Roger Hermiston and Eileen Wise discover their inner Robinson Crusoe at Gili Lankanfushi resort in the Maldives, a very eco resort.
It will read like the most overblown set of clichés, but this was the scene as we gazed out from the open-air deck of our private villa in the Indian Ocean. Beautiful turquoise water lapped all around, only interrupted in patches deep below by glimpses of the dark of the coral reef. Above us, the bright blue sky was flecked with a few white fluffy clouds. Three old wooden dhows bobbed ever so gently just offshore, while behind them, on the whitest of sands, a row of palm trees stood tall in the warm afternoon breeze.
Castaway as Robinson Crusoe
Welcome to tropical paradise – or Gili (it means ‘small island’) Lankanfushi, as it is otherwise known. This tiny island in the North Male Atoll of the Maldives, Gili cleverly takes its cue from the desert isle in Daniel Defoe’s ‘Robinson Crusoe’ – there are the Crusoe Residences, your personal helper is a Mr or Ms Friday, and there is even a copy of the great novel placed by your bedside.
But whereas the famous fictional character concluded after two weeks, ‘I am cast upon a horrible, desolate island, void of all hope of recovery’, just three days and nights on Gili Lankanfushi would prove nowhere near enough for these 21st century castaways.
While there are direct flights from the UK to the Maldives, we had spent a few days in Sri Lanka, so we flew from Colombo to Male, the Maldivian capital, a journey of only ninety minutes. Once landed at Velana International Airport, Gili representatives were on hand to whisk us into a speedboat for our 20-minute journey to the island.
Accommodation at Gili Lankanfushi Resort
A traditional welcoming party at the jetty, who included the manager Nicolas and our Ms Friday Rayaa, provided us with a cold drink and a wet towel. We set our watches to Gili time (one hour head of local Maldives time, to maximise the amount of sunshine) and happily prepared to embrace the ‘no news, no shoes’ philosophy of the island. A buggy ride of just a few minutes to the other side and we were quickly installed in our overwater villa, No 9 on Jetty 1.
Gili does boast the largest overwater villa in the world, the Private Reserve, which is great for larger groups or families, and like the aforementioned Crusoe villas it requires a boat to get to and from the island. But our villa was a quite stunning place, with a rustic feel but luxurious content. We would learn that sustainably-sourced plantation teak, palm wood, bamboo and palm fronds were all used in the building of this and the 44 other villas: ours was also supported in the water by recycled telegraph poles.
The door opened onto a bright, airy central sitting room, with table and chairs, a rocking chair, a sofa and a cabinet in the corner containing a well-stocked fridge and tea and coffee making facilities. You walked down the steps onto a large open-air wooden deck, equipped with loungers, and with a ladder at the end to plunge you straight into the lagoon.
A lovely warm breeze permeated this space – whereas the bedroom, with a superb king-sized bed, and wondrous floor to ceiling views out into the ocean, we would keep nicely cool with the air-conditioning.
More panoramic views from the splendid bathroom area, which featured double wash basins and a standalone bath, substantial wardrobe space and a table in the middle. A short walk along a slatted wooden pathway and you were in a semi-open-air shower. Finally, you could walk up the stairs and make use of a roof terrace, either to dine or just doze or read under the shade of a lounger/bed.
Given that it was one of the most unusual, most comfortable, most delightful places we had ever come across, it was tempting not to move very far – to relax on the loungers, enjoy the view, read our novels, and cool off from time to time in the lagoon.
Conservation at Gili Lankanfushi Maldives
This we all did, but there is plenty to see and do on the island so we set out to explore. There are activities aplenty – the chance to dive, snorkel, surf, kayak, canoe, practice yoga and play tennis. There are sunset dolphin cruises, fishing trips and visits to other local islands. But given that we were there for a short time only, we just wanted to chill out comprehensively, so we stuck to the occasional cycle ride and to walking on the pristine beach. There are daily complimentary yoga classes by the beach and one-to-one yoga and mediation classes can be arranged,
But first we headed to Gili Veshi (which translates as ‘environment’ in the local Dhivehi language), the resort’s own marine biology station, for an expert briefing on the extensive work the island undertakes on conservation and sustainability.
It came from young, impressive Matthew Patrick, a native of Cornwall, and a graduate of Plymouth University with a degree in Zoology and Conservation. Matthew has only been at Gili for six months but already has been plunged – amongst much else – into the battle to preserve one of the island’s greatest assets, its coral reefs.
Climate change – in this case the warming of the ocean – has had a devastating effect on reefs in the 1,192 (just 187 are inhabited) islands of the Maldives. A devastating bleaching event in 2016 (the third of its kind), which weakens and decolors the reefs, saw around 70% destroyed. Nothing has been quite so bad since, although Matthew explained that a fourth bleaching event in April had caused more damage.
