Cocoa Island, Maldives / Area Designs – Cheong Yew Kwan

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Cocoa Island, Maldives

The small and private Cocoa Island, located in the South Malé Atoll in the Maldives is virtually all beach; all of it white sand, complemented by palm trees and a lagoon of tranquil sky-blue water. It is home to an elegant 33-room luxury suite and villa hotel owned by Christina Ong, with architecture by Singaporean architect Cheong Yew Kuan and interior design by Kathryn Kng. Steps lead from each suite right into the water.

Cocoa Island by COMO is an intimate private Maldives island resort with 33 overwater suites allowing you to slip right into the turquoise lagoon to explore an exceptional house reef. Encircled with powder white sand, the carefree, understated luxury experience includes holistic wellness treatments at COMO Shambhala Retreat, South Indian-influenced cuisine and worldclass diving.

From its personalised service and sophisticated cuisine to its distinctive design, authentic culture and calming spa, our Maldives luxury resort works hard to tailor the experience to your needs. We can orchestrate customised cruises to neighbouring islands and beaches; plan private dinners at secluded locations; arrange yoga, diving or snorkelling; and create adventures for families travelling together.

Location:

Cocoa Island by COMO, known locally as Makunufushi, is located among South Malé’s coral atolls. Rare among Maldives luxury resorts, you don’t need to book seaplane transfers to access the island: It’s just a 40-minute speedboat ride from the international airport on the archipelago’s main island, Malé.

Design:

The style and design of our 33 overwater suites and villas are like that of no other luxury resort in the Maldives. Uniquely inspired by dhoni boats—the gently curving wooden vessels used by local fishermen—Cocoa Island’s rooms arc out from the island itself. Simple wooden walkways built above the shallow lagoon connect them, forming a sinuous boardwalk pathway.

Each bungalow has traditional Maldivian elements, such as a dhoni shape or a thatch roof. Minimalist Balinese dark wood furnishings and delicate white accessories complement the natural aquamarine panoramas. Facing the open ocean, each room has a private deck or terrace with a daybed and direct access to the lagoon. The Loft and One-Bedroom Villas also have outdoor showers.

Each room has its own private terrace, all the better for slipping into the warm Maldivian sea, right from your room. The view from the wide platform is directly out to the watery expanse and horizon. Interiors are dominated by whites and blues, with only the subtlest nod to a certain local rustic aesthetic.

Dining:

The relaxed atmosphere of Ufaa, main restaurant, belies the sophisticated flavours behind each dish. Dine casually beside the infinity pool and the sea, or eat like a castaway, with meals delivered to your private villa or to your very own private table at the beach. And Faru, our bar, is where to relax with fine wines, tasteful cocktails, healthy juices and light snacks.

Wellness:

Discover the calming spirit of our Maldives spa resort at COMO Shambhala Retreat where we offer holistic, Asian-inspired treatments including Ayurveda. an open-air pavilion for yoga, four treatment rooms (including one for couples), plus separate male and female steam rooms and a large hydrotherapy pool. We also offer a series of ‘Wellness Paths.’ these well-priced groups of treatments addresssing specific needs such as purification and stress.

Each package combines a range of complementary treatments that achieve real results, from purification to relaxation, restoration to rejuvenation.

If Robinson Crusoe had hung out with Kevin McCloud and Giorgio Armani instead of Man Friday, his desert-island dwelling would probably have looked a lot like Cocoa Island: beautifully designed, this resort in the Maldives is the embodiment of understated elegance. Resembling a collection of Keralan boathouses, the individual over-water villas have soothing white-on-white interiors and teak flooring to create an ambience of laid-back romance. The scuba diving here is terrific, and after an afternoon of reef watching you can soothe away any aches and pains in the world-class Como Shambhala spa…
Cocoa Island is a luxury Christina Ong production. Her other hotels include The Metropolitan and The Halkin, both in London, and Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos islands.

Project Data

Project name: Cocoa Island
Location: Makunufushi, South Malé Atoll, Maldives
Type: Resort, Resort Interior, Resort Space
Size: 33 overwater suites
Rooms type:

Dhoni Suites – Size: 75m2
Dhoni Loft Suites – Size: 110m2
Loft Villas – Size: 123m2
One Bedroom Villas – Size: 125m²
COMO Villas – Size: 300m²

Completion Year: 2010

Awards:

2012 Condé Nast Traveller Magazine Awards – Spa Awards – Best Hotel Spas in Africa, Middle East and the Indian Ocean
2012 Tripadvisor Awards – Traveler’s Choice Awards
2011 World Travel Awards – Indian Ocean’s Leading Boutique Hotel

Visit Cocoa Island’s Website: here

The people

Client / Owner / Developer: The COMO Group
Architects: Area Designs – Cheong Yew Kwan
Interior Designer: Kathryn Kng
Text Description: © Courtesy of Cocoa Island, Area Designs – Cheong Yew Kwan
Images: © Cocoa Island