Virgin Atlantic heads to the Maldives, and I was on board (Part 2)
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Virgin Atlantic has just launched flights to the Maldives, adding to the number of new leisure destinations – including Dubai and Turks & Caicos – which have launched this year.
The ‘Premium Leisure’ segment is arguably Virgin Atlantic’s bread and butter, and the catalyst for these routes, we have been told, was strong demand from Virgin Holidays.
This is Part 2 of my report from a press trip to the Maldives last month. Part 1, covering the flight, the new seaplane terminal in Male and my seaplane connection, is here.
Our first stop was Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, a mid-size island that opened in 2008. Sun Siyam is chain of resorts owned by local businessman Ahmed Siyam Mohamed, who grew up in the Noonu Atoll across the way from Iru Fushi which means ‘sun island’ in Dhivehi.
Iru Fushi sits firmly towards the luxury, more boutique end of Siyam’s portfolio and on arrival I’m greeted by my own butler, Yevhen, who has been working here for three years (he’s originally Ukrainian, and the entire butler team are a diverse group of nationalities.)
Boutique may be pushing it, however: Iru Fushi still has over 200 rooms, not exactly the deserted desert island you might imagine, although it never feels that busy. Compared to the 450+ room Siyam World, an island next door, it’s comparatively parochial.
Sand roads lead to beachside bungalows nestled amongst the greenery of this natural island. You can call a buggy but it doesn’t take long to walk around.
That’s something else you quickly learn here: many islands are human-made, dredged from the sand of the shallow atolls and artificially planted. It’s easy to spot which ones are natural and which ones aren’t from the air, as the latter have big wave breaks to protect the islands from being eroded away.
Natural islands are definitely more me, though. I prefer the lush tropical jungle, even if it means you have to contend with the occasional mosquito bite. Yevhen, my butler, shows me to my room – one of the 80 over-water bungalows spread across two piers (they call them ‘bridges’ here).
The over-water bungalow has become an iconic image of the Maldives, and it’s enticing. The novelty of living above the water (and even having a glass floor to see it from my bed) is powerful, although I think when I return I’d like to stay in a beach villa. I love the idea of catching glimpses of the glittering Indian ocean through the vegetation.
Everyone here at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi is exceptionally friendly. A lot of the staff will greet you by name Four Seasons-style and it feels like a real family led by Kenyan Director of Operations Dorothy Bahati.
The island feels like a real melting pot with staff from all corners of the world. Whilst all resorts must employ a minimum of 45% local staff, as a locally-owned business the percentages at Iru Fushi are much higher, which they’re rightly proud of. Staff here are well looked after, with their own facilities hidden away on the centre of the island with accommodation, canteen, pool and sports facilities.
I should mention the food, which particularly stood out at Iru Fushi. We were able to sample just a couple of the 14 restaurants and bars on the island and the dining everywhere was very, very good. I even had the best mango sticky rice I’ve ever had in the Asian restaurant. It was so good that I devoured it before I got a photo so here is some local tuna tartar!
The resort spa also deserves a mention. For sixty minutes I was in a trance-like state in a sort-of lucid dream as my massage therapist worked through all the knots in my body. Definitely in my top three massages of all time!
Whilst families and children are welcome here, Iru Fushi definitely feels like a ‘grown up’ island. Siyam World, in contrast, is the opposite and encourages everyone to unleash their inner child. That’s why all the over-water villas feature water slides!
Siyam World is on a totally different scale to anything else you’ll find. It is the largest resort in the Maldives with 472 villas – some with three bedrooms. Over 300 of these are over-water bungalows across the five piers.
If sitting on the beach or by the pool sounds boring to you, then Sun Siyam is for you. Extensive facilities, including tennis courts, football pitches, mini golf, water sports, the biggest floating obstacle course in and the first riding centre in the Maldives.
Entertainment is the name of the game here, which is why it attracts so many families. There’s an impressive kids club too, with service up until 10pm.
Siyam World is truly huge at 54 hectares, with facilities and villas spread mostly around the edges to maximise beach access and views. To get around, an electric buggy-bus service is in operation which is very easy to navigate. Simply tell the driver where you want to go and they will tell you if they are heading that way or not.
One thing I wasn’t expecting in the Maldives was the sheer abundance of wildlife. I saw baby black tip reef sharks swimming in the shallow waters on the beach (don’t worry, they don’t bite) as well as large nursing sharks in the evenings. I even saw beautiful eagle rays swim underneath our pier and about 100 spinning dolphins on a sunset cruise around the atoll.
I managed to squeeze in a quick dive during my trip, and I can’t wait to go back. Turtles, rays and, if you’re lucky, manta rays, whale sharks and many other large fish (and dolphins!) are regularly spotted in these waters. I could spend a week diving and snorkelling here and still see new animals every day.
If you fancy giving something back then Siyam World also offers coral planting. After collecting any broken (but still living) pieces of coral from the sea, the resort’s marine biologist shows us how to carefully tie the pieces to a wire frame (ours is in the shape of the Virgin Atlantic logo, naturally!).
Over the course of 2-5 years these pieces of coral will grow to cover the entire rack.
Sadly, all too soon, it was time to head back to the UK. All good things must come to an end…
Conclusion
In many ways, my first time in the Maldives both confirmed and exceeded my expectations.
Yes, these are incredible, picture-perfect tropical islands. Yes, there are over-water bungalows and powder white beaches.
But it is better than all that, too. The people here are lovely – some of the friendliest I have met – whilst the islands are even more stunning in real life than they are in photos. The wildlife is ludicrous.
Were I to come again, I’d definitely try and stay in a beach bungalow, but that’s just my preference. I’d also spend as much time as I could snorkelling or diving – it’s like nothing else.
The resounding impression I have, though, is that there is a resort for everyone. If you prefer small, natural islands with just a handful of villas, you’ll find them. If you want an all-singing all-dancing resort with plenty of entertainment to keep the kids happy, then try Siyam World. With over 180 islands now home to resorts there is plenty – sometimes too much – choice. You just need to decide what you’re looking for.
Thanks to Virgin Atlantic and Sun Siyam for hosting me on this trip. You can book flights and holidays to the Maldives via Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Atlantic Holidays.
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How to earn Virgin Points from UK credit cards (March 2025)
As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Virgin Points from UK credit cards. Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.
You can choose from two official Virgin Atlantic credit cards (apply here, the Reward+ card has a bonus of 18,000 Virgin Points and the free card has a bonus of 3,000 Virgin Points):
Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard
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Virgin Atlantic Reward Mastercard
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You can also earn Virgin Points from various American Express cards – and these have sign-up bonuses too.
American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is FREE for a year and comes with 20,000 Membership Rewards points, which convert into 20,000 Virgin Points.
SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.
American Express Preferred Rewards Gold
Your best beginner’s card – 30,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review
The Platinum Card from American Express comes with 50,000 Membership Rewards points, which convert into 50,000 Virgin Points.
SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.
The Platinum Card from American Express
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Small business owners should consider the two American Express Business cards. Points convert at 1:1 into Virgin Points.
SPECIAL OFFER: Until 8th April 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Business Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to 120,000 points. You receive 80,000 points when you spend £12,000 within three months and a further 40,000 points if you spend on the card between Month 14 and Month 17. Points convert 1:1 into Avios and many other programmes. Click here to apply.
SPECIAL OFFER: Until 8th April 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Business Gold is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 60,000 points. You receive 40,000 points when you spend £6,000 within three months and a further 20,000 points if you spend on the card between Month 14 and Month 17. Points convert 1:1 into Avios and many other programmes. Click here to apply.
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Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Virgin Points.
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