First things first. Nova Maldives is not for kids. This small, luxurious island resort is aimed at grown-ups. It is affordable too – meaning, it is affordable luxury with 76 villas, a pool, swim-up bar, three restaurants, live music, and options of water sports.
While I was here, I enjoyed the peace and calm of this island resort and at the same time, indulged in great food and plenty of activities. The restaurants are open-styled, and you never feel boxed in. as you sip on your cocktails seated on some very fine and colourful beanbags with your feet digging into the sparkling white sands, you feel one with nature.
On a separate note, I was here on my birthday and the staff threw me a surprise (see pics). This was totally unexpected, and I am very grateful to everyone at Nova Maldives for going that extra step to make the day memorable.
Now you know what I mean by great service, right? And because the place is smaller in comparison to Kandima Maldives (where I stayed earlier), you are bound to get individual attention. Yes, I even got some special ‘masala chai’ and special Maldivian chilly to go with my meals!
During my stay here, I mostly found myself drifting between the sea, the pool and the restaurant barefoot, thanking every moment of being at this green paradise.
And oh! No matter how hard you try, you can never take a bad picture! Sunny and warm, blue waters and sparkling white sands…yes, how can you go wrong with it!
Add something extra to your holiday
So, what can you do at Nova Maldives besides chilling on the beach or enjoying live music? While that may not be a bad idea at all, there are a few extra activities you can indulge in whilst you are here. How does the idea of swimming with sharks sound? Yes, that is possible here. The water around this resort is teeming with marine life, and that includes a few sharks well. Don’t worry, they do not harm you (forget all the movies you have seen about man-eating sharks, these creatures here swim right past you or at best, alongside you right under your water villa).
So now that you have fulfilled your fantasy of swimming with sharks, here are a few other things you can do –
1. The Wellness Experience
Spas are a big part of Maldivian resorts and Nova doesn’t shy away from employing the best hands to heighten your spa experience. In fact, the spa experience is also aimed at promoting wellness tourism and interestingly, Bali has strongly influenced the spa culture. That said, make sure to spend at least an hour (or ten) at eSkape Spa.
It was amongst the best spa experiences I have had. It is built over the coral reef, so while you are getting those weary knots in your back kneaded out, you can watch the fish swim by or drift away to the lull of the blue ocean. The view of the ocean is uninterrupted. I did two spa sessions during my stay. The first was a one-hour body massage but for the second, I opted for the two hours treatment that included a one-hour massage followed by body mask (I chose the seaweed aroma and coffee combination).
Too bad there was not enough time to do the third. The masseurs too are from Bali who are incredibly strong and trained.
2. Snorkel and dive
A holiday on a tropical island calls for some water-adventure, right? The ocean has immense possibilities and at Nova all this is made easy. I spent a lot of time in the sea and the swimming pool (yes, it has a swim up bar too) and sometime snorkeling. Here I must add that if you are a diver, (PADI certificate is needed. If you haven’t dived in a long time, refresher course is available too) there is nothing to stop you from exploring the underwater world– and I am told, it is spectacular. I did get a glimpse of that while snorkeling. You just need to book in advance and your instructor or dive master will schedule you in. Dipping your head into the water opens up a world of corals, turtles and colourful fish.
I cannot say this enough – to float in the azure waters of Maldives is nothing short of ethereal and breathtaking.
3. Gym, football or tennis
While this might not be what you are looking for on a holiday it helps to know that Nova Maldives has a fully equipped gym and a tennis and football court – so if you are in the mood to work off some of that fabulous Maldivian food, you know where to go.
Location and marine life
Nova Maldives is located a 30-minute seaplane journey from the capital Male in the South Ari Atoll where you can find sharks, dolphins, sea turtles and manta rays all through the year. South Ari Atoll is also among the best diving spots. That said, Nova’s house reef is extremely healthy and is teeming with neon bright reef fish, sting rays, eagle rays, black tip reef sharks and lemon sharks.
Service and Facilities
Nova is located on a small island, which means walking around the island can easily be done in about twenty minutes. But despite the size, there are plenty of things you can do here. Complimentary activities are changed daily – and includes sunrise yoga, afternoon stretching, coral gardening or sunset meditation. Paid activities include swimming with whale sharks, turtle quests, dolphin cruises and jet ski safaris. Aquaholics, the water sports centre offers free kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, plus jet skis for hire. The overwater spa has six treatment rooms with glass panels on the floor.
The 76 villas on the island are split between over-water and beach villas. A few of the overwater villas have plunge pools, while some of the others have outdoor hot tubs. The beds are huge and extremely comfortable. The bathrooms are large and have standalone tubs.
Food and Drink
There are three restaurants at Nova Maldives and a couple of bars, which provide enough options for an island of this size. While most guests on the island opt for an all-inclusive package, which means you will find yourself at the Soul Kitchen for your buffet breakfast, lunch or dinner. Breakfast options include Maldivian (curries and roti bread), Asian (miso soup and dumplings) and Western (bacon and eggs) cuisine, as well as freshly made pancakes and waffles. Lunch and dinner are a mix of soup, salad, pizza, wraps and starters such as beef bourguignon, pork and apple and tandoori chicken.
All-inclusive guests also have the option of booking à la carte dinners at Flames (although many of the menu items come at an additional cost) and are entitled to a 20 per cent discount at overwater Japanese restaurant Mizu. Post-dinner, listen to some live music at Wink Bar with a daiquiri, while enjoying the sand between your toes.
What is it priced at?
Double rooms from USD $470 (£370) in low season; and from USD $685 (£538) in high, on an all-inclusive basis.
For bookings – click here
Points to be noted
The island is not suited for guests with disabilities. Access for guests with disabilities? It is family friendly with a few interconnected beach villas and one two-bedroom residence with a private pool, but the resort is aimed at couples and groups of friends.
This unpretentious all-inclusive opened in 2022 and puts the emphasis on its beautiful location, with simply styled open-air restaurants, a sandy-floored entertainment hub and brightly coloured bean bags scattered on the beach. While you will spot the occasional older guest or the odd family, the resort is mainly aimed at younger travellers: mostly couples, mostly European and many of them on their honeymoons. The vibe is so relaxed it’s almost horizontal, with barefooted guests gently drifting between the pool, beach and luminous blue Indian Ocean.
