A short speedboat ride transports you away from all the hustle and bustle of Malรฉ Velana International Airport to your very own slice of Maldivian paradise at Oblu Select Sangeli. Angie Aspinall discovers the delights of the twin-island resort on the northwestern tip of the Malรฉ Atoll.
Welcome ceremony
On disembarking from the extremely comfortable air-conditioned speedboat, we were greeted with warm smiles and handshakes, and presented with hand-woven palm leaf necklaces to the accompaniment of the sound of traditional drumming.
A tale of two islands
Sangeli is a pristine resort of two halves. On one island is The Courtyard (the main, buffet-style restaurant), Sangs pool bar, the dive centre, resort shop, and the beach villas – one of which would be ours for the next four nights. Across the wooden walkway flanked by over-water villas is the adults-only One Banyan Island with pool, bar, and ร la carte restaurants Just Wok and Just Grill.
With just 137 villas, Sangeli feels exclusive and never crowded. Whether you’re a family enjoying the options of the Kids’ Club, beach slide and water sports, or are honeymooners looking for peace and quiet, you will find your perfect resort here. Sangeli perfectly caters for a wide range of diverse guests and satisfies them all.
Beach villa
Conveniently located close to the heart of activities on the family-friendly island, our villa was just a short walk from The Courtyard and Sangs Bar. To visit One Banyan Island, if we didn’t fancy the walk, we could call for a free taxi (electric buggy) driven by one of the friendly staff members.
Adorning our king-size bed was a beautiful greeting made from palm leaves and flowers – welcoming us to the island. For me, it is those personal touches that mean such a lot, make you feel special, and create happy memories.
In addition to the bed, our villa also included a daybed, and an enormous beanbag. And outside, we had a private veranda with another daybed and direct access to the beach. There was also a generous minibar (restocked daily) included in the all-inclusive Serenity Plan.
The luxurious semi-open bathroom featured a double shower, private toilet cubicle, gigantic bathtub, and his-and-hers vanity. The open element allowed us to enjoy all the sounds of the tropical island, and to watch the occasional gecko and fruit bat going about their business.
After a wonderfully relaxing night’s sleep, is there a better way to start the day than waking up to a view of the Indian Ocean from your very comfortable bed? Sand, sea, and palm trees: paradise.
Dining options
Breakfast at The Courtyard is a truly international affair with everything from fresh fruit, bread, cheeses, eggs and delicate pastries to traditional Maldivian fare featuring tuna and coconut. As with lunch and dinner, there is a mixture of buffets and live cooking stations and a selection of stylish beachfront dining areas.
Themed evenings – Maldivian Night, Asian Night, Italian Night – add to the extensive range of dishes. There is something to suit every palate, from seared fresh tuna and handmade pizzas to freshly cooked naan breads, Maldivian curries, and sizzling stir fries cooked to order. Vegetarians are extremely well catered for with a range of meat/fish-free salads, curries, stir fries, and pasta dishes daily. Even without visiting the island’s ร la carte restaurants, we agreed we wouldn’t get bored of the choices even if we stayed for six weeks.
Next to The Courtyard sits the Sangs pool and bar, open all day for cocktails, mocktails, and all other drinks on the Serenity Plan. I found the Tropical Bliss mocktail to be my favourite: it was so refreshing. The bartender also made a mean Mojito.
If you enjoy quiet, exclusive restaurants, they are located on One Banyan Island, past the gym, overwater villas, and spa. Flanking the adults-only One Banyan bar – the ideal place for an aperitif – you’ll find Just Grill offering barefoot dining and serving grilled seafood and meats. I enjoyed a perfectly cooked Angus fillet steak and my husband had the fish of the day steamed in a banana leaf. Both dishes were beautifully presented and delicious. Just Wok is on the other side of the pool bar serving handmade dim sum, Asian inspired soups, and vibrant, tasty stir fries. The attentive staff kept our wine glasses topped up all night and also surprised us with a few additional courses, including the chef’s pizza-inspired signature dish topped with peppers and tuna.
Culinary masterclass
It pays to keep an eye on forthcoming activities on the Sangeli app: I wouldn’t have wanted to miss the 11am cookery demonstration at The Sangs. The chef showed how to make a Maldivian fish curry. As he stirred the colour combination of spices in the pan, the aroma swelled and our mouths watered. Best of all, we were able to do more than a taste test – we were each given a hearty portion of the delicious dish.
After enjoying such delicious authentic local flavours, I would have loved the opportunity to buy a cookbook as a memento and to help me create our favourite dishes at home. It would be a wonderful addition to the Sangeli shop if it were to stock the Atmosphere Kaagรฉ Progressive Maldivian Cookbook (produced by the team at Atmosphere Varu) – and tins of the chef’s favourite spice blends as used at the resort.
Scuba diving
My husband Richard, who first dived in the area over 23 years ago, declared his second dive ‘probably his best ever dive at a Maldivian resort’ at Maadi Gaa (Ray Rock), where he had 40-metre visibility in which to watch a shoal of blue-striped snapper. He enjoyed morning and afternoon boat trips to nearby dive sites that are home to colourful reef fish, sea turtles, manta rays, and octopuses. He also enjoyed some night dives on the house reef.
As well as taking underwater photographs at a relaxed, leisurely pace, Richard particularly enjoyed learning about the Muraka programme based on the island, which focuses on coral propagation and reef restoration, which involves attaching coral fragments to cage ‘nurseries’ to create new reefs. You can watch the reef via a live feed on YouTube.
The ultimate in relaxation
On a four-night stay like ours, the Serenity Plan generously includes a complimentary 45-minute treatment at the ELE|NA Spa for every adult. (Additional complimentary therapies are added the longer the stay.) Many of the treatments and rituals incorporate Maldivian natural riches, such as warm sand bundles, bamboo sticks, coconut oil, and volcanic stone. On the advice of fellow guests, we upgraded our couple’s treatment to a full hour. (Thanks for the tip!) We enjoyed Balinese massages with coconut oil tailored to our individual needs – and we left feeling fully rejuvenated.
Lasting impression
Our four-night stay was all too brief and we realised that there was much still to discover and enjoy – the complimentary water sports, the over-water gym – not to mention the signature cocktails at The Rock. However, we made many happy memories of walking hand-in-hand on pristine white sands, swimming in the Indian Ocean, and being looked after by a team of warm, friendly people whose goal was to make sure we had the perfect time – and, thanks to them, we did!
