Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu, Maldives – Luxury, Romance & Sea Turtles at an Eco Beach Hideaway (+ video)

animal welfare, Ecotourism, Honeymoon, Honeymoon, Indian Ocean, Indischer Ozean, Maldives, Malediven, Spa, Sustainable Tourism, Video, Videos, Wedding 0 Comments
moniquedecaro-coco-dhuni-kolhu

“Kick of your shoes and get closer to nature.”

Well-being in harmony with nature – this 5-star Coco Collection resort is synonymous with absolute exclusivity and environmentally thoughtful luxury. It is located 124 km from Malé, in the north western Baa Atoll, where nature is still untouched in many places. Coco Palm can almost be called the wild sister of the chic Coco Bodu Hithi.

With the Olive Ridley Project and the Marine Turtle Rescue Centre they also make an important contribution to the protection of the sea turtles!

In addition to the many water sports you can also enjoy a movie night under the stars or visit the uninhabited island Embudhoo for picnics and overnight there. If you would like to, you can even have the whole island to yourself and get married there. How wildly romantic!

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It is about a 40 minute trip with a TMA seaplane from Malé Airport to the island.  This really is easy and relaxed flying. The pilots fly barefoot and sometimes there is a spontaneous stopover at another island.

I always thought that you would be taken directly to the island, but no, the plane lands next to a platform in the middle of the sea. From there, you travel by boat to the island. Very cool!

Where time stands still

The resort was built about 20 years ago and exudes a very special and original charm, through the beautiful wildness of nature, but most of all, through its very special employees!

Shameer from India welcomed and looked after us during our entire stay. What a cool guy! He even arranged for my sunglasses to be fished out of the depths of the ocean, but more about that later on!

Did you know that the sand around the Maldives moves around? This wide stretch of beach can for example be on the other side of the island in a few years.

At exactly 6 o’clock the sting-rays, sharks and a lot of other fish come to feed. How do they know when it’s time to eat again?

Of course there are also critical voices saying that they get too lazy to hunt themselves, but they like it. For years, they have been fed by one and the same employee, and they welcome him as a friend. They bumped into him, just as dogs would do. Cute!

Villas

The 98 villas in Maldivian style with their thatched roofs reflect the style of the region. They are carefully distributed all over the island and offer plenty of privacy and above all closeness to nature. Some have an open-air bathroom, a pool or are built on stilts. What do we like most? That there are no TV’s! Who needs a TV when you are on holiday and even more so when in paradise?! We definitely do not!

Deluxe Villas

We stayed in one of the Deluxe Villas, which was the first to be built on the island. It is hidden in the jungle and yet right on the beach. It has a great terrace with a day bed and the pool has the perfect depth of 1.50m.

Inside, there is a comfortable four poster bed and a chic chest of drawers with a mini-bar filled to the brim.

You also receive 2 complimentary large glass water bottles, which are refilled in the morning and in the evening with fresh Coco Water. The water is from the island’s desalination plant. Roughly 1 liter of drinking water is extracted from 5 liters of salt water.

The absolute highlight of this villa, besides the pool, is the open air bathroom! Such chic and extraordinary design!

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After the construction of the first villa, No. 28, the design was changed. In our opinion, a real pity! Although the other Deluxe Villas have a different design, they are also very romantic! However, in the near future, some will gradually be rebuilt.

These villas also have a terrace with plunge pool, direct access to the ocean, a cozy four poster bed, a mini bar and an open bathroom!

There are also Ocean Front, Beach and Sunset Beach Villas.

The vegetation on the island is wild and natural. You find these little black-and-white birds and chameleons all over the island.

Lagoon Villas

If you prefer to live directly on the water, the Lagoon Villas are perfect. We liked both – you are either right on the beach or directly on the water!

The Lagoon Villas have a sun terrace, a plunge pool, a four poster bed, a mini bar and a large jacuzzi bath.

The Sunset Lagoon Villas are a bit larger, have a pool with glass bottom and offer plenty of privacy.

Restaurants & Bars

Conch Bar
In the Conch Bar you can enjoy the evening with wine, beer, cocktails and small snacks. Or you can listen to a talk by the resident marine biologist or to the locals chatting away.

Beach Bar
The beach bar has the perfect location to enjoy the sunset with a delicious sundowner in hand!


