If you’re looking for a little inspiration for your next sunny getaway, you may want to consider the Maldives. Luxurious Magazine’s Sabi Phagura heads to Cora Cora Maldives on the Raa Maamigili island for a slice of freedom coupled with plenty of food, Maldivian culture and ample sunshine.

When you book a stay with Cora Cora Maldives, surrounded by a 100-hectare lagoon rich with colourful corals and fish, your trip starts from the moment you book it. Guests are invited to download the app from where they can explore the island, plan their itinerary and literally count down the days with the counter. Trust me; the excitement is palpable.

And while the check-in can be done online, this doesn’t take away from the personal welcome you receive. No sooner had we touched down at Velana International Airport that an all-female Cora Cora Maldives airport team received us to literally take the weight (of the luggage) from us.

Following a short stay in the private lounge until our seaplane was ready, we received an even warmer welcome when we arrived at the resort with a small army of staff greeting us, complete with handmade garlands.

Guests are initiated as islanders with an optional temporary tattoo on their chosen part of the body. Mine was my foot. Seeing that we are encouraged to abandon our shoes and feel the sand between our toes, it seemed apt. The ‘Freedom’ worded tattoo was a reminder of Cora Cora Maldives’s motto ‘, It’s Freedom time’.

Freedom is at the core of the philosophy on the island. Guests are free to dine at any of the four restaurants, participate in a plethora of activities, or do as much or as little as they want. They can be booked via an assigned personal ‘Freedom coach’ who is on hand to make your stay smooth – and all without additional hefty charges slapped on, as can happen with premium ‘all-inclusive’ islands in the Maldives.

There’s only a handful of things that require guests to whip out their wallets (kids t-shirt printing, spa treatments in addition to a free 45-minute massage and art hut classes) which are justifiable.

Villas
The five-star contemporary Cora Cora Maldives resort has 100 villas – 45 lining the beach and 55 lagoon ones which take you directly to the ocean via a ladder from the balcony. All nine category rooms are beautiful, but if I was to choose a favourite, it would have to be the Lagoon villas (above). Just as well, I was lucky enough to occupy room 215 for the duration of my stay.

My room was bright and airy, with ample space. A wall divides the living and sleeping area, and a walk-in style wardrobe also houses his and hers vanity design basins as well as tea and coffee-making facilities. A mini bar is stocked daily with goodies from wine, beers and juices to crisps, nuts and chocolate.

A bathroom is approached from the space to a walk-in shower and stand-alone bathtub to relax in while you look out to the ocean with the lovely view. But if you’re looking for something that little bit extra special, you may want to book yourself into the huge Two Bedroom Lagoon Pool Villa with an impressive slide. It’s an Instagram sensation.

Food
Freedom time is extended to all of Cora Cora Maldives’s eating establishments. Whether you are looking to tuck into a three-course meal, grab-and-go snacks, a glass of chilled bubbly or a pretty cocktail, everything is included in the meal plan.

The four restaurants are all unique, with something to tantalise even the fussiest of eaters. Tazäa® is the place to kick-start the day for a hearty breakfast with its east-meets-west menu. From spicy noodles and a full-on breakfast to fresh fruit, yoghurt and juices and everything in between, there’s something to satiate a rumbling tummy. But don’t expect mounds of food waiting atop heated plates because food wastage is taken seriously here.

Food is cooked according to demand. The same goes for its weekly buffet, which is a real feast and feels more like an a la carte.

Acquapazza®, the beach club located by the two swimming pools, serves up fresh Italian food, including pizza cooked from an oven shipped from Rome. Chefs roll the dough lengthways for an oval-shaped base making it look as well as taste different.

Over at Teien®, it’s all about sushi and more. It’s a Japanese food lover’s dream. The food is almost too fancy looking to eat. You can pop a chef’s hat on to have a go at rolling sushi yourself at a demo class on designated days.

Ginger Moon® (my favourite) has all the energy of an Asian street food market with its offering of punchy flavours, tender meats, colourful vegetables and plenty of herbs served in bowls and plates of all shapes and sizes. The all-female team, from the chefs to the waitresses, make it a truly memorable experience from start to finish.

