InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau
One of Maldives’ premier 5-star resorts, Intercontinental Maldives Maamunagau is located on its own private island in the Beautiful Raa Atoll, just north of Male. It’s the perfect escape to nature, with a mix of barefoot island charm and one-of-a-kind luxury. From the stunning lagoons, to beach bike exploring, to being being fully surrounded by white sandy beaches and 100 shades of turquoise water, there’s just a beauty there that’s hard to even describe with words.
BEST TIME TO VISIT MALDIVES
High Season falls between December and February. This is the dry season in Maldives, which means a lot of sunshine and not much rain. And of course with end of year holidays, the prices can be at their highest.
Low Season is from May to November. This is going to be the rainy season in the Maldives. This means more rainfall than the rest of the year, but still some opportunities for sunshine. We have visited the Maldives though in June and found it to be quite sunny (though a cyclone had passed only one month prior). Due to the overall changes in global temperatures, the seasonality of the Maldives is not quite so predictable, which means rainy season vs. dry season is now much more of a blurred line. Visiting during this time means lower rates and much less crowds. Another bonus is that the marine life is most vibrant during the rainy season!
Shoulder Season is during the months of March to April. These months will be the ideal time to visit Maldives. You won’t have to battle crowds or high season prices, but still be able to enjoy good weather and tranquil atmosphere without all the people. Do note that prices will be up around the Easter holiday! We always recommend, if you can, trying to visit any place during the shoulder season.
TRAVELING DURING COVID
As of May 2022, travelers no longer need to present a negative PCR test upon arrival. You will have to fill out a Traveler Health Declaration Form within 72 hours of arrival to the Maldives (https://imuga.immigration.gov.mv/). If you need to be tested before you return to your home country, you can receive COVID tests on site at your resort.
AIRPORT TRANSFER / ARRIVAL
Upon arrival to the Male International Airport, you will be greeted by a InterContinental representative and escorted to the seaplane desk to check in for your next flight up to the Raa Atoll. This flight is coordinated during your reservation with InterContinental. The flight itself only takes about 1 hour by sea plane, but is one of the most beautiful flights you will ever experience. The views of countless islands in the electric blue island is like nothing else we have seen anywhere. You will land seemingly in the middle of the ocean and picked up by the resort boat for a short ride to the main dock.
ACCOMMODATION
InterContinental offers a wide variety of accommodation options that are sure to fit exactly what you are looking for. With an emphasis on privacy, each of the rooms and villas were tranquil and felt like we really were having our own private island experience. With 81 Beach, Lagoon, and Overwater Villas and Residences, there are quite a few options to choose from! But with such a large island, you’ll be surprised at how secluded it feels and easy to forget you’re not the only ones on the whole island.
Beach Pool Villa
Designed to be in harmony with the nature that surrounds them, these beach pool villas are enveloped by jungle greenery with unobstructed views of the ocean. Each has direct access to InterContinental’s beautiful turquoise lagoons with personal beach loungers & umbrellas set-up, they really give the feeling that it’s just you, with the whole massive beach and lagoon to yourself.
LAGOON POOL VILLA
These 2 story villas have the best of both worlds: you have unobstructed overwater ocean views on one side, and then pristine lagoon views on the other. And probably one of the best bath tub views on the property! This is something totally unique to InterContinental as no other resort in the Maldives has something quite like it. Definitely something worth splurging on!
OVERWATER POOL VILLA
With endless views of the ocean paired with the gentle sound of waves all day long, an overwater bungalow is probably one of the best ways to experience Maldives’ crystal clear waters. The rooms are spacious and feature your own private infinity pool, cushioned daybed, as well as even an outdoor dining space. We loved being able to jump into the ocean so easily or even just relax in our private pool while enjoying the sunset.
RESIDENCES
If you are really looking to settle in and enjoy the most luxurious accommodations, you can opt to stay in one of the four residences on property. Each has multiple bedrooms with kitchen, dining and large living spaces to host a big family or group. You can choose between an overwater, lagoon, beachfront style residences!
RESTAURANTS
The island has multiple dining options to offer, with everything from asian to italian to seafood to traditional island fare:
Café Umi – Starting the day off with a healthy breakfast from Café Umi is like a taste of paradise. They have a bounteous buffet of tropical fruits, fresh salads, prepared hot dishes, freshly cooked egg & pancake stations, and more. All in the setting of beautiful views to the main pool and turquoise ocean waters. Also open for lunch and dinner, guests can take advantage of the Café’s elevated cuisine as well as a Teppanyaki interactive experience.
The Lighthouse – Located at the edge of the island near the picturesque sandbar, The Lighthouse serves classic Spanish tapas and mediterranean classics with a modern flare. You can start off your dinner with a sun downer at the top of the lighthouse and enjoy a 360 panoramic view of the Indian Ocean.
