How do you build paradise? Well, it all starts with hungry fish. (Bear with me.)
Millions of years ago, coral colonies began to thrive on the summits of enormous underwater mountain chains in the Indian Ocean. Fish grazed on the algae clinging to the coral’s surface, biting into the limestone-like structure to reach it. The coral was ground up and processed, and the indigestible material excreted as fine, powdery sand. Over time, this accumulated on reefs, lagoons and islands.
A single large parrotfish, for example, can produce hundreds of kilograms of sand each year. The result of all this chowing down? More than 1,200 islands grouped into 26 clusters of atolls – a 90,000 sq km necklace of powder-soft beaches and azure sea, known to you and me as the Maldives.
And how do you improve paradise? For that, I refer you to the all-inclusive Ozen Collection. Heaven on this particular patch of Earth is Ozen Reserve Bolifushi.
Close your eyes and imagine the iconic luxury island resort, and there’s a good chance Bolifushi is what you’re envisioning. The 11-hectare island is haloed by china-white sand that cradles a private coral reef, while inland, a lush tropical forest unfurls – and between the two lies some of the finest accommodation in the Indian Ocean.
The Ozen experience begins long before you set foot on the island. Upon arrival at Velana International Airport, it’s a short walk from The Ozen Collection Lounge to your luxury catamaran transfer. Ozen promises to have you on the sea within 45 minutes; we waited for just ten.
Air conditioning, crescent sofas and a view of the endless turquoise mean you’re in for a pleasant ride onboard – the twin-hull ensures a smooth ride even if the water is choppy. And it’s a far preferable voyage to the sea planes you’ll need to catch for resorts further afield. “This is the best holiday ever,” observed my 12-year-old son, and we hadn’t even reached the hotel yet.
Half an hour later, the island comes into view, and a welcome party awaits – a troop of staff clap along to a rhythmic bodu beru drum as you’re presented with a hand-woven palm-leaf necklace. A glass of champagne is presented before you’ve stepped off the decking – a sign of the slick service to come.
Buggies here are less golf, more Bentley – white and chrome chariots with leather seats that facilitate a recce of the island so you can get your bearings before being taken to your room.
Well, I say ‘room’. That is a gross understatement for the accommodation options available here. All Ozen Collection villas are detached and sit either onshore (‘Earth’ status) or hovering above the waterline (‘Ocean’) – and have direct lagoon access and infinity pools of differing size. Upgrade to a ‘Reserve’ option for the ultimate in both scale and experience.
Across the board, interiors mix dark, traditional timber tones with floor-to-ceiling glass and pale upholstery. Rainfall showers and sculptural freestanding baths are accompanied by indulgent Chopard toiletries ensuring that even bathing is a luxury experience.
Over-water villas with slides into the lagoon add a playful flourish, especially for kids (and kidults). Plump for a two or three-bed Reserve Villa, and you start to edge into jaw-dropping territory. A three-bed Earth Pool Reserve, for example, stretches across nearly 600sq m, has a 40sq m pool, and even a games room with a pool table and its own balcony.
Situated on the tranquil southern enclave of the island, the Royal Reserve is the resort’s ultimate sanctuary: a 3,000sq m, three-bedroom haven with private beach, spa treatment room, overwater bar, dining pavilion, wine cellar and pool worthy of an Olympic swimmer.
Silver service
Regardless of your room, you’ll get the royal treatment with Ozen. The service everywhere from the spa to the bar is exceptional, and strikes that rare balance of refined yet relaxed.
As each Ozen Collection resort is all-inclusive, you have an embarrassment of riches to keep you fed and watered. The only real constraint is your restraint.
Vista Del Mar is the resort’s culinary hub offering everything from champagne breakfasts to leisurely lunches and elegant dinners.
It fuses a bountiful buffet with cook-to-order dishes from the open kitchen. Grilled local tuna steak was so fresh and butter soft that I had it three lunches in a row.
Don’t get me wrong – there was a dizzying amount of choice; it was just that good.
Next door you’ll find Ozar – a welcoming drinks and snack bar positioned with beach on one side and pool on the other.
Set in the round, it has a tall-ship vibe, with a wooden 25-foot central circular column stacked with spirits. The ladder up one side echoes the climb to a crow’s nest.
On the opposite side of the island, you’ll find Sangu Beach & Bar where barefoot dining meets modern Levantine and Moroccan cuisine. Expect mezze, grilled delicacies, and even the occasional belly dancer. (My 12-year-old has never blushed so brightly.)
Ozar terrace
Sangu beach bar
Then there’s a trio of fine dining restaurants to experience. Your specific package and length of stay will determine how many times you can visit, but you’ll enjoy a minimum of one booking at each.
