DAY 1
07:30 - Draw back the curtains of your Beach Pool Suite or Lagoon Pool Villa and allow your eyes to adjust to a golden Maldives morning. As birdsong drifts on a gentle breeze in your private garden, pad across silky soft sands to the water’s edge and start your day with a few sun salutations on the shore, followed by a refreshing dip in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.
08:30 - Since its your first morning in paradise, ease yourself into island life with a stroll around Cora Cora Maldives along palm-shaded pathways, stopping to notice the birdlife and lush flora that covers Maamigili Island. Order a craft brew made with freshly roasted beans from MYCOFFEE Café & Bar, or head to Tazäa for a Pineapple Detox (with ginger, organic green cleanser and açaí berry) and avocado toast, or go local and try a delicious Maldivian breakfast.
10:00 - You’ve resisted as long as you can but the pull of the ocean can’t be ignored. Collect a snorkel and face mask from the water sports centre and delve into the underwater world of the Raa Atoll, a living aquarium where flighty fish dart between colourful corals and somnolent sea fans. Look out for vibrant parrot fish, ghostly rays and curious green and hawksbill turtles riding the underwater currents.
11:30 - When you need to catch your breath, trade your snorkel and flippers for a stand-up paddle board or glass-bottom kayak and explore the circumference of the island at your own pace. For a more active session, sign up for a windsurfing or catamaran sailing lesson so you can explore the waters of Raa Atoll like the sailors of old.
13:00 - When you’ve freshened up in your Beach Pool Suite’s indoor-outdoor bathroom, head to Acquapazza for a long, lazy lunch. Treading the line between castaway casual and stylish Italian beach club, the oceanfront venue is open day and night, with poolside cabanas and loungers and a thatched dining area with spectacular ocean views. Keep it light with a panini or crunchy salad, or go all-in with a stone-baked pizza or tiger prawn pasta, washed down perhaps with a glass of chilled white or a freshly squeezed juice. Bring a good book and curl up in a cabana for an hour or listen to classical music in the swimming pool via its underwater speakers.
15:00 - Now that the soothing Maldives sunshine is starting to work its magic, take a walk over to MOKSHA Spa & Wellbeing Center for a rejuvenating treatment. More than just a spa, MOKSHA, which means freedom in the Sanskrit language, nurtures mind, body and soul with a wheel of wellness offerings based around five pillars: move, chill, explore, play and eat. Wring out any lingering aches and pains from the flight to the Maldives with a traditional Thai or bamboo massage, welcome a golden glow with a detoxifying facial or cocoon yourself in a tension-relieving body wrap. For couples, The Ultimate is a two-hour spa journey in a serene overwater treatment room that starts with a soothing foot ritual followed by a de-stress body massage, a smooth body scrub and a refreshing facial. For something more hands-on, MOKSHA offers a collection of interactive workshops for couples and honeymooners including massage class, partner yoga and hair braiding classes.
Delve into the underwater world of the Raa Atoll, a LIVING aquarium where flighty fish darT between colourful corals and somnolent sea fans.
17:30 - As the sun begins its descent, it’s time to plan your first evening in paradise. Having reached peak relaxation in the spa, head to the jetty for a private romantic sunset cruise. Keep an eye out for dolphins as you glide through gentle waves into the Raa Atoll, and raise a glass of bubbles as the sun slowly sinks into the Indian Ocean, bathing the world in inky twilight.
19:30 - Tired but not yet sated, take a table by the beach at Ginger Moon and savour the flavours of Southeast Asia: aromatic soups, fragrant curries, tender grills and wok-fried specials, and a selection of plant-based options from the MOKSHA menu. Leave space for some homemade coconut sorbet or honey and ginger ice creams: sweet dreams guaranteed.
DAY 2
09:00 - Enjoy a restful morning and order a floating breakfast to enjoy in your swimming pool, or head to Tazäa and try something from the Wellbeing section of the breakfast menu, created by the MOKSHA Spa team for a lighter, balanced start to your day. If you haven’t already done so, book a spot at the teppanyaki table for dinner at Teien, the resort’s speciality Japanese dining venue, via the Cora Cora Maldives App.
10:30 - Work off breakfast with a walk on the beach and call in at the Dutch Onion Museum and Outdoor Heritage Site, where the little-known history of the Maldives is revealed. Frequented by Arab sailors, Persian merchants and European explorers for more than a thousand years, the 1,200 islands of the Maldives archipelago are a treasure trove of riches and historical artefacts, many on display at the Museum of Island Heritage. Learn how cowrie shells were used as currency and view artefacts including 17th century Chinese porcelain and an Early Byzantine oil lamp dated to 1,500 years ago. Food for thought when you relax with a fresh coconut back at your villa.
“The 1,200 islands of the Maldives archipelago are a Treasure trove of riches and historical artefacts”
12:30 - Grab an early lunch at Tazäa and try freshly grilled catch of the day drizzled in lemon butter sauce or an aromatic Maldivian tuna curry, or head back to Acquapazza for some Italian flair. Leave room for a deconstructed lemon tart with vanilla crumble and meringue, complemented perhaps by an alcohol-free cocktail in the sun.
14:00 - This afternoon, the world is your oyster. Soak in the rays and enjoy the cooling salty spray as you bounce across the waves on a private speed boat excursion, or perhaps you’d rather spend the afternoon big game fishing in the deep blue waters beyond the edge of the reef. For a more sedate adventure, take a romantic walk on a private sandbank undisturbed by others, or delve with snorkel and mask into in the shallow waters of your own deserted island or one of the many dive sites dotted around the atoll; the Cora Cora Maldives dive centre guides know all the best spots. If you’re determined to enjoy every precious moment, seize the opportunity to strap in and go parasailing as the sun begins to set over the ocean.
18:30 - Take a moment to reflect with a glass of something chilled as you relax on your private terrace or cool off in your pool. Look out for the first stars and enjoy the sound of waves gently lapping upon the shore. This is your moment of bliss.
20:00 - Situated at the intersection of maritime spice routes, the Maldives has been a culinary melting pot since time immemorial. Take your seats at the teppanyaki table at Teien, one of three dining experiences at the speciality Japanese restaurant. Tonight, we’re having the Sakura set menu: a dazzling medley of Maldivian seafood and locally sourced vegetables prepared before your eyes at the teppanyaki grill. Think plump tuna nigiri and succulent mahi mahi plucked fresh from the Raa Atoll that morning, hand-rolled before your eyes, followed by Maldivian salad, miso soup and a trio of fish steeped in lemon butter soy sauce and spicy ponzu. Round it off with pineapple poke and coconut sherbet. Alternatively, the Kiku and Momo set menus are perfect for meat-eaters and plant-based diners respectively.
22:00 - This is the night that should never end, so how about a digestif with your toes in the sand or a fragrant shisha on the beach, as the bright moon rises above the ocean. The perfect end to an unforgettable weekend in paradise.