There’s also the all-day snack bar called MYCOFFEE® which endlessly supplies food and drinks to fill the gaps in between meal times, such as hand-crafted ice cream, cold beverages, cakes, pastries and healthy shots. With Cora Cora Maldives’s philosophy to do away with refined sugar in all its concoctions, the food is super healthy.

Coffee fans will be delighted to hear the barista roasts the coffee beans from around the globe on-site – the only resort to do so in the Maldives. MYCOFFEE® became my go-to place whenever I was in search of company, as it’s also the place where islanders gather to meet and catch up at all times of the day.

The sober movement has gained momentum over the years, and to my delight, the Cora Cora Maldives resort has taken heed. I relished sampling the diverse range of drinks, such as alcohol-free beer, de-alcoholised wine and Lyre’s non-alcoholic spirits to accompany my meals.

Wellness
From the moment you step onto this island, you’ll find nothing but calm. However, if you’re in search of further relaxation, you can find it at the MOKSHA® Spa & Wellbeing Centre. A calming oasis, you can reflect on words from the ample self-development books dotted around while sipping on sweet herbal tea made from cinnamon, star anise and honey.

I indulged in a massage with Tini at one of the seven treatment rooms. Mine was over the ocean with the massage table head hole facing a glass-floor panel looking into the crystal waters beneath me. It was the first time I had wanted to keep my eyes open throughout the experience.

The massage was tailored to my needs as Tini expertly ironed out muscle knots this, increasing circulation and improving blood flow. The stiffness I had felt dissipated the more she worked her hands.

I also noticed an improvement in my asanas during one of the daily yoga sessions I had with instructor SiSi.

Taking my place on the yoga mat in the ocean-facing pavilion at the end of the treatment rooms, SiSi (who also doubles up as a remarkable DJ) took us through a series of poses as we welcomed the sunset.

Listening to the ocean as we closed the practice with meditation allowed me to have the best night’s sleep that evening. The sound meditation session is as equally as relaxing and a sure way to put you in a sleepy mode.

Waking up daily to the sun dancing on the ocean at dawn gave me renewed vigour to work out at the resort’s 24/7 Fitness Centre. As a fitness instructor, I was impressed with the gym equipment and even followed the on-screen workouts provided throughout the day.

Guests can also partake in small group sessions, including kickboxing offering the chance to burn off the copious food that’s available on the resort around the clock.

Things to do
There’s a plethora of other fun ways to get your ‘activity fix’ at the resort, which are included in the price plan, including stand-up paddle boarding and snorkelling. But if you prefer a lazier way to enjoy the ocean, non-motorised sports can be purchased at an additional cost. Or you can simply book yourself onto a sunset cruise.

While we enjoyed a sunset cruise during our stay, we also made a poignant trip aboard a boat to the ‘ghost island’ of Kandolhudhoo. The island was completely wiped out by the 2004 tsunami with a wave as high as three meters in which two people were killed, and 3,500 people subsequently evacuated.

The few inhabitants left are rats and mosquitos (it’s advised to wear repellent). Walking around the island’s narrow street, still littered with debris — masonry, broken glass, and books was a stark reminder of the power of nature.

Back on Cora Cora Maldives, there’s a little bit of history of its own. Cora Cora Maldives’ Dutch Onion® Museum (above) and Outdoor Heritage Site present guests with the unique opportunity to discover the hidden history of Maldives.

With over 1000 local artefacts, two 12th-century temple tanks, a mosque fountain, and a traditional 1900s Maldivian house, we experienced an interactive journey through time and had the chance to explore the rich history of the Maldives.

From outdoor movies, island museum tours, learning to be a DJ (SiSi has your soul covered day and night) and lots of other activities in the regularly changing lineup, there’s plenty to do on this island. But if you choose to do nothing and simply be, then that is good too. After all, you’re free to do what you want because it’s always Freedom time at Cora Cora Maldives.

Cora Cora Maldives – Where and How?

Simply Maldives offers a Seven-night stay at Cora Cora Maldives in a Lagoon Villa with return economy class flights from London to Male with Qatar Airways and return seaplane transfers from Male to Cora Cora Maldives on an all-inclusive basis, starting from £3,099 per person based on two adults sharing.

For more information, contact Simply Maldives on 020 7481 0804 or visit the website www.simplymaldivesholidays.co.uk.

Food photography courtesy of Louis Cannell.

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