Cowrie Restaurant
The main restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are different themed evenings and a live cooking station.

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The restaurant is quite big. If you prefer a more romantic setting, you can also book a private dinner on the beach or a private BBQ in your villa. We found the upper area with its comfy seating also quite cozy.

The buffet was always very lovingly arranged! One evening there even was tuna-sashimi – freshly caught and super delicious!

Cornus Restaurant
This restaurant offers Thai, Indian and Maldivian cuisine on certain days.

Beach BBQ Dinner

An especially romantic version of dinner is the beach BBQ right under the stars and with freshly grilled lobsters, crabs, pineapples, potatoes and so much more.

There are plenty of appetizers and desserts to choose from.

It was really the best lobster we have ever eaten so far. So fresh!

Coco Spa

The Coco Spa offers treatments from Bali, Thailand and India.

We had a wonderful Balinese massage – very professional and so relaxing! We simply loved the open treatment rooms. To be massaged with the twittering of birds in the background is amazing!

There is a separate treatment room for Thai massages and of course, there also is a fitness room.

Dolphin Whatching

We went on both the Dolphin Sunset Cruise in the evening and the Dolphin Sunrise Cruise in the morning. And although the chances of seeing dolphins are better in the morning, we also saw them in the evening on the Sunset Cruise.

We also had a really great guide, who saw them from afar!

And they came very close, because they like to swim along the bow of the boat. The boat makes underwater sounds, which they experience as pleasant and they like the bubbles that rise at the bow of the boat. In the evening there was also an Englishwoman on board who whistled softly the whole time. Perhaps she also lured them to the boat with her whistling. For we were told, the fishermen in the Maldives do the same. They attract the dolphins by whistling and in turn, by just being there, the dolphins help them to catch tuna.

The next morning on the Sunrise Cruise, I sat down at the bow all by myself and whistled softly. And then the dolphins came so close that I could actually hear them. It was almost like they were communicating with me! I do not know whether it was just coincidence or not – but I heard them “talking” – when they were swimming right beneath me. This was truly an unforgettable experience!

I have already swum with wild dolphins in Kenya and Mauritius, but they have never been this close before.

There were approximately 50 – 60 spinner dolphins. One of the hotel’s resident biologists was also on board and gladly answered all our questions.

The Sunset Cruise in the evening is quite romantic and while sipping on some sparkling wine you can watch the glowing sky.

When we returned to the island, the moon was already out, just as the sun was setting in the pink-and-purple ocean. Magical!

Water Sports

Catamaran sailing, water skiing and windsurfing are available. And if you want to go diving or learn how to dive, you can do so at the hotel’s PADI diving school. The nearby reefs are perfectly suitable for snorkeling and diving. Unfortunately, most of the coral has been destroyed through various environmental influences, but as a result there are now more fish found in the reefs. We also saw plenty of sea turtles here. And whoever feels like it, can even go swimming with mantas or stingrays.

Visits to the local village

We also visited a village on a nearby island with Shameer. We were even invited inside for a cup of tea by one of his friends. Really nice!

Previously people lived here in small thatched houses. Today, however, they also live in chic, colorful stone houses with every kind of comfort. Tourism and fishing offer the most job opportunities.

At the end of the tour, as I was about to get onto the boat, my sunglasses fell into the water at the docks. What a dilemma – without my sunglasses I could not see a thing in the glaring sun. But what could I do, other than buying a new pair of glasses, or so I thought at least. But not with Shameer! A few hours later, he returned with my sunglasses. He actually went back to the village with the diving instructor that then fished my sunglasses out of the water. How incredibly cool and caring is that?!

For the sake of the environment

Coco Palm has dedicated itself to preserving and protecting the environment, especially the Baa Atoll, a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Coco Palm also tries to keep the human fingerprint as low as possible and supports the local Maldivian population.

“Coco Palm is committed to preserving and developing the island of Dhuni Kolhu according to the principles of eco-tourism. We are an excellent example of how environmental sustainability and maintaining the cultural integrity of the Maldivian people can be cultivated in a 5-star resort.”

