The remote retreat is home to a coralarium, safari tents and the longest infinity pool in the archipelago.
Have you ever seen a pilot navigate a seaplane barefoot above the iridescent blues of the Indian Ocean? Well, that’s precisely the kind of barefoot luxury that sets the tone for Sirru Fen Fushi Private Lagoon Resort, a resort so remote it feels more imagined than real. Fittingly, Sirru Fen Fushi translates to “secret island” in the local Dhivehi language. After a 55-minute seaplane flight north from Malé, this all-natural island reveals itself like a secret, as if the island from the hit television series Lost had time jumped into the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean.
Set on one of the most secluded atolls in the Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi Private Lagoon Resort redefines luxury through experience, exclusivity, and eco-conscious elegance. This is not a resort where you’ll find glossy gimmicks or reclaimed land. Instead, Sirru Fen Fushi is steeped in firsts.
A resort of firsts
There are plenty of reasons to visit Sirru Fen Fushi, but let’s start with the headlines. It’s home to the Maldives’ only safari-style villas, the country’s longest infinity pool, and the Maldives’ only coralarium. Add a naturally lush island dotted with dense banyan trees, and you have a resort that feels more Jurassic Park than jet-set cliché. Travelling through the shaded island paths that meander across the island by buggy or bicycle evokes a cinematic kind of wonder.
While many travellers are drawn to the Maldives for its overwater villas, Sirru Fen Fushi’s safari tents offer a great escape for families and larger groups seeking privacy. Tucked amidst lush greenery, these spacious, tented villas combine rustic charm with contemporary comforts. Translucent walls blur the lines between inside and out, letting dappled light pour in. Wicker furnishings, timber touches, and freestanding bathtubs in fully outdoor bathrooms set the tone, while modern comforts—underfloor air conditioning, flat-screen TVs, Le Labo amenities—offer a Robinson Crusoe castaway vibe without sacrificing modern comforts. The use of waterproof wristbands as keycards adds a touch of convenience without disrupting the island’s natural feel.
Each villa also features a spacious sun deck and plunge pool, providing privacy for a refreshing dip beneath the banyan canopy. For those seeking the quintessential Maldivian overwater experience, villas unfurl from the northern edge of the teardrop-shaped island like an octopus tentacle, offering uninterrupted ocean views.
Island dining
Azure, the island’s speciality seafood restaurant, is a highlight. Perched on stilts over the water and adorned with fishing nets and marine-inspired details, the open-show kitchen keeps the energy flowing while flame-grilled lobster and line-caught fish steal the spotlight. Opt for alfresco seating on the deck and catch the sunset as it slips below the horizon.
Raha Market, the all-day dining venue, serves an excellent breakfast spread. Think local Maldivian omelettes laced with chilli and tuna, viral flat croissants dipped in chocolate, and pancakes shaped like parrots and flowers. It’s playful, generous, and on-trend. Indonesian and Thai fare at Slice Box add further variety, and superb sushi at KATA comes with a front-row seat to those show-stopping Indian Ocean views.
Wellness wonders
Sirru Fen Fushi’s wellness offering is as considered as its cuisine. A 24-hour gym, a spa with frangipani and incense, and tranquil overwater treatment pavilions allow guests to recalibrate mind and body. There’s also a Sustainability Lab where fishing nets, plastic bottles and ice packs are upcycled into keychains and mementoes. Yet it’s the Coralarium, an underwater structure that serves as both an artificial reef, promoting coral growth, and an art installation, offering a deeper connection to the island and its ecological significance.
But it’s the infinity pool that really steals the show. Stretching from the island’s west to the east coast, the longest infinity pool in the Maldives cuts a swathe through the centre of the island in all its Insta-worthy glory. With depths that vary and palms that punctuate its length, it feels less like a serene canal cutting through paradise and leading the way to the powder-white sands and crystalline waters of the beach.
Middle Eastern appeal
Sirru Fen Fushi’s appeal to Middle Eastern travellers lies in its privacy and novelty. With direct flights from the Gulf to Malé and seamless onward connections, this island offers an appealing blend of convenience and seclusion. Families and honeymooners alike will appreciate the villa layouts, private pools, and intuitive service. And in a region where luxury often equals newness, Sirru’s commitment to natural surroundings and sustainability adds a welcome layer of meaning.
The verdict
While the Maldives may be awash with luxury resorts, Sirru Fen Fushi is not trying to be the flashiest or the most extravagant. Instead, it’s forging a path with intention, sustainability, and soulful design. While many of the Maldives’ newest resorts, such as Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa, SO/ Maldives, and Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, are built upon reclaimed land, Sirru Fen Fushi rewards guests with an all-natural, rustic retreat in one of the world’s most picturesque destinations.
The nine-kilometre house reef—the largest in the Maldives—offers incredible snorkelling and diving in waters alive with marine life. When the cotton-candy sunsets fade, the island’s remote location (the resort is the second furthest north in the Maldives) ensures superb stargazing opportunities, unencumbered by light pollution.
For travellers looking for something off the beaten track, Sirru Fen Fushi Private Lagoon Resort isn’t just a secret island; it’s a secret waiting to be discovered.
GO: Visit https://sirrufenfushi.com for reservations and more information.