Gili Lankanfushi is the dream of anyone who loves these islands madly. This resort is perhaps a kind of materialization of what every traveler dreams of when, on board an intercontinental flight, they imagine their imminent stay.
HOW TO GET
Gili Lankfanfushi is located on the North Male Atoll and can be easily reached in just 15 minutes by speed boat. Since this is a transfer managed directly by the resort, you will not have problems with long waits upon your arrival at Male airport. Once your luggage has been collected, passport control has been carried out, you are immediately accompanied to the pier to reach your corner of paradise in record time.
The proximity to the airport also facilitates the moment of check out thanks to these two factors:
The resort applies one hour ahead of Male Time
Late check out is included in the rate
This means that you can enjoy your stay at Gili until the last minute.
WHY CHOOSE THE GILI
This luxury resort in the Maldives is perfect for anyone looking for a real experience: what the Gili has managed to achieve is a real compromise between luxury and authenticity.
We are therefore talking about a completely different luxury from what we all tend to imagine, since it is an intelligent luxury, as they like to define it. A sometimes intangible luxury, but rediscovered in the importance of details and little things. A perfect and oiled system allows this resort in the Maldives to be a daydream. No ostentation, no excess or waste: recycled paper, glass bottles and fabric bags. Gili Lankanfushi is to be experienced barefoot, in perfect Robinson Crusoe style.
THE ISLAND
Gili is located on a medium-sized island characterized by thick vegetation and surrounded by very fine white sand. Not having many structures inside (think that there are no villas on the beach except those used by the staff) it happens to pass under real tunnels of vegetation during your walks.
Being surrounded by a large lagoon of blue water, the reef can only be reached by boat, thanks to a super efficient service from the staff. However, you will not be disappointed by the fauna present since we saw every day in the lagoon: small sharks, turtles, eagle rays, rays and puffer fish.
One of the aspects that allows Gili Lankanfushi to be recognized from the other resorts is the presence of a wide and deep beach that resembles a tongue of sand and which boasts dozens of tall and straight palm trees spaced apart as if they had been planted by a surveyor. The entire beach is available to anyone, it is not equipped with umbrellas (it only has two sunbeds and an undholi – a typical Maldivian swing -) and is perfect for admiring the surrounding lagoon and enjoying your moments of relaxation.
THE VILLAS
All the villas are eco-sustainable, built entirely of wood and have a minimum surface area of 200 m2. The villa of this luxury resort in the Maldives is certainly the most beautiful I’ve ever seen so far, just think that the living area and the bathroom are completely open and that the only room is closed between walls (but still full of windows) it’s the bedroom. The terrace on the upper floor is a real star observatory since you just need to lie down on the sofa facing the sea to admire the milky way with the naked eye.
There are no beach villas, only water villas that differ from each other in terms of capacity, presence or absence of a swimming pool and location. However, there are some villas with a particularity: the Robinson Crusoes in fact have no access from the pier since they can only be reached by boat. This aspect makes the Robinsons the most sought after solution on Gili Lankanfushi as you will feel like you have an exclusive island.
Whenever you wish, Mr Friday organizes your transfer to the villa unless low tide allows you a short walk to reach it.
The Jetty 1 is interconnected and located in the same lagoon area as the Robinsons and Jetty 2, while jetty 3 is on the other side and boasts the Gili Lagoon Residence at its end, which is one of the most beautiful villas in the resort .
Another feature that makes Gili one of the best luxury resorts in the Maldives is the famous hammock in front of the villa: a sort of private relaxation area which, instead of being located in a swimming pool, is located directly in the lagoon.
In these years of visits to the Maldives we have understood that there is no luxury resort that does not have a presidential solution with many rooms equipped with every comfort, so that guests can enjoy their vacation without leaving the villa: gym, cinema, spa and home chef are some of the services of the Gili Private Reserve
Included in the rate you have early check in and late check out from the villas: in the event that your accommodations are occupied by other arrivals, you will be moved to villas located within the island so that you can have all the comforts until the last moment of the stay.
THE RESTAURANTS
One of the gems of this luxury resort in the Maldives is undoubtedly the cuisine. What you have at Gili Lankanfushi is not a list of restaurants, but a selection of culinary experiences from all corners of the world.
On alternating evenings the By the sea restaurant and the Kashiveli offer their guests real delicacies served with care and imagination.
During our stay we tried: a Turkey-themed dinner, Sri Lanka, the Brazilian churrasco, the Mediterranean evening and the Asian Street Market, a real reconstruction of the Street Market with dozens of Asian kiosks. The food is excellent, the presentation of the dishes is excellent as is the service.
In another area there is the Japanese restaurant and the Teppanyaki or a small private room where the Japanese chef puts on a real show by cooking your dishes in front of you.
Each culinary experience with à la carte menu is included in the half board and full board formula, provided that the dinner does not exceed the value of 100 usd per person. If this amount is exceeded, you will only pay the difference.
The dinners include a selection of appetizers (which can also be buffet style), a main meal with a side dish, a dessert and usually fall within the value of the voucher except for the Teppanyaki restaurant which has higher costs as it is a sort of private experience with a show.
MR FRIDAY & CUSTOMIZATIONS
Who is Mr Friday and why is he called that?
Mr Friday is the H24 butler that every luxury resort makes available to each villa and is used to organize all kinds of experiences on the island without having to go to the reception. Each activity is planned and booked by your Mr Friday as well as any inconvenience or emergency.
Why is he called Mr Friday? Robinson Crusoe saves a native from cannibals precisely on a Friday and the boy reciprocates Crusoe’s gesture with unlimited loyalty, until he dies alongside his lord. From this story comes Mr Friday as a butler H24.
This article cannot fail to include a section concerning customizations as it is one of the aspects that makes Gili one of the best resorts in the Maldives.
On this island everything is personalized: the menu bears your names as well as the fins and mask that you find directly in the villa, but it doesn’t end there because the attention to detail goes much further.
During breakfast and dinner, your preferences are noted so that you can avoid repeating the same things every day. Children are called by name from the moment they set foot on the island.
The umpteenth gem of the Gili is being checked out: before departure, a family photo is taken with a Polaroid that will be printed and framed as a souvenir. Small details that make the difference and help make you feel part of a big family.
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
I was lucky enough to know Gili Lankanfushi and its staff before my arrival on the island, thanks to the construction of the honeymoon of Gaetano Castrovilli and Rachele Risaliti during the month of June. In that period, dozens of resorts in the Maldives were evaluated for this couple, as given Gaetano’s serious injury, we had needs that went far beyond the “nice luxury resort”. In Lyna and her staff I found a unique support and availability in terms of services and humanity that I will never forget: I wanted Gaetano to feel safe despite the rehabilitation he had to face on the island and that Rachele would not give up on her dream of Honeymoon only because fate had played a bad joke. The result was well beyond expectations and I can only confirm the exceptional level of Gili Lankanfushi in terms of services, structure and location.
In this place you have the opportunity to live a real experience in a dream location. Other resorts will forgive me, but as of today, the Gili Lankanfushi villa is hands down the most beautiful suite I’ve ever seen.
Gili Lankanfushi has been named the best resort in the Maldives on several occasions and today I understand the motivation.
