Baa Atoll Maldives Resort: Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu

The Maldives are a collection of atolls in the Indian Ocean. One of them, Baa Atoll is recognized as a UNESCO biosphere reserve full of life from whale sharks to manta rays. The atoll is also renowned for a number of luxurious resorts. One of the Baa Atoll Maldives Resort is Coco Palm Dhuni Kohlu. We were fortunate to stay there earlier this year. Seeing photos across social media of the pristine white beaches that the Maldives offers and the crystal blue water, we wondered if our stay at Coco Palm Dhuni Kohlu would live up to the hype. In short: Yes it did!

1. Location

To reach Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu, you will need to take a 30-minute seaplane ride from Male ($443 USD per person round trip). From takeoff to landing you will be greeted by the most picturesque views of dozens of small islands scattered across the Indian Ocean. Alternatively, if you are already in Baa Atoll (as we were), the Resort can arrange for a boat transfer to the island. Keep in mind, that any resort you are staying at in the Maldives will only be able to inform you of the transfer time the night before. They do their best however to make sure you are not waiting too long!

As you touch down at the Baa Atoll Maldives Resort, you will notice that there are barely any other islands in sight! So you are pretty much in complete privacy. Which is pretty much what you want when you come to the Maldives right?! Sit on the beach, relax, sleep and eat great food and sip delicious cocktails!

2. Style and Character of the Island

The island itself is covered in dense and luscious vegetation. Around the island are scattered villas, however, you won’t be able to tell seeing they are all privately hidden amongst the greenery. Even though there are 98 rooms, you can almost spend your time not bumping into other guests (except for at the restaurants on the island!).

Surrounding the entire island is a beach (as pristine as the photos you have seen of the Maldives) as well as a large lagoon area. It is even possible to spot turtles swimming by! There is no main pool area however all rooms will come with their own beach chairs and/or plunge pool.

The relaxed atmosphere of the island is accompanied by the bare-foot option as well as the numerous beach bars and outdoor dining options. Pretty much as soon as you arrive until you leave, you can enter complete relaxation mode.

3. The Rooms

While there is a small group of overwater bungalows, majority of the rooms/villas are on the island itself. Guests have the choice of oceanfront villas with their own private dipping pool, a beach villa or a lagoon villa! Whichever room you choose however, there is a similar style throughout.

We stayed in one of the Deluxe Villas which featured a four poster bed with canopy, terracotta tiled floor, sofa, sitting area with table and chairs, writing desk, dressing table, double wash basin, wardrobe and garden bathroom with sunken bath. The best part of the room is the direct access to the beach and the small dipping pool. Each villa also comes with two sunbaking chairs! Even though you have direct access to the beach, there is still a lot of privacy!

4. Facilities and Services

Another question regularly asked about the Maldives, is will there be enough to do on the island. The answer is YES! At Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu, some of the popular activities include:

• Sunset Cruise – watch the sunset with a glass of champagne while cruising around the island from a double storey wooden boat.
• Jet Ski – zip around the Baa Atoll Maldives Resort in your own jet ski! Also, try to spot some dolphins and manta rays along the way.
• Snorkelling and Scuba Diving – explore the many snorkelling and diving sites around the island. Animals such as turtles, eagle rays, clownfish and more!
• Olive Ridley Project – an incredible UK-based charity that was founded in 2013. In 2017, Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu opened its first marine Turtle Rescue Centre. Every day there are times you can see the turtles being fed. And if you are lucky you may be there when one of the rescued turtles is being released!
• Guided tour with a marine biologist – learn about the different species surrounding the island from the resident marine biologist.
• Private dining experience (private pergola + garden dinner) – relax in an ultimate island experience by dining under the stars.
• Silver Screen under the Stars – sit under the stars in a bean bag and enjoy the weekly movies.
• Embudhoo Escape – just 15 minutes away from Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu is Embudhoo Island. Take a picnic basket and enjoy the island to yourself!

5. Food + Drink

There are two main restaurants on the island and two beach bars. Where Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu shines is that a lot of the produce used at their restaurants and bars comes from the island garden. Such as fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables.

Cowrie is the main restaurant on the island with various themed offerings. Indulge in french waffles and porridge for breakfast, to sashimi, cold plates and salads for lunch. Dinner themes vary such as Maldivian cuisine to Italian with a variation of hot and cold dishes.

The other restaurant on the island is Cornus which is only open for dinner. Featuring an outdoor dining setting (permitting weather), the restaurant serves Asian cuisine from Chinese, Indian, Thai, Indonesian, and Malaysian.

Throughout the day, guests also have the opinion to dine and drink at Beach Bar and Conch Bar. One of the best places to watch the sunset is actually from the Beach Bar.

If you have any questions about your trip to the Maldives, send us an email! We are always happy to help out.

X KoTravellers