Fish Market – Creating a fusion of Maldivian seafood and South East Asian cuisine, the Fish Market serves up some of the best seafood on the island. The Thai curry here is especially tasty. It is only open for dinner and is the ideal spot to experience sunset, especially upstairs at the sunset bar. The bar itself is built in the image of a traditional Maldivian Dhoni boat.
The Retreat – Located in the exclusive adults-only area, The Retreat serves breakfast as well as small bites during the day. It is the perfect place to relax and enjoy some quiet time soaking in some sun by the pool. And if you’re looking for a sweet desert that’s not too naughty - try the fresh whipped coconut cream & berries. Its 100% pure coconut milk whipped up to have only the lightest touch of natural sweetness and light coconut flavor that was the perfect treat to top off an afternoon in paradise.
The Collective – Open mainly for lunch time, The Collective serves wood fired pizza and gelato as well as fresh juices and healthy wraps. The Pool Bar is located adjacent to The Collective and offers a wide array of drinks including cocktails, mocktails, fresh coconuts, and other fresh options. Our favorite order was a fresh blend of pure mango, dragon fruit and ice.
AMENITIES
DIVE & WATER SPORTS CENTER
The rich marine life combined with incredibly clear water visibility creates ideal conditions to enjoy water sports at InterContinental Maldives. You can choose to swim with fish and see anything from black tip reef sharks, dolphins, turtles, and even manta rays! Or if staying above the water is more your thing, you can try parasailing, wake boarding, clear boat kayaking, jet skis, and even the X Jet Blade.
BEACH
The beach here is so white and powdery that we had to wear sunglasses during the day, else we couldn’t really see! We highly recommend bringing a pair. The gradual slope of sand into the water creates this beautiful gradient of blue that is what makes the Maldives the Maldives. Our favorite spot on the island was down at the far end near the lighthouse. There’s a special stretch of beach that creates a beautiful ‘S’ curve, and is usually completely empty. We came out here multiple times during our stay to snap some photos, hang on the beach, and enjoy the lagoon.
AVI Spa
With six overwater treatment villas, this is one of the most picturesque parts of the island. Be ready to dive into an experience of secluded tranquility with a several relaxation options to choose from. Designed to recharge and rejuvenate the senses, the Avi Spa is what you would expect from a 5-star resort. In 2020, AVI Spa been was awarded “Luxury Island Resort Spa” at the World Luxury Spa Awards.
ISLAND
With so many different regions on the island, we never felt like we were wanting more. They have four distinct areas on the island, and each portion had its own feeling. The overwater bungalows and pontoon, the lagoon, the jungle and main area, and then the sand bar at the tip of the island. We were provided with out own bicycles that even had our initials on them! The sand is powdery white and the water has endless hues of blue.
Lagoon
One of the stand-out features of this island is the lagoon. It’s different than any other lagoon we have seen with platform bridges connected many small islands of villas and private beaches, all circling around the same clear turquoise bay. In the middle there were floating platforms to swim out to and sunbathe completely surrounded by white sand beaches dotted with palm trees. At the pinnacle of the lagoon is where The Retreat is located with a large infinity pool and direct access into the lagoon.
Resident Yacht
The resident yacht here at InterContinental is absolutely beautiful and super luxurious. It sleeps 4-6 people so can be reserved for multi-day excursions or day trips. We went out for a nice sunset cruise which was the perfect way to experience the dazzling magic that is a Maldivian sunset.
Fitness Center
There is a state of the art fitness center with all the typical offers of your standard gym at home, but with an amazing view right out to the beach. Downstairs you’ll find most of the traditional equipment and machines while upstairs is a spacious area for yoga and other fitness classes. Since the island is large, you can also run the stretch of pathways along the beach and jungle for a more scenic workout. There are personal trainers on site as well, to help tailor the perfect workout schedule and help you not to miss your healthy fitness routine!
SERVICE
With each villa receiving their own Island Curator (similar to a butler) to answer every beckon & call, we were very satisfied with the level of service received not only from Jalil (our Curator during our stay) but also the staff as a whole. Everyone on the team was very generous and willing to help anytime we needed something.
Service in the Maldives as a whole is next level, but InterContinental also just has an overall feeling of happiness and soul that is woven into every experience you have there. We found ourselves smiling just about the whole time we were there because the atmosphere just has such an overwhelming positive energy to it.
We couldn’t recommend InterContinental Maamunagau enough if your looking for a beautiful 5-star, luxury experience to the Maldives. Perfect for honeymooners, couples, and families, there is a little something for everyone. The island itself really sets itself apart from other resorts in the Maldives simply because it started with an already beautiful island, and then enhanced it with all of the thoughtful architecture and curated gardens. It was truly a beautiful stay.
Let us know if you have any questions or if you’ve already been to IHC Maldives, what your experience was like in the comments below!