For my second time in the Maldives I got to go to the most South part of the country on Addu Atoll where I stayed at the Shangi La resort
How to get to Shangri La Maldives
Shangri La is situated on Addu Atoll and you need to fly until Gan international airport to get to the resort. There are two options available. Since recently, you can fly directly from Colombo, Sri Lanka to Gan or you can fly to Male and then to Gan. In this case the resort will book the flight tickets for you. I flew took the 1,5hours flight from Male to Gan, with Maldivian Air. It was such a cool experience as you fly over the equator you get a crossing certificate (only if you stay at the Shangri La). So cool!
Once in Gan, it is a 5 minutes speed boat ride to the paradise that is Shangri La Villingili !
Shangri La Water Villa
There are different villas to choose from at Shangri La : beach villas, pool villas, jungle retreat and many more. I stayed in a Water villa aka the kind of villa you always see when you see pictures of Maldives. It was as dreamy as you would imagine. The highlight of the villa was definitely the direct access to the lagoon and it’s hammock that allowed you to hang over the turquoise waters. But that’s not it.
The villa was so spacious, 166 square meters of luxury. A huge bathroom with a central bathtub, one indoor shower and one outdoor shower, his and hers vanity counters. You also have a huge wardrobe and in the bedroom there is an XXL bed, a work station, a living room area and a TV with home theatre system and a DVD player.
Beside all this you also have a Nespresso machine, a mini bar and 24 hours in vila dining service.
In the outside area of the villa, there is a chill lounge, two sun chairs + a hammock hanging over the sea where you have ultimate privacy and the lagoon for yourself.
Everything you need and more, for ALL the time (and it will be a lot) spent in the villa. Indeed, with direct access to the lagoon, it is easy to forget to explore the rest of the resort 😀 even if you should not do so as the resort island is pretty cool too!
Shangri La Maldives activities
The Shangri La Maldives island is quite big. You will most likely need to take a buggy or go by bike to go from A to B. Therefore there is also a lot to do on the island. I don’t play golf (yet) but for gold lovers I have to mention that the Shangri La has the only golf course in the Maldives.
Beside the golf course, there are also a range of sport activities available : volley ball, tennis, a well equipped gym and of course water sports like for example kayak, stand up paddling and of diving etc.
There is also a beautiful infinity pool for swimming and tanning of course.
The Shangri La also offers experiences in order to explore the local atoll. I went on three different excursions : on a snorkeling trip to see turtles, on a dolphin cruise where I saw a countless numbers of dolphins. Such a fantastic experience for people of all age!
Finally, I went on a traditional hand line night fishing trip. I never did fishing in my life before but it was super fun to try even if I didn’t really catch any fish myself (I got some help).
As you can see, you can’t be bored!
Shangri La Spa
The spa offers a range of Asian massages and Indian Ayurvedic treatments, as well as locally inspired treatments like for example the Kandu Boli ritual, that uses shells for massage.
I personally didn’t try the CHI, the spa at the Shangri La in Maldives but I try CHI at the Shangri La in Istanbul and it was fantastic. I don’t think the spa in Maldives in any less good! I think that it is also
Shangri La Maldives restaurants
If you follow my journey, you already know that I love to eat and that a trip is not full if I haven’t eaten my way through it. There are 3 restaurants at the Shangri La. The main restaurant : Javvu is a buffet restaurant and it is also where you have breakfast in the morning. It has a very wide choice of products and dishes. I am not a breakfast person but this buffet impressed me with crepes station, typical Maldivian breakfast, egg stations, donuts and much more! For lunch and dinner you will find some local Maldivian dishes also!
On one night, I tried Dr Ali’s restaurant that was excellent. A mix of Indian, Chinese and Middle Eastern cuisine.
The third restaurant is Fashala, meaning “the edge”. I did not eat there but the location is stunning and is the perfect spot for sunset.
Finally, are you even in Maldives if you don’t have a romantic barbecue on the beach? To me, the ultimate Maldives experience! Of course the food was delicious too, how can fresh sea food and a barbecue go wrong anyway?!
Fazit – Shangri La Maldives review
I had the perfect 4 days at Shangri La Villingili. I had the chance to experience some of the Shangri La hotels around the world and every time it is a perfect experience. A great mix of luxury and introduction to the local country. The staff was amazing, everyone is always there to make you feel the most welcomed and cared of the little things.
The resort of course was fantastic as well. Suited for honeymooners as well as families!