Group General Manager Anthony G. Paton has written a few basic principles about the protection of the environment for their guests. However, some of these, we should also take to heart, even when at home: Some Best Practices for our surroundings and the eco system

“We did not inherit our planet from our grand parents; we are simply borrowing it from our great grand children”

More info on the philosophy, the principles and how Coco Palm protects the environment, can be found here.

Marine Turtle Rescue Centre

With the help of donations and in cooperation with the Olive Ridley Project, a new marine turtle rescue center was being built under the guidance of marine biologist Claire Petros (more info). Now, injured sea turtles and those in need of care can be nursed back to health here.

When we were there, it was still under construction, but has now been finished and has just opened its doors.

We already met Claire on our flight there. She had a turtle with her on board that had one leg missing; apparently it was torn off by a shark. On the island, Claire lovingly took care of this small emaciated turtle.

In the Conch Bar Claire also held an interesting talk about the Olive Ridley Project. It is actually quite crazy when you hear how many fishing nets are lost in the ocean every year and how many marine animals get entangled and eventually die because of them.

You can help! Everyone should really pay particular attention to the tuna that they buy. In the Maldives, tuna is still caught using the one-by-one method with only a pole and line. If you only buy sustainably caught fish, you can play a small part in the preservation of marine animals even when you are back at home.

A further contribution to the protection of the environment:  vegetables, spices and herbs are all grown on the island’s own small farm.

And even some the furniture is manufactured locally in the carpenter’s workshop and by hand.

Honeymoon & Wedding

Honeymoon Special
25% discount on the accommodation price (can be combined with early booking discounts)

  • Cocktail reception, 1 bottle of house wine, fruit platter, romantic bed decoration, romantic 3-course candlelight dinner
  • Sunset Cruise included when booking a Sunset Beach Villa or Deluxe Villa
  • Movies on the beach with wine and Coco Palm gift included when booking a Lagoon Villa or Sunset Lagoon Villa

Valentine’s Day Special
Love is in the Air Package:  breakfast on the beach or in the villa at $ 90 per couple, private BBQ in the villa at $ 270 per couple or beach BBQ at $ 250 per couple (more info)

„Renewal of Vows“ Package from $ 2500
Spa treatments, ceremony on the beach or on the deserted island Embudhoo with an overnight stay, bridal bouquet, wedding cake, photographer, champagne breakfast and much more (more info)

Conclusion

We had a wonderful and relaxed time on this beautiful rustic island and in our awesome villa. Nature is simply magnificent here! If you are looking to spend some romantic time in harmony with nature, we can highly recommend it! And getting married on the deserted island must be beautiful.

The managers and the employees put their hearts and souls into what they do and that gives this eco resort that certain something! Their commitment to nature is also commendable – we learned so much here and also met such passionate people. It was not just a holiday, but a great experience that has left its mark, also in our hearts.

Rooms: 98 villas: 9 Ocean Front Villas, 23 Beach Villas, 25 Sunset Beach Villas, 27 Deluxe Villas, 12 Lagoon Villas and 2 Sunset Lagoon Villas
Duration: Nonstop from Frankfurt to Male with Condor in 10.5 hours
Transfer: 124 km from Male Airport, about 40 minutes by seaplane
Air Temperature: 24 – 33° Celsius
Water Temperature: 27 – 29° Celsius
Malaria: Malaria free
Vaccinations: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Hepatitis A and B vaccinations are recommended.  Mosquito repellent to prevent Dengue fever.
Best season: (November) December to March
Time Difference: 5 hours
Price: From 398 EUR per night
Honeymoon Special: 25% discount on accommodation
Special features: Untouched island, great excursions, beautiful romantic villas, very personal service
Perfect for: Couples, families, nature lovers, water sports enthusiasts, romantics, honeymooners, weddings


Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu
Baa Atoll, Republic of Maldives
Tel.: +960 660 0011
Fax: +960 660 0022
info@cocopalm.com.mv
www.cocopalm.com

