Gili Lankanfushi, the pioneer of sustainable, barefoot luxury in the Maldives, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2022 and follows a complete refurbishment of all 45 villas in 2019.
Gili Lankanfushi enjoys an unspoiled island location in the Maldives’ North Malé Atoll, just 20 minutes by speedboat from Malé Airport and direct flights from London now available. Perfectly suited for couples, families, solo travelers and groups alike, the resort combines rustic eco-design, unparalleled service and stunning natural scenery with a laid-back-luxury, ‘no news, no shoes’ philosophy.
“The team at Gili Lankanfushi Maldives and I greatly look forward to welcoming our guests back to our refreshed island, with new villas and the much-loved second-to-none level of service. We have much to celebrate during our 10-year anniversary of Gili Lankfanfushi Maldives and are excited to showcase our sustainable slice of paradise with guests old and new!” said Nicolas Khairallah, General Manager of Gili Lankanfushi Maldives
Accommodation
All 45 of Gili Lankanfushi’s overwater villas were renovated in late 2019. The sprawling villas, 11 of which have private swimming pools, offer open-air living spaces, roof terraces and private decks with direct access to the surrounding turquoise waters. With a rustic-chic design inspired by the resort’s natural surroundings, hand-crafted, up-cycled furniture is combined with a warm, neutral color palette.
Accommodation options range from sumptuous Villa Suites, Residences and Family Villas to the epic Crusoe Residences, which are accessible only by boat and offer the ultimate ‘castaway’ adventure. For those in search of an unforgettable private island experience, Gili Lankanfushi’s Private Reserve is – at 1,700m2 – the largest overwater villa in the world. The four-bedroom floating paradise includes its very own spa, gym, open-air cinema, infinity pool and a waterslide leading directly into the lagoon.
All villa types include a dedicated Mr/Ms Friday butler service to cater to guests’ every wish, from setting up a luxurious star bed on the villa’s roof terrace for an atmospheric night spent sleeping beneath the Maldivian stars, to arranging bespoke candlelit dinners on the beach.
Sustainability
Sustainability has been at the heart of Gili Lankanfushi’s vision since the resort’s conception, with the preservation of the natural environment and marine ecosystem of utmost importance.
The entire resort has been constructed with sustainably sourced and recycled materials, and all rooms provide organic toiletries in refillable earthenware containers, keeping plastic use and wastage to an absolute minimum. A dedicated desalinization plant turns seawater into still and sparkling drinking water for guests and much of the restaurants’ fruit, vegetables and herbs are grown in the resort’s organic garden, which is composted with recycled food waste.
The island’s dedicated marine biology team constantly monitor and protect the health and biodiversity of surrounding coral reef ecosystems, educating guests and regularly hosting visiting scientists and academics. Gili Lankanfushi’s Coral Lines Project encourages guests to learn about coral reef restoration and rehabilitation, to visit the nursing coral on ropes and to even adopt a coral.
Gastronomy
Gili Lankanfushi’s gastronomic vision, led by Executive Chef Hari Govindaraj, harnesses the bounty of the surrounding waters alongside carefully-sourced seasonal ingredients and produce from the resort’s very own organic garden. Chef Hari will soon be introducing a new plant-based menu, with the finest dishes grown from the Gili garden to offer guests a new plant to plate option. Three restaurants provide unique culinary experiences while an overwater bar and underground wine cellar offer ample opportunity for refreshments.
Located directly on the beach, Karshiveli serves breakfast and dinner, playing host to a series of themed ‘market experiences’ (the Asian Street Market, Mediterranean Spice Souk, Passage to India and Churrascaria BBQ) on four nights of the week. The rest of the week sees the restaurant serve up the ‘Gili Culinary Journey’, a tantalizing rotating menu of signature dishes taking guests on a gastronomic adventure through nine regions.
Open five days a week, By the Sea offers delicious Japanese fusion dishes created with local seafood paired with an extensive sake collection and signature cocktails such as the Wasabi Martini. Try the new bento box lunch offering paired with freshly caught sushi and sashimi overlooking a sensational view of the Indian ocean. For a more casual affair, the Overwater Bar’s open kitchen delights guests with a daily-changing trio of dishes and extensive organic salad bar. For special celebrations, a variety of destination dining experiences await, ranging from secluded, lantern-lit feasts to private sunset cruises with Champagne on ice.
Spa & Wellness
Gili Lankanfushi’s Meera spa provides the very best in holistic healing within a spectacular overwater setting. Comprised of glass-floored treatment rooms, a sauna, steam room and plentiful relaxation areas connected by open-air walkways, the spa offers a range of global therapies that draw from age-old cultures and knowledge.
From immersive, one- to five-day wellness journeys to new active programs that combine surfing and scuba diving with tailored spa treatments, treatments range from the traditional to the cutting edge. Therapies utilize organic products by Voya as well as the spa’s very own Meera product rage, created on-island from the finest oceanic and plant extracts.
Year-round yoga, meditation, reiki, crystal healing and ancient singing bowl sessions are complemented with a rotating schedule of visiting practitioners, for a curated program of world-class wellness experiences.
Activities
Guests of Gili Lankanfushi Maldives will have plenty of options when it comes to activities, which a Mr/Ms Friday butler service can seamlessly arrange. Couples, solo travelers, groups and families can enjoy a cruise on a Maldivian dhoni to spot local Spinner Dolphins. Snorkeling, kayaking, scuba diving and surfing lessons are available at the Gili lagoon for guests of all fitness levels- local excursions by boat can also be arranged. A team of surf guides for all abilities and ages (children age 6 and up) are on hand to help guests catch that perfect wave as the island is ideally located near some of the best surfing spots in the Maldives. A resident tennis coach is available for lessons on the island’s tennis court and sunrise morning yoga is on offer to early risers every day.
Younger Gili guests will be spoiled for choice with family-friendly activities including pizza making, beach treasure hunts, Maldivian beading, buggy driving lessons and family movie night at the open-air Jungle Cinema.
Nightly rates at Gili Lankanfushi start from £1,070/$1,440, based on two adults sharing a Villa Suite on a room-only basis. For more information or to book please visit www.gili-lankanfushi.com
