Furaveri Island Resort & Spa is a located in the Raa Atoll near “Hanifaru Bay”, a UNESCO biosphere reserve. It is just a 45-minute seaplane flight from Malé International Airport.
The island is really beautiful: soft white sand lines the beach and tropical fish can be seen spotted from the shore, cheerfully darting through the water. The centre of the island forms a series of pathways fringed with lush, green vegetation. The air is warm but fresh, with a pleasant sea breeze.
Furaveri prides itself of being an eco-friendly hotel. There is a water bottling plant on site and in the hotel rooms and restaurants water is served in glass bottles.
Also read ⇒ Sustainable travel in the Maldives
The island is reasonably large at 56 acres – it is just about walkable but guests can request a free taxi service by golf cart, drive their own golf cart or cycle around the island on fat bikes.
Who for
Furaveri is aimed at honeymooners and couples, and has a very romantic vibe. Wicker basket chairs hang from palm trees and sea swings with the “Furaveri” logo are positioned in the shallow water – any seasoned Instagram star would seethe with jealousy.
The island is child friendly and they have family villas with an outdoor playground, and a Kids’ club that hosts activities such as coconut painting, palm tree origami and traditional Maldivian songs.
Accommodation
There are 107 private villas at Furaveri, all of which are spacious and tastefully furnished. The most economical option is the garden villa with private sun deck; just a few minutes walk from the beach. Upgrade to a beach villa for direct access to the beach and Indian Ocean. Beach villas have a semi-open air bathroom with a bathtub.
We stayed in the Beach Pool Villa during our stay. Walk through the door and the first thing you spot is a gorgeous square pool right in front of the double bed, separated by a glass wall. A sandy pathway takes you past the pool and directly to the beach. At the back of the villa is a huge bathroom with a large, circular bathtub, shower and sinks on each side of the room. The entire back wall is made of glass and opens out onto a pathway with outdoor shower.
The nearby Dhoni pool villas have a similar room layout but with an outdoor bathroom complete with a luxurious bathtub and spectacular sea views. The swimming pools are a slightly odd L-shape to fit in the layout, but this is a small niggle.
Water villas are connected to the island by a wooden walkway. For the ultimate luxury, the two-room suite with infinity pool is a real showstopper – honeymooners often rent this for a day or two as a special treat on their trip.
Facilities
Furaveri Spa is located in the centre of the island and has four open-air pavilions and four air-conditioned pavilions for side-by-side couple treatments, separate steam bath, sauna, Jacuzzi and relaxation area.
The island has a dedicated watersports centre and indoor gym (including excellent running machines) tennis court, badminton court and large outdoor pool.
Furaveri is a lively island and there’s plenty of entertainment in the evening including a Maldivian night complete with local dances, drums and optional dancing by the guests.
Food and drink
There are four restaurants on Furaveri Island as well as in-villa dining and a selection of curated dining experiences, from BBQ on the beach to a Sea Breeze dinner with tiger shrimps, calamari and locally caught lobster.
For your first foody experience, we recommend walking along the gangway past the beautiful water villas to Amigos at Farumathi. The Mexican restaurant looks out onto the reef and offers a menu chock full of spicy, fresh ingredients and the nachos are a real winner.
Another highlight is the Asian fusion restaurant, Raiyvilla, where you can book a Teppanyaki experience with a specialist chef performing tricks with knives as he grills delicious seafood and meat right in front of your eyes – watch him perform the egg trick (involving a lot of spinning) and volcano trick (involving some impressive flames) with real pizazz.
There is also an international buffet, Jaafaeiy, that includes live cooking stations and every night there is a different theme including Maldivian Night, Thai Night, Pasta Night. Jaafaeiy also hosts breakfast on a daily basis, and while there is a lot of choice, we thought the food could have hotter.
Is WiFi available
Yes but it works best in the main restaurant and reception area.
Room rates
Accommodation in a Beachfront Villa at Furaveri Island Resort and Spa on a full board basis costs from £295 ($375) per night.
What’s nearby
The three-hour snorkelling excursion offers an chance to swim with critically endangered hawksbill turtles, shy green turtles, dolphins and manta rays.
The dive school offers a full range of PADI programmes including diving courses for complete beginners to more experienced divers. Other watersports on offer include paddle boarding, catamaran sailing and jet skiing.
There are excursions to the local island of Meedhoo that include atour of the island and a chance to meet the locals and take tea with one of the local families with some delicious Maldivian snacks.
Getting there
The nearest international airport to Furaveri is Malé International Airport (also known as Valena). From here you can catch a seaplane to the island that takes around 45 minutes.
Domestic plane transfers are available from the nearby Dharavandhoo and Ifuru airports, which take 20 minutes, followed by a 45-minute speedboat ride to Furaveri Island.
More info: Visit Maldives
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