Is there a more exciting way to start your holiday than by racing across the Indian Ocean on a speedboat? It seems unlikely. After stepping out of the Malé Airport terminal and boarding the high-speed inter-island runabout that would take me to SO/Maldives, it didn’t take long for the malaise of long-haul travel to fade into the distance, along with the hustle and bustle of the capital. skyscrapers.
And after no more than 15 minutes of seawater and coastal roar? I found myself on a private island in an archipelago overlooking the Emboodhoo Lagoon, staggering across a catwalk-inspired jetty to a cool, stylish resort; scandalous vistas, no matter how I looked.
Photo: Natelee Cocks
Of course, outrageous vistas are typical of the Maldives. It is a tropical paradise; a land of perfect white sand, lush greenery and aquamarine water. SO/ Maldives – an artificial island in the center of the country – has all of the above in abundance. But it also feels tantalizingly different from the minimalist, eggshell resorts you usually find here across the ocean. The small spot is the first resort in the Maldives from Bangkok-based hotel group SO/, known for its maximalist spaces inspired by the likes of Christian Lacroix and Karl Lagerfeld. And its aesthetics? Just as fantastic. Statement, rebellious fashion was at the forefront of interior designers Eco-ID when creating the resort, with some interior details referencing Chanel’s cruise shows; the carousel set from 2008 and the fake beach from 2018. And so it is a colorful, vibrant gem of a place; a hot pit stop for groups of friends and new couples rather than honeymooners.