At Gili they are doing their best to fight back with an innovative Coral Lines project, which involves attaching some 50 coral fragments to a rope on the ocean floor of the lagoon. After being nurtured there for at least a year the newly grown corals are transplanted to the house reef; Gili can now boast 160 of these lines in its nursery. It was fascinating to learn that a coral is defined as a living animal, not a plant, as it has a skeleton, and a tissue that covers its body in the same way that skin covers ours.
Matthew and colleagues are also determined to protect the threatened sea grasses, such a vital absorber of carbon and also a provider of food for the local Olive Ridley turtle population, as well as home to nursery fish, crustaceans and sea cucumbers.
Gili can justifiably claim to be a pioneer in sustainable tourism – in the past it has won the accolade as the world’s most eco-friendly hotel. At its Eco Centre it has a super-efficient recycling system – all the glass is ground up and donated as aggregate, aluminium is crushed to provide scrap metal, and plastic is donated to an innovative recycling firm called Parley. Perhaps most satisfyingly, a composting machine named The Rocket allows Gili to process and compost 100% of the organic waste produced in the kitchen, and return valuable nutrients to the soil – a virtuous circle of the food process.
Matthew’s office has posters on the wall detailing all the fish in the Maldives, so we were able to confirm some of our sightings we had made while on the walkway over the ocean. We knew we had encountered the Spotted Eagle Ray and the Hawaiian Sting Ray, and we could now add Pufferfish, Butterflyfish and the Stripped Triggerfish to our list. Gili really is a haven for marine fauna.
Dining at Gili Lankanfushi
We dined like a king and queen. For breakfast we would head to the Kashiveli restaurant, where a veritable bounty of food awaited us each morning, hot and cold – breads, cheeses, smoothies of all persuasion, a traditional Maldivian breakfast (omelettes, fish curry, tuna broth), nuevos rancheros, eggs benedict – or a simpler vegan breakfast with delicious granola or mixed berries in homemade coconut yoghurt. We tended to opt for the latter, if only to attempt to preserve our waistline.
Gili offers in-villa dining which is said to be popular with honeymooners and also private romantic sunset, lantern lit dinners on the beach.
All our dinners were superb, but two stood out. One was the buffet-style Asian Street Market, where a series of stalls were set out by the Kashiveli restaurant, serving an array of Chinese, Malaysian, Indian, Sri Lankan and Maldivian specialities. The other was our Japanese evening at the By The Sea restaurant where, sat low on cushions as is the custom, we enjoyed a five-course tuna tasting menu, with salad, ceviche, tataki, sushi steak and gently warmed Saki. Absolutely mouthwatering.
We had a tour of Gili’s extensive wine cellar, the centrepiece of which is a huge piece of driftwood (which can act as a ledge/table for private dining and wine tastings) which was swept ashore during the region’s tsunami in 2004. It’s thought it might have travelled from as far away as Indonesia.
Meera Spa
If we weren’t relaxed enough, a visit to the resort’s Meera Spa only added to the serenity. Here, we enjoyed a sea salt foot bath before heading to the massage rooms. Face down, having a Meera Signature treatment (which features a heated sand cushion), we could peer through a glass window in the floor as shoals of fish swam through the turquoise waters below.
The villas all have televisions, but we had good books and no inclination to tune in to the outside world. However, we did beat a path to Gili’s jungle cinema one night, a great experience in the warmth of the night, although the movie choice – Chinese Zodiac, starring Jackie Chan – would not have been at the top of our list!
All the staff were unfailingly friendly and helpful and Rayaa, our Ms Friday, was always on hand to deal courteously and efficiently with any of our queries. She and Nicolas were there on the jetty to wave us goodbye as we reluctantly tore ourselves away after our all too brief stay. We are already planning our return.
Hotel Gili Lankanfushi Maldives
This award-winning eco-resort comprises 45 sumptuous overwater villas, including seven Crusoe Residences and The Private Reserve, one of the most exclusive and largest overwater villas in the world. Following the 2019 refurbishment, gazing out at the crystal-clear blue waters of the Indian Ocean from this private island has never been so luxurious. All categories of villas and residences come with a dedicated Mr/s Friday butler service, catering for your every need. Rustic eco-design, unparalleled service, stunning natural surroundings and a laid-back luxury ‘no news, no shoes’ philosophy have guests returning for more of this sustainable paradise. Gili Lankanfushi has a hard-to-rival location: an unspoiled island in a large lagoon in the North Malé atoll, which is a 20-minute speedboat ride from Malé. This iconic Maldivian island is perfectly suited for couples, families, solo travellers and groups who are bound to “arrive as guests, leave as friends and return as family,” per the Gili philosophy.
Nightly rates
Nightly rates at Gili Lankanfushi Maldives start from $1,440 based on two adults sharing a Villa Suite with breakfast included. For more information or to book click here.