Travel Diary // Gili Lankanfushi, MALDIVES
Nestled in an island paradise in the Indian Ocean, the hidden gem Gili Lankanfushi is waiting to be discovered. The eco luxury resort with a sensitive approach based in nature is a paradise of pure relaxation, comfort, and bliss.
// Gili Lankfanfushi, Maldives //
At Gili Lankanfushi shoes are removed upon arrival, and the views are endlessly blue and blissful. Situated on North Male Atoll Maldives, the resort houses 45 stilted villas floating atop a crystal-watered lagoon surrounding a tiny coral island. Making the trek to this magical island is like escaping into a reprieve with every comfort available that you can imagine. We are so grateful to our incredible travel agent Justyna for finding us this hidden gem — Two Nights In, for the win.
Upon arrival, you are greeted by your personal “Mr. Friday," who looks after all of your needs during your stay. Our amazing Mr Friday, Yassir, added so many incredible touching details to our stay that we will never forget. Their slogan, “No News, No Shoes“ is the concept here in paradise. A trip here allows you to focus on enjoying the sand between your toes and embrace the luxury barefoot experience that awaits you at Gili Lankanfushi. The eco-luxe villas with expansive indoor and outdoor living spaces blend harmoniously with the surrounding nature. From your rooftop terrace and private overwater sundeck, you get an unspoiled view over Gili’s crystal clear waters and the glistening Indian Ocean. You can snorkel right from your room and swim with turtles, sharks, and more.
Gili Lankfanfushi is the perfect romantic getaway trip of a lifetime.
Crusoe Residence Overwater Bungalow //
Our home at Gili was at one of their 7 Crusoe villas, a stand-alone residences set a short boat ride away from the island. Spread across two floors, thi huge stand-alone house comes with a living room, bedroom, kitchen, balcony deck with access to the ocean, a bathroom with huge vanity closet, outdoor shower, outdoor ocean pool, and rooftop deck to gaze at the stars. We even had our own personal hammock in the middle of the ocean. The room is equipped with snorkel gear so you can visit all the cutie animals around you. We found and swam with a turtle, it was the most incredible thing ever.
Private Dinning //
At Gili an assortment of settings on the island lend themselves to a collection of food experiences that allow you to dine as your mood directs. They can literally accommodate any dream dining experience you’d like. We ate amongst the stars and lanterns in our own private side of the island, where they dug a table into the sand for us to feel super cozy in. A chef cooked us a Maldivian feast under the stars.
Breakfast //
Wow, Gili has best breakfast buffet EVER, where every desire of yours can come to life. From the best fruits, to noodle soups, to 20 kinds of jam and honey, baked goods, sushi, and a chocolate bar, nothing is off-limits. You can also order breakfast to your room.
Meera Spa //
Also, do not miss on visiting the Meera Spa with local therapies and massages to complete the perfect Gili experience. Your spa view is a window to the ocean. The treatments are fantastic and truly relaxing.
The Over-Water Bar //
At the Gili Over-Water Bar, any drink you can think of will come to life. We were obsessed with their tropical and fresh gin+tonic with grapefruit, peppercorns, and fennel.
Jungle Side //
Within the beautiful lush side of the island, everyone is given a bamboo bike to ride to get from place to place.
Wine/Chocolate Cellar + Ice Cream Bar //
A unique underground wine cellar that is home to a wide range of wines from around the world, a cosy space to learn more about wines with our team of knowledgeable sommeliers. On top of that, they have a chocolate room with beautiful truffles made fresh daily. They also have an ice-cream shala with homemade gelatos and incredible freshly made popsicles by the pool.
Gili Garden //
Set in the heart of the island is the treasured organic garden abundant with fruit trees, fresh garden greens and exotic herbs. From this garden, much of the delicious cuisine on the island is built upon.
Yoga Shala //
Begin your mornings bright and early with the Gili yoga master to stretch out your tired muscles, increase flexibility and gain a balanced mind, body and soul.
Jungle Cinema //
At Gili, they offer a Jungle Cinema experience. We arrange a private viewing where we watched When Harry Met Sally. They provide you popcorn and sweet snacks to munch on in the middle of the jungle, on the coziest lounge bed with blankets.
Snorkeling //
Use your time at Gili to discover the incredible underwater world of the Maldives or take a look at the marvelous nature around the resort. Unforgettable learning experiences can be gained during an eco tour with the marine biologist. They have created a Coral Line Project, as they begin the rebuild endangered coral species.
Maldivian sunset sail //
On a traditional old Maldivian sailboat, you can experience a romantic boat ride viewing the gorgeous sunset while munching on canapés before dinner.
Maldivian cooking class //
In a fun experience in the open over-water-ktichen, we learned how to make a traditional golden Maldivian curry, so delicious!
Gili Dinners //
The food at Gili is some of the BEST we’ve ever had in our entire lives. At the end of the day, multinational and local chefs delight you with exceptional fresh taste sensations. Everything is made with the utmost skill and intense deliciousness, in every type of cuisine. It truly blew us away!! Every night the dinner offerings including cuisine build-outs such as the Asian Street Market, Mediterranean Souk Night, Indian Tandoor Kitchen, Maldivian Grill and more. On top of that, they also have a Japanese restaurant called By The Sea that offers sushi, Tepanyaki grill, and other Japanese dishes such as noodles and beyond. SO delish!! Upscale, beachfront dining options include Japanese cuisine and local seafood.
Chef Hari’s Vegan Lunch Table //
Wow. Chef Hari is one very talented chef! His plant-based creations are absolutely the BEST we’ve ever tasted, and we’ve tasted quite a bit. His approach to vegan cuisine is from a chef’s background, and he employs high level technique, art, and alchemy to create intense flavor straight from just vegetables. His mastery over vegetables allows him to create familiar flavors in new and unique ways, such as a “scallop” made out of vegetables, “ceviche” out of aloe vera, and more whimsical creations that will truly blow your mind and taste buds into heaven.