Milaidhoo: a foodie haven in the Maldives
From cooking classes to floating fine dining, immerse yourself in local cuisine at this tranquil resort
The Maldives is many things – the paradise islands of your wildest dreams, an incredibly romantic honeymoon destination, and a snorkeller's paradise. But a must-do foodie destination? Not so much.
Milaidhoo, a tiny island in the Baa Atoll, is trying to change that by putting Maldivian cuisine front and centre, making it an essential destination for anyone seeking to widen their palates as well as their horizons when they're on holiday.
The resort
The luxurious water villas feature generous outdoor decks with private pools
It takes a leisurely 15 minutes to walk around Milaidhoo. There are just 50 beach and water villas on the island, which only allows children older than eight and has banned drones and motorised watersports. It's one of those places where you can spend the whole day in your own bubble and not see anyone else apart from at mealtimes as most guests tend to spend their time in the beautiful villas.
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And it was hard to tear myself away from my water villa, especially the huge outdoor deck with the comfy double sunbed right by the edge of the pool and the sofa swing where you could indulge your inner child while staring out to sea.
The room was a mix of exquisitely crafted wooden furnishings with a soft neutral decor. It was elegant and refined with nods to Maldivian heritage in the traditional lacquered red artwork adorning the walls.
Eating and drinking
It's hard to get a bad meal in the Maldives, but many resorts play it safe when it comes to food. Milaidhoo, a postage stamp sized island with the softest chalky white sand, takes the islands' rich food history and elevates it to offer a true gourmet experience. It prides itself as the only one in the world to serve up Maldivian fine dining on boats in a tranquil lagoon. Paying homage to the country's past as part of the ancient spice route, Ba'theli is housed on two wooden boats just by the jetty, the masts lit up during the evenings.
Maldivian cuisine features plenty of fiery curries, tuna and fresh coconut, light broths, sambals (a type of paste, usually spicy) and local seafood. For novices, the tasting menus are a great introduction, with one focusing on curries and the other on seafood. I tried the curry tasting menu and made my way through perfectly seared tuna served with a punchy mustard leaf salad, richly spiced chicken, lamb and fish curries (each more heavenly than the last), and ice cream made with screw pine, a local fruit that is sweet and aromatic.
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Ba'theli is housed on two wooden boats just by the jetty
Beyond Ba'theli there are several other restaurants. Ocean surely has one of the best breakfast buffet spreads you'll find in the Maldives along with a great a la carte menu. Azure is set in a pretty-as-a-picture spot on the beach, slightly further back among the greenery. The food is a mixture of European, Asian and Maldivian with a daily catch of the day like mahi mahi fillet served with lemon butter and grilled vegetables. The signature Milaidhoo salad is a delightful concoction of their homegrown leaves (taken from their chef’s garden), mango, avocado and plump mangosteen with a sprinkling of chopped hazelnuts in a sweet citrus dressing. At Compass, the beach bar that serves light bites, I had fresh lobster rolls stuffed in rice paper wraps with a zingy Asian dipping sauce, while I feasted on grilled reef octopus at the Shoreline Grill. The service truly goes above and beyond at Milaidhoo; during a buffet on the beach, waiters would offer to carry my food – piled precariously high on my plate – to my table.
Milaidhoo is clearly a resort that takes its food seriously. There are several wellness packages available that combine delicious meals with treatments at the Serenity Spa. I woke up early one morning and headed down for the Rise and Shine programme. As I teetered on one leg during a private yoga session in the pavilion, a luminous pink sun peeped through the clouds as waves lapped around us. Afterwards, I was slathered with detoxifying mud and enjoyed some time in the steam room before a relaxing back massage. When I got back to my villa, eggs benedict with creamy poached eggs, Greek yoghurt with chia seeds, a tropical fruit plate and a basket of delectable pastries were waiting for me on my patio outside.
Things to do
The peaceful spa at Milaidhoo
There are Maldivian cooking classes available with one of the chefs if you want to recreate some dishes back at home. I learned to make garudhiya, a staple of Maldivian cuisine. The fragrant and light broth was flavoured with fresh tuna chunks, pandan and curry leaves, slices of chopped onion, garlic and just a sprinkling of salt. The main event was a rich and succulent lobster curry that used the same base of flavours as the soup with some coconut milk and fresh Maldivian chilli thrown in. All this was served up with some freshly made crispy chapatis.
If spending time under a gently swaying palm tree isn't enough to relax you, there are plenty of wellness activities you can take part in. There's complimentary yoga every day. I tried a Tibetan sound bath, laying on the floor while someone gently clanged at metal bowls. It was somehow deeply soothing, each warble brought my wandering thoughts back to the present.
Milaidhoo's house reef is also one of the most impressive in the Maldives and there are regular snorkelling excursions, including one to see sea turtles. Even just walking around I was amazed to see an eagle ray, a blacktip shark and schools of needlefish just sauntering on by.
The verdict
Interiors blend exquisitely crafted wooden furnishings with a soft neutral decor
Milaidhoo is a small but perfectly formed island with a big heart. It's an idyllic haven that is quiet and intimate enough that you can feel like you're on your own castaway island. And there's no danger of being served touristy fare here; it takes a playful and imaginative approach to food, serving up dishes that you'll be dreaming of long after you've left. It's the best resort to seek out if you want to immerse yourself in Maldivian cuisine and learn more about its rich food history. You'll come back well tanned and well fed. Bliss.
Ann was a guest a Milaidhoo, where a water villa with a private pool starts from £819 per night.
Virgin Atlantic flies direct between London Heathrow and Malé, the capital of the Maldives, with return fares from £757.
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.