip into crystalline waters to snorkel or dive among turtles and reef fish; book a sunset cruise or a day's deep-sea fishing. |