Coco Collection
Green Pearls – Unique Places
Preferred Hotels & Resorts
MATATO Maldives Travel Awards – Best Eco Resort in Maldives – 2012, 2014
Booking.com – Outstanding Hotel Partner Award – 2014
World Luxury Hotel Awards – Global winner in Best Luxury Resort – 2014
Kuoni Swiss – Travelife Gold Award – 2012
Trip Advisor – Certificate of Excellence – 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Green Globe EarthCheck – Silver Certificate – 2010, 2012
Green Resort Award by President of the Maldives – 2001, 2009
Green Globe EarthCheck – Bronze Certificate, recognizing our commitment to operating at the world’s highest environmental standards – 2009
Green Globe EarthCheck – Benchmarked Certificate for achieving the Green Globe Company standard for the Accommodation Sector – 2008
VIP International Reader’s Travel Award – 1st Place for the most beautiful Spa-Resort Worldwide – 2008
Kuoni Swiss, Switzerland – Green Planet Award – 2007
TUI Holly Award – One of the 100 Most Popular Hotels Around the World – 2006, 2007, 2009
World Travel Award – Indian Ocean’s Leading Resort – 2005
World Travel Award – Maldives’ Leading Resort – 2005
World Travel Award – Maldives’ Leading Resort – 2004
World of TUI – Umwelt Champion – 2004, 2012

You can find many more informations about the Maldives in the interesting A Guide To Maldives by Michelle from Traveljunkiediary.com!

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Please note: Our stay was sponsored by the Coco Collection. Thank you so much! The opinions expressed in the article are nonetheless 100% our own!

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Coco Bodu Hithi, Maldives – an exclusive Eco Beach Resort for Connoisseurs (+ video)

Ecotourism, Honeymoon, Hotels, Indian Ocean, Maldives, Malediven, Spa, Sustainable Tourism, Video, Wedding 0 Comments

“Rediscover Life´s Beauty” in the North Male Atoll

The Maldives consists of 1190 islands and on one of these small islands in the North Malé or Kaafu Atoll you will find the luxurious Coco Bodu Hithi. Romance is very important at this local family run Coco Collection resort.  Furthermore, the ingenious design concept embraces a respectful interaction with nature.

All 100 villas have their own swimming pool. There are 7 restaurants, numerous water activities and a great spa over the water. It is one of the most exclusive resorts in the Maldives.

The Maldivian hotel group Coco Collection was created in 2007 as a subsidiary of Sunland Hotels & Resorts by the Maldivian founder Mr. Shabeer. Since then the Coco Collection has become synonymous with stylish, sophisticated and sustainable holidays. The trip by speedboat from the Malé airport takes just 35 min.

Pool

The huge infinity pool is located directly on the sea and next to the main restaurant Air and the Latitude bar.

Villen

Coco Residences
The 24 Coco Residences are close to the island, yet secluded through the long footbridge. There is a private beach, a reception area with a lounge and a restaurant, Stars, with a bar.


The island is small, but if you want to walk from the Coco Residences to the other restaurants, it takes about 10 – 15 minutes.  It’s much faster with one of the golf carts!

The Coco Residences are the largest villas on the island with 184 square metres. They all have a living room, a bedroom, a large bathroom with shower and bath, a dressing area, a minibar with a wine cabinet and a huge terrace with daybed, dining area and pool.

The view of the sea, even from your bed, is just beautiful! If you love beautiful ocean views, these villas are just perfect for you. If you prefer to stay directly on the beach, there are also villas on the island situated directly on the beach.

This grey heron also liked our pool!

(Escape) Water Villas
On the other side of the island, above the lagoon, are another 16 Water Villas, 188 square metres in size each with their own pool, designer bath and great views. There are also another 16 Escape Water Villas, each a 144 square metres with double bath, pool and separate living room.

Island Villas
The villas on the island, 109 square metres in size each has a huge round bathtub, a pool and direct beach access. If you prefer to stay directly on the beach, this is the right choice for you.

Coco Privé
If you would like to be all alone, you can directly book yourself a whole island! It is located almost directly opposite the Coco Residences and has every imaginable luxury.  It is available from $ 45,000 per night. www.cocoprive.com

Restaurants

With such a variety of restaurants there is something for everyone. From buffet meals to á la carte, or from sushi to fresh fish and delicious pizza, no wish is left unfulfilled. The food really is so delicious!

Air
This is the main restaurant and it is situated right next to the infinity pool. It offers typical local dishes and international specialties for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  You also have the choice of à la carte or buffet meals.

Latitude
The cocktail bar right next to the infinity pool offers a wide selection of wines, snacks, soft drinks and exciting cocktails.

