Four Seasons Maldives Kuda Huraa

Recently, our founder Kate was able to experience the stunning Maldives with a select group of Four Seasons Preferred Partner agents. If you’d like to learn more about the destination that is on everyone’s bucket lists, then check out her photo diary and trip review below.

This is part 1 – Kuda Huraa, and will be followed by Part 2 – Landaa Giraavaru and VoaVah Private Island.

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Sometimes in life you find yourself a little speechless. You know those ‘pinch me’ moments, when you have to ask WHAT EVEN IS THIS LIFE?! Well, earlier this month I had one of those moments. I was left a little speechless and truly feeling ridiculously blessed for this remarkable life that I am living, and the opportunities that I am very lucky enough to get to experience.

What was this miraculous moment you ask? Well, it was my first visit to the beautiful Maldives, as a representative of the Goldman Travel Group and SmartFlyer Australia on a preferred partner familiarisation trip with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

Yep, it was my first visit to the Maldives, and it was with FOUR SEASONS to visit their two iconic resorts. #grateful is an understatement.

From impossibly aqua water to the warmth and intuition of the resort teams, you must add the MALDIVES to your travel bucket lists IMMEDIATELY!

I was lucky enough to explore Kuda Huraa, Landa Giraavaru, Voavah Private Island and the Four Seasons Explorer, so I’ll start with …..

FOUR SEASONS KUDA HURAA 

This was the first stop in my 5 night exploration of the Four Seasons Maldives properties, and at just 30mins by speed boat from Male airport, it offers a seamless connection and you’re on the island before you can say ‘Am i dreaming’.

Upon arriving in Male in the late evening, we were warmly greeted by the Four Seasons team and whisked to their waiting vessel that would transport us the 30 minutes across the dark ocean to our awaiting paradise ‘Four Seasons Kuda Huraa’.

The journey involved a smooth check in process, foot massages by the head of the Island Spa, and refreshing fruit mocktails, and my first impressions were a definite WOW!

Upon reaching the property, I was escorted to my very own overwater villa, where (since it was dark) I would be waking up to my first glimpse of paradise.

MORNINGS LIKE THESE

I really love arriving at night, and waking up to a new destination like this. It adds an extra level of excitement and anticipation to the arrival, don’t you think?

So, after pulling open the blinds and shutters, I crawled into bed, and I was rewarded with an early AM wake up, so I could explore the island at dawn, and it seemed as though, I had it all to myself (except for a curious Turtle, swimming beneath the boardwalk).

 

VILLA STYLE 

The property features a combination of Beach bungalows (including family rooms with extra space for the kids), Water Villas (all of which have their own pools) and specialty two and three bedroom water suites (again, with your own private pools), perfect for families, larger groups or a multi-generational escape.

The villas at Kuda Huraa had all recently been refurbished, and they are stunning! I was in a Sunset Water Villa (you could also choose the Sunrise side of the island).

It was beautifully understated, and the perfect combination of tradition and contemporary design, with hard wood floors and fun pops of colour. It included elements like a huge King bed, walk in dressing area, inside/outside shower, sun deck – complete with day beds and netted lounge areas, and my very own infinity pool. AMAZING!

ISLAND TIME 

Kuda Huraa is a small island, and it’s the beautiful team that take care of you, that makes this property particularly special. From the General Manager to the cleaning team, there were smiles all round and they would do anything for you.

There is no denying that I was spoiled rotten, and with a tailored experience I was able to explore the island and do the things that were of particular interest to me.

I greeted the day with sunrise yoga, and enjoyed the beautiful buffet breakfast, with fresh juices and menu items that included the traditional Maldivian breakfast.

I enjoyed the interactive resort tour, which gave us a wonderful opportunity to meet all of the key department heads within the property (including a private Maldivian drum performance), followed by a blissful Island Spa experience, where we were transported across to the private island by boat, and escorted to our spa pavilions, which sat a top of the aqua water with views to the fish below.

The resort is also packed full of other signature experiences, so even for an active person like me, it would be hard to get bored.

With the Marine Discovery Centre (where you can learn about and participate in all of the various programs that they are working on), we went out on a snorkelling trip, on-board a luxury vessel, and swam with reef sharks, sting rays and a range of colourful fish.

We had an evening sunset cruise with the Kuda Huraa team, with champagne, canapes and great local musicians, whom had us all up dancing and singing along (and this was all just a matter of hours after we had all met!).

Finally, we had dinner on our final evening with the general manager Rory and his lovely wife, at their private residence on the island. An intimate BBQ where we learned more about the Maldivian culture, the property, it’s clientele and everything that goes into making every guest experience once which they’ll remember forever.

Whilst at Kuda Huraa we also went out to take a peek at the Four Seasons Explorer, their custom 39-metre, three-deck catamaran, that sleeps up to 22 guests.

This liveaboard is the ultimate luxury dive vessel, allowing guests to visit isolated reefs, virgin dive-sites & uninhabited beaches around the Maldives. Um, yes please!

DO I HAVE TO LEAVE? 

All in all Four Seasons Kuda Huraa was a stunning introduction for me to the Maldives and I truly fear that I have been spoiled for life.

The water surrounding the island is so impossibly blue that you can’t quite believe your eyes, and the beautiful villas are one thing, but as travel is more to me than just the bed you sleep in, it really was the people met and the experiences I had along the way that made all the difference.

I would have no hesitation in sending any of my clients to this beautiful property, so if you’re dreaming of your own Maldivian paradise, please allow me to help you.

Contact me at kate@wanderluxetravelco.com.au and I can ensure that you’re not only hooked up with our Four Seasons preferred partner amenities, but I can completely tailor this experience to you and your interests, to make this more than just a holiday, but the trip of a lifetime.

Thank you to the team at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa for my wonderful stay.

 

Kate xx