Four Seasons Kuda Huraa

It’s peaceful island dwelling when at Kuda Huraa. With a range of fun activities awaiting you, you would be left spoilt for choice, but relaxed in the midst of it all

Text: Farzana Contractor

This was the first of the resorts I checked into. What a dream of a place. The first thing that struck me was the homely feeling. Like as if I have been here before. The fact that I reached Kuda Huraa via a short and comfortable boat ride helped. The reason it took me so long to discover The Maldives is because the thought of the seaplane rides over vast stretches of the ocean always intimidated me.…

Well, now sipping on a refreshing welcome drink with friendly and smiling servers aroused a tinge of regret. I could have been here 25 years earlier when I was first invited! But it’s never too late… The Maldives is good for every age group.

The resort is on a small island, beautifully laid-out. All the amenities are within walking distance, hence there is no need for bicycles. And you want to walk everywhere. The sandy pathways meandering into cottages on either side, peeping through the dense foliage, flowering plants, fragrant atmosphere, feels like paradise. You can dress as you wish, there are no codes, except what you set for yourself.  You are left alone to just be. Such a freeing thought.

My thatched-roof Water Villa was so serene, standing there on stilts, water lapping around. The complimentary non-alcoholic bubbly was the perfect drink to have in waist-deep water that I went into via a fireman’s ladder. The room itself is so spacious, with tropical-style interiors with timber flooring, with decorative lattice panels and columns. The outdoor area is a treat, private, tranquil. You just want to sit on the ocean hammock and do nothing, just watch the turquoise blue sea in all its moods.

If you are bubbling with energy and are given to water sports there are plenty of activities. Scuba diving, snorkelling, fishing, parasailing, jet skiing, windsurfing… I was happy with indulging in yoga on a kayak and visiting the Marine Museum (Four Seasons is committed to protecting the environment, especially marine life). For the most part, I just lazed. However, one long walk, really long in the opposite direction from where all the action was, was a stellar experience. Nothing but the narrow wooden pier, with water on both sides and flowing under, going endlessly, leading to an area which, when I enquired later, I learnt was another small island, the property of Four Seasons. I wondered if they would build there at some point. For now, it offers a surreal walk.

Food at Kuda Huraa is right up to the mark. Breakfast at Café Huraa leaves you stunned, the vast array is laid out in different areas and not in your face. I personally don’t like to see tables groaning with food.

My dinner the first night at Kandu Grill was Maldivian. A seafood delight. Baraabaru, which is on high stilts atop a lagoon, with friendly baby reef sharks swimming underneath, is Indian. I had food cooked by Chef Kishen Singh, like I haven’t had in India! Reef Club, all white and inviting, is a luxury Italian restaurant, perfect at lunch time, great at night time with its al fresco-ness and beachside tranquility. Sundowners at the Sunset Lounge offer spectacular views of the ocean. Sunsets in The Maldives are something to sigh about.

If food is a yardstick at a resort, spas are next in line. The one here is truly unique, it was the first of its kind in the Maldives. Firstly, it’s situated on a tiny island which you have to get to by a two-minute boat ride from the pier next to the Lobby Lounge, which incidentally adorns some fabulous art pieces. Once you walk through the spa pavilion and to your own private cottage and the masseuse shuts the louvered doors, there is nothing except you, the ocean and God. As the treatment starts and you are face down, you look at the stunning creatures that swim by – yup, you don’t have the ubiquitous bowl of flowers down there, you have instead a glass portal built into the floor to gaze at the marine life below. Luxury and creativity taken to another level. Loved it!