Aqua
This wonderful restaurant is located right over the water and is perfect for romantic dinners! Aqua serves innovative Asian cuisine by combining the finest local ingredients including freshly caught seafood. The individual tables are evenly spread out, so that it is even more exclusive and private.

Usually, I do not eat tuna – as too many fishing nets are lost at sea and too many other animals, such as dolphins and turtles are killed. 640,000 tons of fishing nets have already been lost at sea – imagine that! But, fortunately, it is different in the Maldives – here tuna is still caught using the one-by-one method:  1 man, 1 pole, 1 fish!

The tuna tartare in Air is the Balinese chef, I Wayan Sundira’s and the Greek General Manager, Georgios Papazoglou’s absolute favorite – so I simply had to try it! And it was a dream!

Fresh local Tuna Tartar, Truffle Chipotle Chilli Sauce,
Salmon Roe and crispy Tortilla

Ingredients for a single serving
100g fresh tuna (make sure that it was caught in the Maldives), 10g white of a boiled egg, 5g onion, 15ml lemon juice, 10g red pepper, 5g miso paste, 10ml truffle oil, 10ml Kikkoman soy sauce, 5g chipotle chilli powder, finely chopped lettuce , 30g crispy tortilla, 5g salmon

Preparation

  • Cut the tuna into cubes and place in a bowl. Add all the other ingredients except the lettuce and the tortilla
  • Mix carefully and then gently press into a ring shaped mold.
  • Remove the ring and garnish on a plate with lettuce and salmon roe
  • Serve with the crispy tortillas

Breeze
Another romantic option where you dine under the stars directly on the beach. The Breeze Beach BBQ is available at $ 135 per person.

The Stars
The bar and restaurant, The Stars, are located right next to the Coco Residences and offers an à la carte breakfast, delicious cocktails and Asian fusion cuisine with fresh seasonal ingredients.

Tsuki
Tsuki is located on the first floor of Latitude and serves traditional Japanese specialties such as sushi, sashimi and maki.

Beach

Life is better in flip flops.

(Water) Activities

Every day something different is offered. We were lucky enough to be there on a Tuesday when the manager’s cocktail is served on the beach.

General Manager´s Cocktail
Cocktails and canapés on the beach at sunset with live music from a band – life can hardly get any better! This way you also can get to know the managers and maybe even meet other guests.

On other days you can for example, also join a sunset cruise, snorkel or dive with turtles or manta rays or try your luck at Morning Fishing, have a picnic on a sandbank, watch the traditional drummers and dancers in the Boduberu show or enjoy watching a movie under the stars on the beach.

The excursions take place under guidance of the hotel’s own marine biologist and of course you can also go diving and there is plenty of other water sports equipment.

Coco Spa

A visit to this award winning spa should not be missed! Of all the spas that we have visited on our travels so far, the Coco Spa definitely is on our Top 5 Spas of the world list.

You can choose between traditional treatments from Indonesia, Thailand and India. Facials, massage rituals, beautifying body therapies and yoga are also offered.

We can highly recommend the Balinese massage! Just awesome! It is only $ 199 for 50 minutes for 2 people.

Honeymoon & Wedding

Honeymooners on the Maldives get spoiled. Some special extras are included for example a candle light dinner, a bottle of champagne and so on. Just like in Mauritius and the Seychelles honeymooners also qualify for a special Honeymoon discount at Coco Resorts.

Honeymoon Special
25 % discount on the accommodation price

    • Cocktail reception, sparkling champagne, fruit platter, romantic bed decoration, romantic 3-course candlelight dinner, 10% discount on all spa treatments, Coco Gift
    • Champagne breakfast in your villa when staying at Coco Residence
    • (Mit Frühbucherrabatt kombinierbar.)

The honeymoon special, can also be combined with early booking discounts.