First is Saffron serving a three-course thali which pays homage to India’s spice trail. Miniature tasting dishes – 14 in total – draw on historical recipes from across the subcontinent.
Next is Soyi, where chefs blend techniques from Chinese, Thai, Japanese and Indonesian kitchens. The menu delivers hit after hit – including the best Thai prawn curry I’ve ever had.
And then there’s Origin3 – a contemporary gastronomic affair specialising in seafood. This over-sea venue also houses a striking wine library alongside a cigar and cognac lounge.
We happened to time our visit with World Champagne Day – a happy coincidence, given that Origin3 was hosting a special dinner in honour of Guy Charbaut. The boutique champagne house is one of Ozen’s many unique suppliers.
During our stay, the third and fourth generation winemakers from the chateau were in residence – and personally hosted a reception and wine-matched tasting menu that evening. It was the kind of curated experience you’d expect from a Michelin-starred setup in Mayfair not the Maldives.
This is a fitting moment to raise a glass to the Ozen Collection’s epic wine and spirits offering. Where many all-inclusive offerings fall short in this department, there are no such issues here.
Cuvée wine library and private dining room at Origine
Bolifushi is part of the Atmosphere Group of nine resorts across the Maldives – collectively, their guests power through more than 400,000 bottles of wine a year. This yields an impressive buying power, channeled through a dedicated and knowledgeable team of sommeliers.
Across the resort, there are more than 100 wines to choose from – a list which collectively clinched Ozen the ‘Best All Inclusive Wine List’ on multiple occasions at the World of Fine Wine’s annual World’s Best Wine Lists Awards.
The cocktails are equally impressive with each bar crafting not only a menu of in-house specialities but also any classic you care to quaff. All this said, you’ll want to make sure you’re not over-served, because there is a lot that’s worth staying fresh for.
After all, the ocean is calling…
Under the sea
Suddenly, a clump of coral begins to float upwards, seemingly gliding straight towards me. The early afternoon sun glistens through the water and catches a gold-rimmed eye.
Where sand appears beneath, a sea turtle comes into focus, passing within just a few metres. Previously camouflaged by the coral below, it catches up with a larger turtle at the edge of the reef.
On one of Ozen’s complimentary field trips, we’ve been taken by dhoni to the nearby Velassaru reef – a popular dive site at the northern tip of the South Male Atoll, known for its vertical wall of caves and coral overhangs.
Snorkelling at Ozen Reserve Bolifushi
The area ranges from 15 to 32 metres deep, and as well as a wealth of reef fish and sea turtles, it’s home to nurse sharks and stingrays.
As well as snorkelling and scuba trips, you can also view the resort’s own coral reef without even getting wet. Book your free 60-minute spa massage at one of Ele|Na spa’s over-water pavilions and you’ll discover your treatment table strategically positioned over a glass floor.
There’s really nothing quite as relaxing as having your knots worked out while you watch tropical fish weave through shallows beneath you.
And relax
Much of Bolifushi can be enjoyed without leaving your residence. The in-villa maxi bar is replenished daily with champagne, wine, beers, soft drinks and snacks. (Who knew a Toblerone a day keeps the doctor away?)
You also benefit from a dedicated butler. Your ‘hiyani’ (which translates poetically as “shadow” in Maldivian), is at your beck and call – never more than a WhatsApp message away.
Their singular dedication to your happiness is emblematic of the resort’s modus operandi. Every single element of your stay is tailored to your contentment.
A floating breakfast brought by our hiyani.
That pristine white sand is regularly raked like a fresh Alpine piste. Cleaners don’t just fix up your room, they’ll even polish your sunglasses. The island’s gardens are fumigated twice daily to reduce the inconvenience of a mosquito bite.
It’s details like this that have helped Ozen Reserve Bolifushi win its first Michelin Key this year. It’s not just paradise here – it’s paradise perfected.
Ozen Life Maadhoo
The only way to enhance it? Extend your stay at Bolifushi’s sister resort, Maadhoo – a 45-minute boat ride from Malé.
From the Maldivian for ‘big flower’, Maadhoo really has the desert island vibe down – it’s totally isolated with nothing but infinite views of the ocean beyond.
Golden pandanus and hot-pink euphorbia line the pathways, frangipani fills the air with sweet vanilla fragrance, and above, a crown of palm trees keeps you shaded from the sun.
There are many similarities with Bolifushi – again, Earth and Ocean define the villa categories. Its all-inclusive Indulgence plan means you never need to worry about a price tag (there are no Reserve upgrades here – so it really is come one, come all).
