A secluded resort in a destination known for its jaw-dropping getaways, COMO Cocoa Island keeps getting better with age. Having recently marked its 20th anniversary, wellness, relaxation, and romance are just a 40-minute speedboat ride away from Velana International Airport in Male.
Traveller: C. James Dale
Room: Loft Water Villa
Address: Makunufushi, South Male Atoll, Maldives
Date: May 2022
Price range: $1,800-$21,750 per night (depending on the season)
Best for: Travellers looking for an intimate, vibrant escape in an iconic tropical setting. Think long stretches of white sandy beaches, rich marine life and chic overwater villas with pinch-me-I-can’t-believe-I’m-here views.
Location
COMO Cocoa Island is the sister property to COMO Maalifushi, yet closer to the Maldives’ capital, Male. 33 overwater suites and villas hover above an Indian Ocean lagoon, linked by a long and winding wooden jetty. Guests can walk around the island or stroll barefoot out to sea on a narrow sandbank, chasing their shadows after dawn. Pro tip: take a time-lapse video as you walk back to the island.
Within a short walk you can find
The sole resort restaurant, Ufaa, which means ‘happiness’ in the Maldivian language of Dhivehi. Next door is Faru Bar, where colourful cocktails (Reggae Rum Punch, Fresh Como Colada, Como Smokey Sour) go down easy at sunset. Both places are poolside, just a short walk away from the marine centre. Here you can arrange water excursions, then head to the wellness centre for spa treatments, yoga, pilates, or to experience the fantastic hydrotherapy pool.
Claim to fame
Considered a more private escape in the Maldives, COMO Cocoa Island is nestled among coral atolls that give the property, which was renovated and reopened in January 2020, an edge. With international travel back in full swing, people are flocking to this quiet, undisturbed corner of the Maldives to disconnect and dive into a myriad of luxe experiences.
The showstopper
The setting – the turquoise waters, the coral reefs teeming with life, and the soft white sand – takes the top spot. However, ‘Best Supporting Showstopper’ goes to the hydrotherapy pool. Soaking in warm water in a tropical paradise might seem counterintuitive, but relaxing on the bubble beds or blasting your muscles with the hydro massage jets is incredibly rejuvenating.
The room
Loft Water Villas are expansive and airy, with floor-to-ceiling windows letting in loads of light and offering a picture postcard-perfect view of the classic Maldivian scenery. White walls, dark brown floors and minimalist décor across 123 square metres. A king-size bed and small ensuite bathroom sits on a mezzanine. The downstairs bathroom has double sinks, a large shower, an oval bathtub and a door leading to the private outdoor shower. The pièce de résistance is the large wood deck with sun loungers. All just a jump and a splash away from one of the reefs surrounding the resort.
Amenity game
A range of COMO Shambhala bathroom products, including the ‘Invigorate’ body wash and shampoo. The eco-friendly, sustainable offerings are designed in Singapore but produced by artisans worldwide. It’s all part of COMO’s broader approach to wellness.
Loft Water Villas are expansive and airy © COMO Cocoa Island
Beyond the rooms
Look down as you walk along the deck connecting the suites and villas, and you’ll likely spy reef sharks gliding along in the shallows or rays floating by in their majestic manner. Much more marine life can be seen in the house reef, accessed from the beach close to the outside pool. During one snorkel, we spotted an array of colourful fish and we glided alongside a turtle for an incredibly peaceful half-hour.
We also attended an informative biodiversity and sustainability talk at the Marine Sports Centre, where the resident marine biologist, a passionate young Maldivian woman named Kai, spoke on everything from plankton to whale sharks.
Rustic chic styling from the bar to the gym © COMO Cocoa Island
Spa life
A woven grass ceiling is crisscrossed with white-painted beams and has a cluster of pendant lamps hanging from it, swaying gently in the wind. The treatment rooms mix white and light brown wood with sheer curtains covering a wall of windows, beyond which sits bright green vegetation and the blue sea. Treatment rooms come with outdoor garden showers and tubs and therapists are trained in Thai, Indonesian, Balinese, and Indian head massage. The menu also features facials and body wraps, children and couple’s massage.
Staying in
If you’re not in the spa or snorkelling off your villa deck, you’ll probably be poolside. We also spent one truly magical night dining on the beach by candlelight.
Dish to dine for
Anything from the health-focused Shambhala menu. A breakfast favourite was the pumpernickel with vegan ‘smoked salmon,’ cashew cheese, capers and dill. At lunch or dinner, it was the classic ‘big raw salad’ with fresh seafood or the mouth-watering South Indian cuisine. From samosa starters to chicken tikka kathi wraps, murgh makhani and Maldivian jobfish curry with naan.
Stepping out
Luca, who runs the marine centre, warned me before we signed up for a couple of excursions. “Nothing is guaranteed,” he said in his distinctive Italian accent. “But everything is possible.” We head out on the resort’s ‘Shark Adventure,’ about 20 minutes by boat to another reef in the atoll. There are 40 species of sharks in the Maldives, from white and black tips to grey reefs and tawny nurse sharks. Excitement (and a bit of fear) was high as our small group snorkelled around, waiting for a signal from our guide. In the meantime, we gazed at the colourful coral and fish.
When our ‘Shark Adventure’ failed to see these creatures, the team made a detour to Rashid Giri (a ‘giri’ is an individual reef not connected to an island with coral close to the surface). It’s a must-visit spot, like Disneyland underwater, with a vibrant ecosystem teeming with life. We went around it once but could have stayed there for hours.
The family factor
COMO Cocoa Island doesn’t have a kids club and it’s more a resort for kids older than six who can enjoy snorkelling, sailing, and excursions. Larger families can book the bigger premium villas. Or the stunning three-bedroom COMO Sunset Villa, two overwater villas connected by a wooden walkway, each with a private pool.
Before booking
The Maldives comprises roughly 1,200 islands, and there’s no shortage of fabulous places to go. You need to weigh whether you want the true remoteness of a more out-of-this-way location (plus the extra travel time and cost) against a prime spot in a busier part of the archipelago but closer to the capital city and the airport.
If only…
The fish were biting for more guests on our ‘Sunset Fishing’ excursion. It’s a fun experience, but it can drag on and prompt feelings of frustration (and maybe envy) when you can’t reel anything in.
I wish I could take it home
Daily access to a similar wellness facility that provides hydrotherapy, exercise, a top-notch spa and healthy food.
Signature expert rating
8 out of 10: A private island that will wow even the most seasoned five-star traveller, COMO Cocoa Island ticks many of the Maldives’ boxes (beaches, marine life, fine food and drink) and ideal for travellers looking for a quick trip in and out of this paradise.
This article is a Signature Luxury Travel & Style digital exclusive. Be the first to see more exclusive online content by subscribing to the enewsletter.