Valentine’s Day Special
Couple Treatments at Coco Spa for $ 300 per couple for 90 minutes, romantic 5-course candle light dinner on the beach for only $ 145 per person, private movie night on the beach at $ 180 per couple and so much more. (more info)

“Wedding” oder “Renewal of vows” Package from USD 2500
Spa treatments for the bride and groom, traditional Bodu Beru drummers performance, photographer, bouquet for the bride, wedding cake, sunset cruise with champagne and canapés, breakfast in the villa and more (more info)

For the sake of the environment

Unfortunately, due to heavy storms and excessively high temperatures in recent years, up to 90% of the corals on the Maldives have been damaged.  And every day, a lot of plastic waste is washed up on the beach. The Coco Collection does a lot to protect the animals and preserve the environment! (Sustainability Report 2016)

“Eco friendly” measures and initiatives by the hotel

  • The hotel emphasises to guests in various different ways just how important it is to protect the marine life and the environment
  • In the villas you will find Green Bags, that guests can use to take their plastic waste home with them where there are better opportunities to recycle these.
  • Reuse of treated waste water to save energy
  • Use of LED bulbs to save energy
  • Rainwater is collected and used for the generator
  • Regular island and reef clean-up operations by the entire Coco Bodu Hithi Team
  • Paper napkins are not used, only self-made  cloth napkins
  • and many other initiatives

Marine Biology Centre

  • Supporting the Olive Ridley Projects in the fight against ghost nets in the Indian Ocean
  • Active collection of the so-called ghost nets as well as providing training for the team
  • Education programmes for guests and staff about turtles, manta rays, sharks and plastic waste pollution
  • Building of a Turtle Rescue Station
  • Building a coral nursery by using recycled iron bars
  • Environmental Education Events  such as Earth Hour, Earth Day, World Ocean Day, World Sea Turtle Day and so on
  • Coral transplants
  • and many other initiatives

How can you help?
When you buy tuna, you should pay attention to how and where it was caught. About 22% of tuna is caught in the Indian Ocean and in the Maldives specifically, only with pole and line.  Make sure that the tuna you buy was caught in the Maldives. If you are uncertain, you can visit the International Pole & Line Foundation website to find out which fishing technique is used.

If you need a new T-shirt or jacket Fourth Element makes clothing from ghost net material.

You can find out more by visiting the Coco Collection blog COCO CARES!

Conclusion

Island life is just wonderful and romantic! We loved our water villa and were sad to leave this piece of paradise! And although it is very luxurious and exclusive, the atmosphere in the hotel is really relaxed and casual! The service is very personal, friendly and simply perfect. Here you can just sit back, relax and enjoy.

Rooms: 100 villas: 44 Island Villas, 16 Water Villas, 16 Escape Water Villas and 24 Coco Residences)
Duration: Nonstop from Frankfurt to Male with Condor in 10.5 hours 
Transfer: 40 minutes by speedboat from Male
Check-in / Check-out Times: 14:00 / 11:00 
Air Temperature: 24 – 33° Celsius
Water Temperature: 27 – 29° Celsius
Malaria: Malaria free
Vaccinations: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Hepatitis A and B vaccinations are recommended.  Mosquito repellent to prevent Dengue fever.
Best season: (November) December to March 
Time Difference: 5 hours 
Price: From 585 EUR per night
Honeymoon Special: 25% discount on the accommodation price 
Features: Privacy, pure luxury, great villas, excellent food, very personal service
Perfect for: Couples, families, nature lovers, water sports enthusiasts, romantics, honeymooners and weddings

Coco Bodu Hithi
North Male Atoll, Republic of Maldives
Tel:     +960 664 1122 | +960 664 6600
Fax:    +960 664 1133
Skpye : reservations-cococollection
Email: reservations@cocoboduhithi.com
www.cocoboduhithi.com

Coco Collection
Preferred Hotels & Resorts
Green Pearls – Unique Places
Booking.com – Outstanding Hotel Partner Award – 2014
Trip Advisor – Certificate of Excellence – 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
World Luxury Spa Awards 2014, 2015
World Travel Awards – Indian Ocean Best Luxury Villa Resort – 2013
Trip Advisor – Travellers’ Choice Award – 2013
Green Globe EarthCheck – Bronze Certificate, recognizes the operation’s commitment to operating at the world’s highest environmental standards – 2012
TUI Holly Award – One of the 100 most satisfying Hotels Worldwide – 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
TUI Awards – Umwelt Champion – 2012
World Luxury Hotel Awards – Best Luxury Hotel – 2009, 2011
World Luxury Hotels Awards – Best Luxury Island Resort in the World – 2010
Spa Magazine – Silver Sage Readers’ Choice Award – 2010
World Luxury Hotel Awards 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013
IP International Reader’s Travel Awards – 1st Place for the most beautiful Spa-Resort Worldwide – 2008
Go Green Programme, eco certified hotel
World Land Trust Donator

You can find many more informations about the Maldives in the interesting article
A Guide To Maldives by Michelle from Traveljunkiediary.com!

