Wednesday newsletters all the time function a lodge or flight assessment.
Two weeks in the past, I loved an exceptional vacation within the Maldives, the place I stayed on the archipelago’s latest, ultra-luxury resort: Soneva Secret. You may learn my evaluations right here:
- Evaluate: seaplane flight to Soneva Secret (at present)
- Evaluate: Soneva Secret (to be printed subsequent week)
Right this moment: Evaluate of the seaplane switch to Soneva Secret
Opened in April 2024 because the sister resort to Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani, Soneva Secret is the latest (and most unique) resort of the Soneva group within the Maldives. Tucked away within the untouched waters of the Maldives’ northernmost atolls, Soneva Secret is so remotely positioned that there aren’t any different islands in sight. There are solely 13 overwater and seashore villas, plus a first-of-its-kind ‘floating’ villa which is at present beneath building. Unveiling a brand new period of elevated privateness and unique service, each villa at Soneva Secret has its personal devoted pair of butlers in addition to a personal chef, presenting personalised eating. Friends may also discover a refined collection of different culinary experiences throughout the resort, together with limited-edition menus on the three eating places. Every day at Soneva Secret unfolds with immersive and provoking experiences, resembling swimming alongside large manta rays, setting sail on a personal yacht to discover the atoll’s hidden surprise, or having fun with a castaway picnic on a secluded sandbank. With a concentrate on wellness, gastronomy, sustainability, and barefoot luxurious, Soneva Secret is a real bucket listing vacation spot, providing the Maldives’ most genuine castaway expertise.
There are 4 methods to get to Soneva Secret:
- Soneva Secret may be reached through a scenic 75-minute seaplane flight direct from Velana Worldwide Airport in Malé, a 40-minute seaplane flight from Soneva Fushi within the Baa Atoll, or a 30-minute seaplane flight from Soneva Jani within the Noonu Atoll. There are two seaplane decisions accessible: both the Soneva seaplane or the Manta Air seaplane. The Soneva seaplane is personal and extra snug, whereas the Manta Air seaplane carries barely extra passengers and should cease en-route at different locations earlier than arriving at Soneva Secret. The spherical journey seaplane switch from Male to Soneva Secret prices $2,300 USD per grownup and $1,1150 USD per little one.
- Friends may also take a home flight (wheeled airplane) from Malé Worldwide Airport to the Kulhudhuffushi Airport within the Haa Dhaalu Atoll. After the flight, you’ll board a speedboat for a one-hour experience to Soneva Secret.
- Friends may also fly immediately by personal jet to Maafaru Worldwide Airport, the place Soneva host will meet and greet you out of your flight, and help with immigration and customs to make sure that your journey is as quick and seamless as attainable. You’ll then board a 25-minute seaplane flight (onboard the personal Soneva seaplane) to Soneva Secret.
- You too can ebook a personal constitution to Soneva Secret on Soneva’s personal seaplane or a Manta Air seaplane. The CIP service is obtainable by the Velana Worldwide Airport and contains being met on the stairs of the plane and escorted by way of immigration to the lounge to attend in your onward switch. A a method constitution flight – together with CIP service – prices $12,000 USD (for as much as 9 individuals) on the personal Soneva seaplane and $7,500 USD (for as much as 12 individuals) on the Manta Air seaplane.
Seaplane transfers are organized by Soneva Secret in line with the arrival and departure particulars of the visitors. Some notes:
- As seaplanes land on and take off from water, they may solely fly from dawn to sundown. The final seaplane flight from Male to Soneva Secret departs at 17:00 (5 pm), so please guarantee your worldwide flight lands in Malé no later than 15:00 (3 pm). In case your flight arrives later, Soneva can help you in reserving another home switch, an in a single day keep in Malé to catch the primary seaplane flight at 09:00 or a home flight to Soneva Fushi to take a seaplane to Soneva Secret the subsequent day.
- For visitors departing from Soneva Secret, seaplane flights may be organized for worldwide flights scheduled for a departure time after 10:00 (10 am).
- Sadly, it’s not attainable to know upfront whether or not you may be transferred in a Soneva seaplane or in a Manta Air seaplane (the schedule depends upon Manta Air, which additionally maintains the Soneva seaplanes). All visitors who switch to Soneva Secret on the Manta Air seaplane as an alternative of Soneva’s personal seaplane, will obtain a resort credit score as compensation, valued $100 USD per particular person per voyage. The resort credit score may be redeemed in opposition to meals and drinks, experiences and spa therapies, excluding third events and shops.
- The CIP service can’t be organized for the next airways on departure as a result of airline’s guidelines and laws: Air France, Lufthansa, Uncover, and Edelweiss Air.
It is a assessment of the personal Soneva seaplane switch to Soneva Secret. On this arcticle:
- Airport & seaplane terminal
- Soneva airport lounge
- Soneva seaplane
- Seaplane flight
- Arrival at Soneva Secret
To make it extra ‘visible’, I’ve made a YouTube video documenting my switch to Soneva Secret, which you’ll watch under.
