The amazing marine life of the Maldives swims up to say hello the moment I step off the private speedboat, which has whisked me from Male across the Indian Ocean to Sun Siyam Olhuveli.
The luxe resort is surrounded by an impossibly clear lagoon in the South Male Atoll, just a 45-minute boat transfer from Velana International Airport.
As Olhuveli’s team welcome me ashore, two blacktip reef sharks swirl below the wooden jetty. Here, you don’t need to dive or snorkel to see the rays, turtles and shoals of tropical fish which gather around the deck, but the resort’s SSI-certified Sun Dive Centre offers both for those who want to take a closer look
Cultural immersion
With its dazzling white-sand beaches and dreamy overwater villas, the Maldives offers a bucket-list Indian Ocean escape, but The House of Siyam’s five Maldivian resorts – Olhuveli and Siyam World (Lifestyle Collection); Vilu Reef and Iru Veli (Privé Collection); and Iru Fushi (Luxury Collection) – also offer unparalleled opportunities for natural and cultural immersion.
Locally owned and managed, with largely home-grown hospitality teams, Sun Siyam’s resorts blend contemporary style with Maldivian spirit, which pulses through everything from the joyous Wow Welcome ceremony that greets me with song on my arrival to the traditional design flourishes in my Grand Beach Suite with Pool.
Sun Siyam celebrated its 35-year anniversary in 2025, with the introduction of ten Signature Experiences across its Maldivian resorts and Sun Siyam Pasikudah in Sri Lanka, including Maldivian Roots, a weekly celebration of culture and cuisine.
The brand has also launched a digital membership programme, Siyam Rewards, which offers bespoke itineraries and room upgrades, while helping to fund reef conservation and community projects through the group’s sustainability platform, Sun Siyam Care.
Breaking the mould
Spread across three connecting islands, Sun Siyam Olhuveli breaks the usual Maldivian “one-island, one-resort” mould, which banishes any chance of boredom and making it the perfect choice for a holiday with family or friends.
While the adults-only Romance Island offers an intimate couples’ experience, the resort promises plenty for groups, with a range of dining and activities on offer across its Olhuveli or “Main” Island and Dream Island, each offering affordable four-star luxury.
Water villas line wooden boardwalks which wind discreetly from each island into the ocean, with direct access to the lagoon, the coral reef and its many underwater wonders, while my Grand Beach Suite is the perfect island abode.
“Welcome Home, Lauren”, written with palm leaves, greets my arrival, along with a vast, high-ceilinged bedroom styled in soothing, neutral tones and a lounge that opens onto a private pool and an idyllic beach.
The bathroom, an outdoor sanctuary of calm, means I never miss a minute of Maldivian sun, with a monsoon shower, spacious tub, twin sinks and a daybed cloaked in cobalt skies, which transform into a dome of twinkling stars at night.
Natural high
This constant connection to nature extends to the resort’s restaurants, which offer beachfront or poolside dining. Olhuveli has 24 restaurants to choose from, with eateries serving Indian (Namaste), Mediterranean (Culinarium) and Thai (Siyam Orchid).
The activities in the 24/7 plan are as plentiful as the food, with kayaking, paddle boarding and snorkelling gear all included, and an ocean-facing 210-metre swimming pool – the longest in the Maldives – fringed by newly refurbished Sunset Beach Pavilions, many of which are interconnecting.
The plan includes USD$50 credit on diving activities, plus an additional USD$50 credit for use at one of the resort’s three soul-soothing wellness sanctuaries.
At Dream Island’s over-water Ocean Spa, I relax into a 60-minute Nourishing Aroma Massage, watching the fish swim beneath me through the glass window in the floor as May, my therapist, banishes any lingering real-world stresses away with jasmine oil.
A highlight is a Maldivian cookery class on the beach, one of the new Signature Experiences, where Olhuveli chef, Uttam, teaches me how to cook up a Maldivian feast of creamy vegetable coconut curry with rice, followed by dhonkeyo kajuru, a traditional dessert of sweet banana fritters.
But the ocean is calling and after a zip around the lagoon in the resort’s convertible Jet Car I join a tour to search for whale sharks and manta rays in the blue. My luck is in, and the Olhuveli’s boat crew locate the incredible creatures in the indigo waters beyond the reef.
Slipping into the sea, I watch the world’s biggest fish cruise beneath me until its distinctive spots fade into the deep. Later I dive in again, snorkelling with colossal mantas as they swoop and swirl and scoop up mouthfuls of plankton. An unforgettable welcome from Olhuveli’s team greeted my arrival, but the goodbye I receive from the local marine life has the wow factor too.
Book it
Seven nights in a Grand Beach Villa on the 24/7 All-Inclusive Dine-Around signature plan is priced from £8,100 per family (two adults, two kids). Includes return flights from London Stanstead. Departs July 29, arriving July 30, 2026.
