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Baros Maldives: the grande dame of private island resorts
Show-stopping retreat near Malé features a house reef teeming with colourful fish
Baros Maldives is the grande dame of resorts in the archipelagic country. A tiny island located near the capital Malé, it’s been open since 1973, one year after the first hotel appeared in the Maldives. It channels many years of experience to provide flawless service as well as one of the most easily accessible house reefs teaming with colourful fish.
Why stay here?
The terraces come with infinity pools and sun beds
(Image credit: Baros Maldives)
It takes 25 minutes by speedboat to get to Baros from Malé – no waiting around for a seaplane transfer after you land. The atmosphere is low-key but looks-wise the island is a showstopper – it’s surrounded by a beautiful aquamarine lagoon with stunning beaches and vibrant marine life.
You can walk around the whole island in 10 minutes. It was peaceful and quiet during my visit. I didn’t see any children even though it’s not explicitly an adults-only resort (kids over eight are welcome).
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The most impressive thing about the resort is the house reef, with abundant fish, just a few metres from the beach. I saw colourful schools of fish flashing neon as they whizzed past me, a stingray bobbing along and a small shipwreck on the seabed, with coral nurseries threaded through the withered remains. Night snorkelling is also available and you’ll often see people floating on by, illuminated by their torches in the darkness, as you eat dinner on the terrace at one of the restaurants.
Beach and overwater villas are styled like traditional cottages, while the interiors are decorated in greys and beiges with colourful patterned rugs. The terraces come with a large outdoor sofa, sunbeds and an infinity pool for guests to do laps as they gaze out into the startlingly blue sea. The look is understated rustic chic that is simple and unobtrusive.
Eating and drinking
Lime Restaurant is located by the pool with sea views. At the breakfast buffet you’ll find plates of freshly cut fruit, sushi, several types of Maldivian curries, dumplings, cold cuts, salads, cereal and pastries galore. There’s also a fantastic à la carte menu, which includes eggs benedict, a chia mousse açai bowl and a Japanese breakfast set, which comes with grilled salmon and miso soup.
For lunch, there are two options – Sails Bar on the beach or Cayenne, the grill restaurant overlooking the sea. They both serve the same menu at lunch. At Cayenne, I ate delicious tiger prawn skewers covered in olive oil and punchy garlic with the tastiest chargrilled flatbread. I returned for dinner one night and enjoyed a perfectly grilled whole lobster with steamed vegetables and their zingy signature salad with mixed leaves, avocado, plump mangosteen and hazelnuts.
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The Lighthouse is a fine dining restaurant that serves up French cuisine with an Asian twist – the bar upstairs is also the perfect spot to watch the sunset. I ate a tender wagyu steak with a tasty peppercorn sauce, crisp potatoes and artichokes. Around me, other guests opted to have dishes cooked at their table. I saw a lobster bisque being flambéed from a cart – this is classy dining with dramatic flair.
Things to do
Guests can unwind at the calming spa
(Image credit: Baros Maldives)
It’s hard to beat a sunset cruise. As I floated along on their traditional boat Nooma, I enjoyed non-alcoholic champagne and canapés. The roof is padded so you can sit down comfortably while taking in the views. Watching the sky turn orange and pink while surrounded by the sea was really peaceful. Dolphin-watching and sunrise fishing trips as well as other excursions are also on offer.
Baros has a piano deck – a wooden platform shaped like a piano – that sits in the middle of the sea, where it’s the dreamiest shade of aquamarine. It’s only reachable by a short speedboat trip and once there you can eat a sunrise breakfast or have a romantic dinner during the sunset. It’s an intimate and novel destination for a cosy meal with an endless expanse of the sea cocooning you.
The verdict
You can walk around the whole island in 10 minutes
(Image credit: Baros Maldives)
Even though it’s close to Malé, Baros is incredibly tranquil. This is the resort to come to if you want to while away your days watching sea chickens scuttling across the sand or herons flying on to your pool in the early hours. Many of the guests are repeat visitors who come back year after year and it’s easy to see why – this intimate island is an oasis of calm.
Ann Lee is a commissioning editor at The Guardian for features. Her writing has also appeared in The Independent, The Telegraph, The i Paper, The Standard, Metro and Radio Times, as well as The Week. She specialises in entertainment and travel. Over the years, she has interviewed many stars including Kathleen Turner, Michelle Yeoh, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alexander Skarsgård and Jennifer Lopez. She enjoys travelling to far-flung places in her continual quest to eat the perfect meal, and her favourite city for food is Hong Kong.