And the likes of non-motorised watersports, snorkelling, over-water gym, yoga pavilion and kids-club are all part of the package.
The villas are still generously proportioned with spectacular infinity pools – ours even had multicoloured twinkling lights that shone at night like phosphorescence. It’s perhaps not as glitzy as Bolifushi – marble is swapped for wood; Chopard for Asprey – but otherwise everything is so far, so spectacular.
Ozen Life Maadhoo Wind Villa with Pool
There is one venue that makes it worth the booking alone: M6m. Standing for ‘Minus Six Metres’, it is one of only seven underwater restaurants in The Maldives – and arguably its finest.
The room is set out like a one-storey amphitheatre, but instead of the tables looking in, they each face a vast window directly onto the reef. A mirrored ceiling doubles down on the sensation of dining under water.
The vast windows are framed by coral where you can witness clown fish doing their best Nemo impersonations, while strip-tailed damselfish and blacksmith chromis dance among the seaweed like showgirls.
At one point a sting ray even flashed us. The headline act, though, was the black-tipped reef sharks that patiently circle the restaurant like brooding bouncers awaiting their next meal.
Speaking of which, we were presented with a four-course fine-dining extravaganza primarily of seafood (naturally). There’s admirable attention to detail in every arena – even the crockery is edged like coral and the glassware is inset with bubbles trying to escape to the surface. It’s like scuba diving but with more Taittinger.
View on Instagram
Wine here, as across the Ozen Collection, is excellent. The list is largely the same – and so just as impressive – as Bolifushi.
I have no doubt it’s one of the reasons Ozen enjoys the highest rate of rebookings in the region (33% at last count).
As the superb sommelier Janan explained during a wine tasting at the resort’s gin bar: “You can’t put this list together on a whim – it takes passion and a lot of care.”
It was hard to argue with her as she took on a heady flight of some rare white Côtes du Rhône – a niche even among wine connoisseurs.
Wine tasting at Ozen Life Maadhoo
Fortunately Maadhoo’s wine arsenal supplies a similarly diverse number of restaurants and bars.
Your day will most likely begin at The Palms, which blends live cooking stations with internationally inspired plates crafted from the freshest ingredients.
Many are sourced from the resort’s own hydroponic garden – a cutting-edge soilless cultivation method which helps conserve water. A grand dessert bar provides a sweet finale worthy of its setting.
The fittingly entitled Joie de Vivre bar and lounge is positioned by the main pool, and pairs handcrafted cocktails with light bites and funky beats (a DJ takes you into the evening).
Tradition Peking offers authentic Chinese and Far Eastern cuisine, while next door, Tradition IndoCeylon celebrates the spice-rich cuisines of India and Sri Lanka.
An exclusive adults-only venue, Lonu reimagines traditional Maldivian recipes as sophisticated small plates, while Hudhu Bay Beach Club captures the island’s carefree energy. On select evenings, the latter transforms into a Sri Lankan mud crab supper club – a rare treat enjoyed under the stars.
A final complimentary sunset cruise provided the perfect opportunity to look back and take stock.
One of the most admirable things about Ozen is its commitment to sustainability. Much of Maadhoo benefits from Cajdan roofing – a cooling green roof that seamlessly integrates into the tropical surroundings.
Complementing this, large floating and rooftop solar panels harness green energy, heating hot water, and providing approximately 10% of total energy consumption.
Inside Ozen Life Maadhoo's hydroponics garden
As part of the brand’s commitment to preserving the Maldives’ biodiversity, it actively engages in marine conservation efforts such as reef cleaning and coral propagation – an activity you can join in with as guests. All this has led to both resorts achieving Green Globe Certification.
It’s no coincidence that the Ozen Collection is part of a Maldivian company. Unlike the raft of international hotel brands buying up or building new islands, there’s an authenticity to Ozen that is impossible to replicate.
There was a time when the Maldives was only seen as a honeymoon destination. But resorts like Bolifushi and Maadhoo have gone a long way to dissolve that stereotype. From the moment you arrive to the final sunrise swim, the emphasis is on experience rather than exhibition. This isn’t just a Maldives stay – it’s a reset, a deep inhale in turquoise and white. Once you’ve experienced it, you’ll want to go back over and over again.
Overnight rates at Ozen Life Maadhoo start from $1,255, based on two sharing at Earth Villa with Indulgence Plan, including complimentary luxury speedboat transfers from Velana International Airport. Overnight rates at Ozen Reserve Bolifushi start from $1,650, based on two sharing at Earth Pool Villa with Reserve Plan, including complimentary luxury catamaran transfers from Velana International Airport.