1. AIRPORT & SEAPLANE TERMINAL
Upon arrival at Velana Worldwide Airport, often known as Malé Worldwide Airport, and after passing immigration, visitors are met by a Soneva host, who takes care of the bags and offers help with the check-in on the Manta Air counters to safe the seaplane boarding passes. There are two seaplane operators within the Maldives: Manta Air is the latest airline whereas Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA) is the oldest air service within the nation (and likewise the biggest seaplane operator on the planet). Some resorts work with TMA whereas others (resembling Soneva) have contracts with Manta Air.
As soon as checked in for the seaplane switch, the Soneva airport employees transfers visitors by Tesla to the seaplane terminal, which is positioned on the opposite facet of the airport’s perimeter. The drive to the seaplane terminal takes solely 5 minutes. The seaplane terminal – the biggest of its type on the planet – is designed to accommodate greater than 100 seaplanes and function 300 every day flights on common – rising to 600 throughout peak season – with the capability to serve greater than 6,000 vacationers a day. The trendy 4-story terminal contains new services, and 42 lounges of which all besides two have been leased to resorts. The terminal’s smooth design displays the turquoise and blue shades of the famed Maldivian lagoons.
2. SONEVA AIRPORT LOUNGE
On the seaplane terminal, Soneva operates its personal airport lounge, which opened in 2023. The beautiful lounge is embellished in Soneva’s signature eco-chic design – with splashes of gray and purple – and options loads of seats and sofas. Services embrace a play room for youngsters, an out of doors terrace (with views of the seaplane docks) in addition to showers to refresh slightly. Drinks, snacks and WiFi are supplied on a complimentary foundation, and one nook of the lounge includes a small buffet with cheese, chilly cuts, sweets and ice cream (paying homage to the chilly rooms and ice cream & chocolate parlors on the Soneva Resorts).
3. SONEVA SEAPLANE
From the lounge, it’s a brief stroll to the seaplane docks. As talked about above, there are two seaplane decisions accessible: both the Soneva seaplane or the Manta Air seaplane. The Soneva seaplane is personal and extra snug (seating 8 passengers in a VIP format), whereas the Manta Air seaplane carries extra passengers (15 in complete). For my flight to Soneva Secret, Soneva used its personal seaplane, which is fitted in a leather-based design, with 4 pairs of seats going through each other.
Every seaplane within the Maldives has a crew of two pilots and one flight attendant (alias baggage handler), all of them carrying shorts and working the airplane barefoot. Seats will not be assigned, so the primary ones on board can select the perfect seats. There’s no door between the cockpit and the cabin, so you’ll be able to observe the pilots’ actions if you find yourself not distracted by the superior views whereas flying over the atolls. It will possibly get fairly sizzling within the cabin, though some followers settle down the temperature as quickly because the seaplane leaves the docks. Additionally, the seaplane is actually loud, and passengers are supplied ear plugs for his or her consolation (in addition to iPads with resort data). There aren’t any bathrooms onboard.
4. FLIGHT
The flight from Male to Soneva Secret takes round 75 minutes, though it could final a couple of minutes longer in case a stop-over is made at one other resort to drop-off different passengers. There’s no service onboard, and there’s not a lot to do, apart from having fun with the exceptional views as you fly over a number of atolls. The seaplane flight to Soneva Secret is in all probability essentially the most lovely seaplane flight you’ll be able to take within the Maldives, as you fly over three of the nation’s most spectacular atolls: the North Male Atoll, the Baa Atoll and the Raa Atoll.
For most individuals, thé iconic picture of the Maldives is that of a deep blue ocean interspersed by tiny palm islands surrounded by ridiculously clear lagoons and sugar white seashores. The one solution to see that breathtaking view of fifty shades of blue is from the air, and though you’ll catch a number of glimpses of the islands out of your airplane upon touchdown or departure at Male airport, the perfect vantage level for the breathtaking panoramas is obtainable by the seaplanes that take visitors to their resorts. Flying on board a seaplane in Maldives and admiring the picture-perfect archipelago from a chook’s eye perspective is among the final experiences that the vacation spot has to supply.
5. ARRIVAL AT SONEVA SECRET
At Soneva Secret, the seaplane lands at brief distance from the resort (as to not disturb the visitors on the island and within the villas). After touchdown, the seaplane docks at a small wood platform, simply off the island’s shores. From right here, it’s only a three minute speedboat experience to the resort, with the boat touchdown immediately onto the seashore, Robinson Crusoe-style, which provides to the allure of the expertise. The complete arrival expertise feels grand (and a bit just like the White Lotus), with a heat welcome from the lodge’s employees members geared up with umbrellas, chilly towels, and a signature scented face mist.
To be continued subsequent week …
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