Luxurious, Overwater, Paradise Retreat (The Centara Grand in South Ari Atoll, Maldives)
We went to the Maldives to save money. Yes – you read that right.
Wrapping up our three-month stay in Kuala Lumpur posed quite the logistical challenge. We had a looming visa deadline and needed to depart Malaysia by May 2nd. I had an important commitment in Singapore on May 15th, and the idea of flying all the way back to Australia only to return to Singapore a few weeks later felt, well, less than practical. So, somewhat in jest, I tossed out the idea that it might be more affordable to escape to the Maldives instead – and to our surprise, it turned out to be true! Best of all, we hadn’t been there before so this was a new country to add to the list.
Getting to the Maldives
Booking this trip just two weeks ahead turned out to be a smart move as we snagged frequent flyer tickets on Sri Lankan Airways, routing through Colombo to reach Male. Our flight departed Singapore around 3 pm, and the approximately 4-hour flight to Colombo passed quickly. We had just an hour and a half layover, which flew by as we navigated a bus ride from the plane to the terminal. Our connecting gate was downstairs, which led to another round of security checks. The line seemed never-ending, and the pushing and lack of personal space was uncomfortable. To add to the adventure, we then boarded another bus to reach the plane. It would have been comical if it had been the same plane, but alas, it wasn’t. The Colombo to Male leg was about an hour, although it was nighttime so we missed out on those iconic views.
The Maldives is an archipelago consisting of approximately 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls in the Indian Ocean. These atolls are spread over a vast area, and the country stretches roughly 820 kilometres (510 miles) from its southernmost point to its northernmost point. For comparison purposes, this is roughly the size of Florida.
Unless you are staying in Male, travel to the Maldives involves connecting to a boat, domestic flight, or seaplane to reach your final destination. Our resort required a sea plane connection, and because they don’t fly after dusk, this meant an overnight in the capitol city in the Maldives, Male. The sea plane schedule varies day to day, so you don’t know the flight time until the day before. I have to admit, communication with Centara hadn’t exactly been a breeze, but I had this feeling that it would somehow sort itself out in the end. Sometimes, you just have to trust the process, right?
Where to stay in Male
When we scoured the internet for accommodation options in Male, we were met with surprisingly steep prices. Given our travel dates, we had two contenders in mind: JEN and the Samann Grand. While staying at the JEN would have been somewhat ironic, its price tag soared above USD $400, which seemed rather extravagant for our brief stay. Hence, we opted for the Samann Grand.
Upon arrival, the immigration process at Male Airport presented us with three distinct lanes: one for nationals, one for workers, and the longest one for tourists. Unfortunately, the tourist line crawled along as many hadn’t completed their online travel declarations. After about 10 minutes, we finally cleared immigration and located our Samann Grand representative.
The journey to the hotel should have been a breezy 10-15 minutes, but Mother Nature had other plans, drenching the streets with rain. Our drop-off point was an entrance tucked away in a dimly lit alley, which meant we had to trudge a short distance through the pouring rain to reach the hotel. By the time we checked in, it was past 11 PM, and to our surprise, we were informed that we needed to be downstairs at 6 AM for a 7:30 AM flight.
Our room on the 4th floor, felt rather snug, barely accommodating us and our two small carry-on bags. The room also has a dozen bright blinking LED status/indicator lights, and was about an arm’s length from the adjacent mosque’s speaker. At least we wouldn’t oversleep.
Our stay came with a boxed breakfast and transport back to the airport for our onward journey.
Getting to South Ari Atoll
Most of the resorts have these nifty little check-in kiosks right at the main airport.
After that, your luggage goes on a truck, and you hop on a van headed for the seaplane terminal. It was still pouring rain.
That terminal, by the way, looked shiny and new, complete with swanky private lounges for those staying at the fancier resorts.
Our chaperone pointed us toward a cozy waiting room, as our flight was making stops at several islands along the way.
Based on this it looked like we were the first stop.
About ten minutes later, they announced our flight and guided us out the back of the terminal towards the seaplanes.
Our flight was with Trans Maldivian Airways, who is the largest seaplane operator.
The planes are… snug, and there’s no air conditioning.
The pilots were also wearing thongs/flip-flops.
Even with the less than ideal weather, the views were still amazing.
Our stop was the second one on the list, and when the seaplane touched down, it gracefully glided up to a floating dock. From there, the resort had a boat waiting to whisk us away on a quick, scenic journey to the hotel’s very own dock.
Where to Stay in South Ari Atoll
We selected the Centara Grand primarily because of those incredible overwater bungalows with direct access to the water. And let me tell you, it lived up to all our expectations and more.
The resort occupies the entire island, which is about a half kilometre long. You can walk around the island using shady, palm tree-lined pathways.
The overwater bungalows are perched around the lagoon. It is in a word: stunning.
The bungalows are freestanding, so there are no shared walls with your neighbours.
The villa was massive, and included a sundeck with an infinity pool and stairs down to the lagoon.
The resort staff was EXCEPTIONAL. Pretty much every time we left our room we would return to lovely little notes and decorations.
We also enjoyed watching the grey herons fishing at low tide.
Where to Eat at the Centara Grand
The resort occupies the entire island, so the dining options are limited. There are three restaurants and two bars, with different meal plans to suit your tastes. We went with breakfast only, which turned out to be a great call. Buffets aren’t really our thing, but breakfast here was surprisingly good. For lunch, the poolside bar was our go-to spot, and when it came to dinner, we opted for the Italian and Thai specialty restaurants. Overall this cost less than the all inclusive buffet – so win/win.
The main restaurant is open air, has a sand floor, and serves three lavish buffets per day.
I mean who doesn’t love a good nautical-theme donut tree?!?
The Italian restaurant was on the jetty adjacent to the quieter of the two bars. At night, the lights attracted all kinds of fish including small black tip reef sharks and rays.
The jetty bar was always quiet and was perfect for sunset.
The Centara served a refreshing blue pea flower tea (similar to what we had in Lahad Datu) on arrival. We requested it in the evening with vodka, but they said it was only for arrivals. We convinced them to make an exception and this was our drink of choice for the duration of our stay.
The Thai restaurant was on the island interior, and featured lovely ponds and fountains. The pad thai was also amazing.
Weather in the Maldives
The Maldives experiences two distinct monsoon seasons, known as the northeast monsoon (Hulhangu) and the southwest monsoon (Iruvai).
The northeast monsoon is from November to March and typically features clear skies, calm seas, and lower humidity. This is ideal for diving, except clear water means no plankton, so spotting mantas and whalesharks is less common as this is their primary food source.
The southwest monsoon is from May to October and typically is wetter and more humid with heavy rainfall, strong winds, and higher humidity levels. While rain is more common during this period, it’s worth noting that showers are often short-lived and followed by sunshine.
We travelled in early May, and though there was plenty of sunshine, we did have one day that was a literal monsoon, which cancelled arrivals and departures.
Snorkelling at Centara Grande
The house reef is situated on the eastern side of the island. There is a stairway down to the water behind the dive shop, and a place to leave your room key and a towel. As you swim southward, passing by the pool and restaurant, the schools of fish are unreal. We also saw turtles every time we visited.
