Paradise has a name…. it’s Kihaa Maldives

You know those pictures of beautiful islands you see on the Internet and you wonder how that can be real? You convince yourself those photos must be photoshopped… things like that can’t be real. I am living, breathing proof to tell you otherwise. The Maldives is nothing short of paradise. Those photos you see don’t even do justice to what the Maldives is really like. A few months back, I found a really cheap fare from New York to the Maldives and knew I had to jump on it. My friend Anna decided to join me, so we started planning. The Maldives consists of about 1,200 islands. Almost every resort is on its own private island. Yes, you heard that right – almost every resort is on its own island. Upon researching places to stay, I found the beautiful Kihaa Maldives.

Planes and planes and boats, oh my!

Kihaa Maldives is situated in Baa Atoll and is a 25-minute domestic flight and a 15-minute boat ride away from the international airport in Male. Kihaa Maldives and their wonderful staff arranged for our flight from Male to the resort. The process was seamless. Once we cleared customs in Male, we met a representative from Kihaa who escorted us from the international terminal to the domestic terminal. He took our bags, helped us check in for our flight, and brought us up to the lounge to wait for our flight. The lounge was small, but perfect for our time there. They had a small breakfast selection of breads, fruits, and cereals. They had a few hot options as well. About 45 minutes before our flight, we went and cleared security again and got ready to board our flight.

We were in the 2nd row of the plane. I was excited because I had a window seat. I was hoping to take some cool photos out the window of the plane like you’ve probably seen online of all the islands from above. Unfortunately, the window was pretty scratched up, so all the photos didn’t look right. It was still cool to see though! After a short flight, we were on the ground at Dharavandhoo. We then met another Kihaa representative who helped us get to the boat to transfer us to the resort. They loaded our bags for us and everything. We then took our quick boat ride to Kihaa Maldives.

Is this place real?! Kihaa Maldives is a dream!

You may think you know what paradise looks like, but until you’ve been to the Maldives, I don’t think you can possibly know. The Maldives reinvents the word paradise. We stepped off the boat onto the arrival pier and I was instantly blown away. After I picked my jaw up off the floor, we made our way down the pier to reception to check in.

We were welcomed with delicious drinks and given the keys to our room. We were then escorted in a golf cart to our new home for the next few nights. Our first night, we stayed in a beach villa. Our room had super high ceilings with a big bed right in the center. There were closets on both sides of the room, a desk, a mini bar, and two chairs. Our bathroom was outdoors and had a tub and two showers. It felt like we had the beach to ourselves during our entire stay. After a few days, we got moved to a beachfront sunset villa which was on a different side of the island, facing the sunset. On our last day, we were also treated to a resort tour where we got to see one of the garden villas with a private pool.

Now that’s a beach!

We had a little patio out back with a couch to lounge on. Once you left the room, you walked through a little pathway, maybe 25 feet long, to get to the beach. I couldn’t believe it was real. The beach was like a dream. White sand filled the beach all the way around the island. There was crystal clear blue water as far as my eyes could see. I’ve never seen water so blue in my entire life. The beach was full of huts with lounge chairs underneath them to sleep on. We decided to take a dip in the water even though we were exhausted from the long flight. We couldn’t resist! The water was so warm, but in a pleasant way. It still felt refreshing.

Can you say pasta bar?

At Kihaa Maldives, there were a couple different options for food: no meals, just breakfast, half board, full board, or all-inclusive. All the options are pretty self explanatory. We chose full board, meaning we could eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the allotted times. We ate all our meals at the delicious Hanifaru Bay Restaurant. There are times at hotels or resorts where I’m left underwhelmed by the buffets. The food can seem stale and you have to eat the same thing day in and day out. That was NOT the case at Kihaa Maldives. The food was incredible. There were a couple staple items that would stay, but other options would change from day to day.

The best part? A PASTA BAR. Anna and I LIVED at the pasta bar. The lovely man working the pasta bar was there every day and always welcomed us with a big smile! Fresh fruit was available at every meal and cut right in front of you. The whole meal experience was incredible during our entire stay.

Can’t resist an infinity pool!

As if the beach surrounding the entire island wasn’t enough, there was the most beautiful infinity pool right in the front of the resort. It looked out on the blue water and faced the sunset. Lounge chairs surrounded the pool on both sides. Comfy lounge beds were scattered on the sand beside the pool and throughout the front facing beach area. Another pool was tucked into the trees a bit. There were tons of lounge options around that pool as well. Kind waiters would come up every now and then to see if we wanted a drink by the pool. We spent some time there, but the large majority of the time was spent at the main infinity pool.

Overwater bungalows galore!

Now, if the Maldives is known for anything, it’s their stunning overwater bungalows. Your own personal bungalow situated just a few feet above the crystal clear water. Kihaa Maldives had 10 water villas and 2 water suites. These rooms really just paint a picture for everything the Maldives has to offer. People visit the Maldives just to stay in these suites, so it was an absolute joy to see them in person. Obviously, we couldn’t resist a photoshoot.

Picture Perfect Paradise

Our entire stay at Kihaa Maldives was a dream. I kept pinching myself the entire time wondering if it was real. If you’re considering visiting the Maldives, I don’t know what you’re waiting for! I know it’s pretty far away for a lot of people, but it’s worth the traveling time. I don’t know anywhere more accessible that’s as beautiful as the Maldives. As far as resorts go, we couldn’t have had a more enjoyable stay at Kihaa Maldives. The staff was easily the kindest staff of any resort I’ve ever been to. The whole process was seamless.

Next week, keep an eye out for my second blog post about all the activities offered at Kihaa Maldives. In the meantime, enjoy some extra photos from our stay (featuring lots of hammocks)! Make sure to check out my Instagram and check out Kihaa Maldives!

Check out my blog posts from other tropical destinations, whether it’s the Caribbean, Asia, or more in the Middle East!

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