Did you like this article? Then make our day and share it! 
_____________________________________________________________

Please note: Our stay was sponsored by the Coco Collection. Thank you so much! The opinions expressed in the article are nonetheless 100% our own!

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Chena Huts by Uga Escapes, Yala, Sri Lanka – Wilderness, Luxury, Leopards & Ocean (+ Video)

Asia, Honeymoon, Hotels, Interviews, Spa, Sri Lanka, Video 0 Comments
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Asia meets Africa – A Safari Lodge with WOW factor

Directly on the ocean, listening to the roaring waves, splashing in the villa’s own pool, enjoying the best curry and maybe even seeing elephants pass by… this is Chena Huts!

Chena Huts by Uga Escapes is situated on the southeast coast of Sri Lanka and was definitely the highlight of our Sri Lanka tour! This small luxury boutique hotel is located directly on the ocean, has a restaurant, pool, spa and 14 villas each with their own private pool.

Chena Huts belongs to the renowned Sri Lankan group Uga Escapes and is the first luxury safari lodge in Sri Lanka. It directly borders Yala National Park, the oldest national park in Sri Lanka.

We were welcomed warmly and greeted with the hotel’s unique welcome ritual: Each guest places their country’s flag next to the “welcome” written in their home language. So you immediately know where all the guests are from.

Pavilions

The 14 luxurious detached guest cabins, each 105 square meters in size, are evenly distributed in the coastal jungle and offer plenty of privacy, peace and comfort.

Wooden walkways connect the cabins with the restaurant, the swimming pool and the spa.

The spacious “huts” perfectly blend into their natural surroundings. Each cabin is hidden in the dense thorn tree jungle, has a terrace with a 5m private pool and views of the wilderness, the lake landscape or the ocean.

The African safari style pavilions are decorated with rustic lamps, warm colors and lots of wood. Very comfortable and modern!

The focal point is the comfortable bed with stylish fan that is shaped like a lotus blossom just like the Uga Escapes logo.

Behind the bed is an open bathroom with a freestanding bathtub and very stylish wash basins. It has the feel of a safari lodge in South Africa.

I especially liked the African kerosene lanterns! So beautiful!

There is also a 42 “LED TV, a mini bar, a variety of tea and a small Nespresso coffee machine.

Beach

Unfortunately, you cannot swim in the ocean here, due to strong currents, but just being at the beach, is already wonderful!

moniquedecaro-chena-huts-004.jpg

And since there are no fences, you can also encounter some wild animals. Not too worry though, the rangers look after guests!

Interview with Manager Roshan De Silva

General Manager Roshan De Silva comes from Sri Lanka and runs the hotel with a lot of heart. He is also a strong supporter of nature conservation and animal welfare!

Sri Lanka has an ingenious water storage system that was created thousands of years ago by its kings. But if it rains too little, even these lakes run dry. When we visited Sri Lanka in January, it has unfortunately, not rained as much as it actually should have.  The lakes were almost dry. That is also why General Manager Roshan is so committed to animal welfare and nature conservation.  He tries to fill the lakes by buying water with the help of donations ($ 50 for 1 ton of water) as this is the only way to ensure that the animals will have water.

moniquedecaro-chena-huts.jpg

Pool

Although each villa has its own pool, there is also a large pool.

No filter – everything turns this pink in the early evening!

Restaurant “Basses” & Bar

Based on the principle: simply sit back and enjoy everything is included at Chena Huts – breakfast, lunch, dinner, soft drinks, cocktails and all other drinks.

The restaurant is named after the lighthouse, which is very close by.

Fruit and vegetables come from a nearby farm and the rice is planted in Ulagalla, another Uga Escapes hotel. It is all very fresh and really healthy!

You have the choice of either dining inside in an air-conditioned area or enjoy the ocean views outside.

There even is a pizza oven. A highlight for children – they get to bake their own pizza.

