PARADISE ISLAND RESORT & SPA, MALDIVES

The Maldives have become a very special place to me and I truly believe it’s one of the most incredible places to relax away from our busy lives. Paradise Island Resort & Spa was just what I needed for a break!

After months in Pakistan living under some tough but necessary restrictions, I finally decided to have some time away last November. After a long time researching and with most of the Asian countries not accepting any tourists, the Maldives appeared as the best option.

PARADISE ISLAND

Traveling with a toddler can be a challenge some times. On one hand they are super excited with everything which makes it really fun but on the other hand their wills and wants can be too strong at times to deal with.

With this in mind I came across Paradise Island Resort & Spa just 20 minutes away by speed boat from Velana International Airport with all the facilities that I was looking for in order to have a stress free time!

Another important thing for me was the ability to choose an all-inclusive meal plan within a reasonable budget and have an easy access from the accommodation to the beach.

I couldn’t be more satisfied: Paradise Island is just beautiful and they say ‘photos do speak a thousand words’ so I made sure I captured a lot of them!!

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I was super impressed straight away with Paradise Island Resort with a pristine pearl-white sand and the peaceful lagoon all around the island with numerous coconut trees everywhere. A truly remarkable tropical paradise super spacious where you can achieve social-distancing.

It’s super easy to move around in the island, everything is within 5 minutes walking connected through a good paved pathway. I was pretty much barefoot the all time.

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HOW TO GET THERE

From the international airport in Male it’s super easy to reach Paradise Island Resort located in Lankanfinolhu (North Male Atoll).

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On arrival to the airport there was hotel representative waiting for us which then took us to our speedboat and in about 20 minutes we were being greeted with fresh juices and wet towels.

PARADISE BEACH VILLA

There is a wide selection of accommodation types in Paradise Island. We opted for a beach villa because I just thought that at my son development stage at the time (2 years old) it would just be easier and safer.

Also as it was my third time in the Maldives and I had a range of experiences before, I didn’t feel like I needed much, just wanted to enjoy as much as possible the sun and the beach!

The beach villa was just behind the beach treeline providing that tropical feeling of living on an island and felt very exclusive as all the villas patios are spaced out of each other’s. I felt like it was just our private beach.

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It was super fun just coming back from breakfast get our snorkel gear, grab my son’s beach toys, open the back door and we were at the beach! I can’t even begin to explain how relaxing it was to be able to just sit back and enjoy a proper holiday.

All the beach villas have private furnished patios with super comfortable sun loungers which were perfect to sit back and relax while my son was having a nap at lunch time and hide away from the strong sun.

The room itself was comfortable and enough in size for two adults and one toddler. There was an inside and outside shower.

RESTAURANTS AND & BARS AT PARADISE ISLAND

Paradise Island Resort & Spa has a range of different restaurants and bars serving a variety of different cuisines from Italian to Japanese dishes and experiences like a romantic dinner by the lagoon.

Bageecha is the main restaurant with a diverse buffet served daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It had loads of healthy choices and variety perfect for a 2 year old.

We had our own designated table at Bageecha (I think to follow health and safety measures) and the staff was excellent setting up all we needed as soon as they see us coming through the restaurant.

Fukuya Teppanyaki is the Japanese restaurant, just before you walk into Bageecha restaurant. It serves an à la carte menu with a variety of Japanese dishes and live cooking.

Farumathi is the seafood restaurant situated just at the end of the pier where the water villas are. It’s a beautiful place to enjoy a meal under the stars.

Al Tramonto is the Italian restaurant and the Lagoon restaurant, another restaurant with buffet meals, were unfortunately closed during my time in Paradise Island due to renovations so I couldn’t really experience them!

The main bar in the island is the Athiri Bar, that serves a variety of beverages. It’s perfectly located near the main restaurant, the pool and reception. Most sunsets were spending here drinking a cocktail before dinner. The guests on an all-inclusive meal plan can also enjoy free snacks in the afternoon here.

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Athiri Bar is also where the entertainment is set every night with live bands, Dj’s and competitions. I enjoyed going through the cocktail menu a little too much!!

ACTIVITIES & EXPERIENCES AT PARADISE ISLAND

Paradise Island is full of things to do for both adults and kids. From exploring the coral reefs just minutes into the sea or relaxing with a cocktail by the beach, there’s a lot of choice.

The marine life around the island is just incredible. You can really see there’s and effort from the resort to preserve the reefs with restoration techniques being implemented all over the island.

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Snorkelling around was something I’ve done daily plus one snorkel out of resort into two large reef spots with a stop at a sand bank, so beautiful, like a postcard!

There were also a lot of other excursions out of the island for diving and other activities, all booked easily with the resort.

The main island pool was closed for renovations at the time of my stay but it looked like a beautiful space.

The Araamu Spa had a lot of spa treatments to give you the ultimate relaxation much needed for body and soul.

There was also a gym, a tennis court, a squash court and a recreation area with a lot of games if you don’t fancy catching the sun.

Some water sports were ready available to do at the resort and some things like kayaking for 1h daily were free of charge. A great experience and really relaxing to do around the island.

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As a family friendly island there’s so much to explore for kids. A massive playground, a small kid’s pool located just in the kid’s club area. The kid’s club looks fairly new with good material to play inside and both staff members there were really helpful to us and my son loved it!

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It was a memorable time and even that my son won’t remember this I will always cherish as one of the best family holidays ever!

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FINAL THOUGHTS

Paradise Island Resort is the place to go if you really want an unforgettable time away.

Every day was beyond my expectations, swimming in the crystalline lagoon, watching incredible sunsets and just having some lovely experiences with my son.

The resort staff was all very helpful and kind every single time. I would love to go back one day!

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BOOK A STAY AT PARADISE ISLAND?

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📌 PIN ME!

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