Cocoa Island by COMO

Cocoa Island Resort is one of Ampersand's Top 10 Beach Hotels and Top 10 Hotel Spas.

Located a 40-minute speedboat journey away from Male Airport, Cocoa Island is one of our favourite properties in the Maldives. Understated and private, this barefoot luxury resort offers access to some of the best dive sites in the Maldives as well as a fantastic house reef full of sea-life ready to explore. With aquamarine shallows for those whole like to paddle along with a beautiful beachfront pool, there are also plenty of spots to cool off from the midday Maldivian sun.

With only 33 guest rooms on Cocoa Island, the resort is known for privacy and intimacy. These elegant spaces have been created from dhoni-style thatched houseboats moored along planked walkways giving you a traditional Maldivian experience with a touch of fun. With neutral décor, spacious lounges and glass walls opening onto private verandas, the rooms really are understated chic. All rooms have direct ocean access with some also having the luxury of a private plunge pool. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available in all guest suites and villas.

As a member of the COMO hotel group, delightful and relaxing spa treatments are guaranteed along with exquisite standards and styles of hospitality. Six days a week the resort hosts complimentary pranayama, yoga, meditation and Pilates classes and there is also a covered hydrotherapy pool. Should you wish to keep fit whilst away, there is also a gym with weights and cardio equipment.

For those who love to be in the water, there is a Marine Sports Centre which can provide snorkelling equipment as well as snorkelling trips away from the island (including night time and UV snorkelling), windsurfing and kayaking. Fishing trips can also be organized and Cocoa Island also have their very own COMO Yacht Charter for those who wish to get away on a romantic daytrip.

Food at Cocoa Island is also an understated affair. With one fabulous restaurant, Ufaa, and one relaxed bar, Faru, you won’t need to ponder where to dine or grab a midday cocktail. The main cuisine on the island is influenced by the Mediterranean where the focus is on fresh and healthy eating options. Should you like to have a private dinner, in-room dining is available as well as private dining set-ups on the beach.

To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.
Bill Bryson