Sun Siyam | The Maldives, a review by Om & Away

The last time I was in Maldives was 19 years ago, I was still in university.  The Maldivian islands are still as pristine and beautiful as I remember them. These are one of the places I’m so happy that time didn’t destroy. Kudos to the Maldivian government, in their efforts in conserving the islands through the rampage of time and tourism; and also for rebuilding the infrastructure after the Tsunami.

Almost two decades later, I return to spend 4 days at The Sun Siyam. The trip was indeed a slice of heaven. We stayed at both the beach and water villas, they were ????. The villas were immaculate and the food was delectable. I decided to share with you my top picks for the spa, restaurants and villas. Read on!

In true Maldivian fashion, we took the seaplane by The Transmaldivian Airways to Iru Fusi, the island where the whole resort is situated on. Iru Fushi, literally means “Sun Island”.  The 45-minute scenic flight took us over breathtaking views of the islands below. As soon as we landed, and we alighted the propeller plane, my face was greeted by the seabreeze, along with the team of affable staff . With every step that I took on the long deck, my heart rate slowed down two notches. Welcome to Paradise.

Villas

We stayed in two different villa types. The Beach Villa enclave was on the east side of the island. Sprawled over white powdery sand, these 138 villas sit quietly, nestled between palm trees and lush landscaping. These villas have a hot tub and a swing in the bathroom, with direct access to the beach. 

On the last night, we moved into the Sunset Horizon Water Villa. The water villas have a whole different allure, these villas sprout out from the west side of the island.There are 80 water villas, over four villa types. I reckon a Maldivan stay is not complete without a stay in an over-water villa. 

This Sunset Horizon water Villa, framed the perfect view of the sunset. The pink, red rays from the sunset lit the sky, cast crimson hues into the villa like a velvet sheet – pure romance to say the least. In the villa, there is a window on the floor, so you could see the coral in the sea, without getting wet. The villas are screened well, with privacy for the hot tubs and direct access to the oceans.

Best Restaurants

Sun Siyam Iru Fushi has 14 restaurants, each with each own unique cuisine, ranging from French, Italian, Japanese, Thai-Vietnamese to Indian and Sri Lankan. My top two picks would have to be Flavours, the French restaurant and Islanders Grill, the beach grill.

Flavours is an over-water restaurant where we dined on exquisite French food, over candlelight. Manta Rays and many iridescent fish were swimming just below us, and the tables were lit by soft coloured lights, bringing romance to the meal. 

The grill dinner at Islanders Grill was my husband’s favourite. It is set on the beach and  we had delicious grilled seafood with sand on our toes. The staff made sure that I got my gluten-free breads. Each course exceeded the previous. The meal was topped off with crab spotting on the beach. 

Every meal that we had, from the expansive breakfast spread to the intimate dinners – were just top notch, befitting for a luxury five star resort. I would like to add that the band at The Water’s Edge bar was fantastic. Listening to them croon on the beach, watching the sunset over cocktails was a moment that was with the trip in itself.

Best Spa Treatment

The say that experience counts and that pretty much sums up the spa experience at Sun Siyam. Meticulously well thought from the location of the spa, the winding waterways, tranquil setting and delightfully appointed rooms.

The treatments? Well that is harmony in action as I flowed effortlessly from acupuncture to massage and finally a hydro therapy session. The therapists were well adapted to ensure relaxation and rejuvenation were priorities. My pick for the spa would be the TCM massage and treatment.

The Island Beach

The resorts in Maldives have always been famous for its legendary beaches – bleached white sand and clear blue waters. The beach at Iru Fushi is no different and is truly spectacular. As the water is so clear and shallow, you can see the marine life swimming abundantly just by wading in the water. We could even see Stingrays just chilling outside of the villas. Although Sun Siyam has an occupancy of 200 villas, as the island is huge, you will hardly be confronted by crowds. The beaches are as peaceful as they can be.

Diving and Activities

The resort has a lot of water activities at your disposal too. There is a dive school if you are interested to dive. We snorkeled around the island, and the coral and wildlife was so abundant! The Nemos in the Anemone farm on site were so very cute!

Last Words

This 4 day stay has been magical. I would recommend that you stay at both the villas, snorkel every day and eat till your stomachs bulge out. Lay down by the beach, stare at the stars. It would be an island holiday like no other.

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