Fresh fruit juice for breakfast and lunch and delicious cocktails for dinner are available from the guys at the bar.

Breakfast

The à la carte breakfast is delicious! You try to taste as many dishes as possible and tend to eat much more than you actually can.

Lunch

We also met Holger, the German Chef at Uga Escapes Hotels. He commutes between the Uga hotels and is responsible for the respective kitchens there. And he does an excellent job – everything was so appetizing. Nice and spicy, but very tasty! Of course, there are also dishes that are not spicy at all!

Dinner

It is so romantic here in the evening!

After a great aperitif a delicious 4-course menu is served!

On special occasions, it is also possible to enjoy a romantic dinner for two right on the beach.

Safari at Yala National Park

Of course you will not see as many animals as in Africa when on safari in Yala National Park, but there are plenty of elephants, buffaloes, crocodiles, monkeys and birds. And the chances of seeing a leopard are quite high in the national park with the highest leopard population density in the world!

Safaris start in the afternoon or very early in the morning.

We have never seen so many kingfishers as here in Sri Lanka. They are simply beautiful!

Our ranger Vidupa and rider Suresh tried their best to find us a leopard. Even the monkeys helped when they raised their alarm.

There he was – the leopard! Although far away – but still, simply seeing this majestic animal from afar is already an experience!

Spa

The spa offers massages and beauty treatments. Unfortunately, we did not have enough time to indulge in any treatments, but it looked amazing! Spa Brochüre

Cooking Class

The cuisine in Sri Lanka is very delicious, spicy and fresh. Our Cooking Class with Holger was a great opportunity to be introduced to some of the local cooking skills.

I love the Dhal Curry (lentil curry)! And we were shown exactly how to cook dhal and chicken curry. The spicy versions! If you prefer a milder curry, it can be served with coconut milk or yoghurt.

In Sri Lanka, spices, such as curry, chilli and so on are first fried to release their full flavour. A very important ingredient in the local cuisine is curry leaves. Unfortunately it is not freshly available in Germany. These leaves give Sri Lankan and Indian dishes their distinctive taste!

Recipes: Dhal Curry | Chicken Curry

Of course, dishes that are prepared during class can also be enjoyed afterwards!

Conclusion

Chena Huts is a beautiful secluded oasis of tranquility – right on the ocean. The staff is so friendly and the service very personal (which is, unfortunately, quite rare in Sri Lanka). We really felt right at home in this small jewel of Uga Escapes. It was hard to leave this beautiful and exclusive hotel. The pavilions are very stylish, cozy and luxurious. The food is delicious and the all-inclusive concept is great! In our opinion, it was the nicest hotel in Sri Lanka!

Rooms: 14 Pavilions each with their own pool
Flight duration: 12 hour flight from Germany via Dubai to Colombo Airport
Transfer: 250km from Colombo Airport. It is either a 5 hour taxi drive or you can opt to take a domestic flight from Colombo to Mawella Lagoon Airport, close to the town of Tangalle.
Check-in / Check-out Times: 14:00 / 11:00
Air Temperature: 8 to 27.8° Celsius
Water Temperature: 27 – 29° Celsius
Malaria: Malaria free
Vaccinations: recommended are Tetanus, Diphtheria, Hepatitis A and Measles
Best season: Mid May to late September is best when visiting the east and northeast of the island (in the west and southwest monsoon “Yala”); October – mid-April is best when visiting the west and south-west coast (in the north and east northeast monsoon “Maha”); January to March is best when visiting the mountainous areas.
Time Difference: 5.5 hours
Price: From 790 EUR per night including full board, drinks, minibar & safaris
Features: Complete privacy, pure luxury, great pavilions, best cuisine
Perfect for: Couples, families, nature lovers, animal lovers and romantic souls


Chena Huts
Palatupana Yala
Tel : +94 47 2267100
reservations@ugaescapes.com
www.ugaescapes.com

Luxperience
Traveller Made Hotel Partner
PURE Life Experiences

In Colombo, we also visited Uga Residence – very classy and a true oasis in the big city! 11 Suites are available from 254 USD per night including breakfast.

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Please note: During our stay we were supported by Uga Escapes. Thank you so much! The opinions expressed in the article are nevertheless 100% our own!

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