This blissful retreat flung out far into the Indian Ocean away from the Maldivian capital, Male, the Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa gave us the most relaxation break we have ever had. Two weeks of pure sunshine, quietness, good food and water activities as well as a good bed to sleep on made our stay very pleasant. With a name which means ‘reef above water’, this luxury four-star resort is the perfect stay to spend some time in paradise. Olga and I did this as a Christmas break, our first one ever away from the families back home in Europe and it was one of the best trips ever. We booked with Tui, didn’t know what to expect to be stuck on an island for two whole weeks but in the end we had a blast. Here is our review of this beautiful retreat.
Water Bungalows
This has to be the main feature on why we choose to stay here. The water bungalows just look totally amazing but inside is even more perfect. With a washroom with everything expected from shower, a huge mirror, hairdryers and the usual supplement toiletries, to the huge cloakroom-style area near the door to hang up clothes and store luggage. As well as one of the most comfortable beds we have ever slept on in the lounge area with a glass-panel floor to see the wildlife in the water underneath, this place really did feel like home for the two weeks we were here.
Outside on the balcony which is the ideal place for sunbathing, there is a ladder which takes us to waist-deep high water to explore the marine life more closely (and even more ideal with snorkeling gear which can be hired out on the island). The fishes were totally amazing to look at, different shapes and sizes but watch out for some snake-like eels down there (not trying to scare people off here, there are very few of them and harmless unless approached).
Food and Drink
The Malaafaly Restaurant offers a brilliant breakfast, lunch and dinner with lots of food options to choose from ranging from local cuisine to European foods. There are plenty of cooks who will also cook to order (especially breakfast time). For an extra fee, a fully waitered dinner in the evening on the beach can be done with plenty of seafood and wine included. The waiters are always on hand and are the best we have come across on our travels.
Nearby on the jetty is the Veli bar and lounge which serves snacks between meals but also has cocktails, beers and wines. Here night time entertainment is provided and during the day is the perfect place to have a nice cold beer whilst looking out into the ocean.
Other services and facilities at Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa
The resort offers a gym which has the basic cross-trainer, treadmill and a few weights in an air-conditioned room. To get away from the island, the resort offers day trips to nearby islands (like Naalaafushi) and dolphin spotting. There are also plenty of diving opportunities on offer but our favourite was to be taken to a nearby island of Gongalhuraa which has nothing on it and to be left there all alone (for a fee and yes, we did take some food and drink with us). Also there are spa treatments on offer in the resort which the ladies staying here really enjoyed.
Like most islands in the Maldives, the most flung resorts are usually reached by seaplane which made this trip even more enjoyable and landing on the smooth ocean waves and pulling besides the end of the jetty is the best way to start any vacation here. All seaplane transfers take visitors back to the international airport near Male which is about a sixty minute journey. I have added more information about this at the bottom of the post.
Some tips to make a visit to this resort (or other resorts in the Maldives) go smoothly:
Footwear: comfortable flip flops or beach sandals- You are never going to be wearing anything apart from these so don’t bother to carry any of your fancy footwear. I would also advise carrying water shoes if you want to walk in the water, since there are broken corals in the shallow ends of every beach.
Swimwear: make you have plenty of swimwear and cover-ups during your trip. Apart from wearing light clothing for restaurants, you probably will be wearing swimwear most of the time (but don’t go walking around the capital of Male in swimwear, that is a no no!). Also the restaurants DO NOT allow you to come in your swimwear or any wet clothes.
Medicines: Carry your basic medicines! Staff might be trained in first aid, however the nearest hospitals are more than likely to be on the bigger atolls.
Sunscreen: Make sure you carry sunscreen and use it before you step out of your room on the island.
Do not carry a lot of valuables like jewelry on you, as most of the time you wouldn’t be wearing it.
Photography: Ensure you carry a good quality camera that you are comfortable with, if you have a waterproof sports camera: that’s going to be your best friend for the trip and if your phone has a good quality camera, then you should be ready to go. No need for go-pros, professional cameras with all the mega zoom lenses and tripods etc.
Overall with the bright white sands, ample snorkeling (plus diving) opportunities and turquoise waters, this resort has it all for a ‘get-away-from-it-all’ break. There are twenty-six stunning atolls spread across the ocean with hundreds of islands but we were glad to choose Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa resort for the ultimate solitude and seclusion. This is the perfect place to explore stunning marine life and the coral reefs, a dream honeymoon perhaps, or just that perfect island getaway, this resort offers the ultimate escape.
Essential information on Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa
How to get to Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa: The first port of call of 99% of visitors to the Maldives will be via Velana International Airport on Hulhulé Island on the southern side of Male Atoll, which is very near the capital island of Male (where of course, the Maldivian capital of Male is located). There are only two airports in the Maldives which can take large aircraft, Velana and one hundreds of miles away to the south at Gan, but it is Velana which gets mostly here. We booked via a tour operator so everything is sorted for us, however, if needing a seaplane to get to the island/atoll you need to get to, there are three companies based here (as of 2024), Maldivian, Trans Maldivian Airways and BeOnd. The seaplane terminal is located next to the international airport. There are also boats taking visitors to the nearby atolls and there is now a road bridge connecting the international airport to the capital city.
The first place I would go to find airline tickets to the city is using (I would recommend) Skyscanner to find flights as that is my first point of call. Then if necessary use the airlines directly to find a good deal. I sometimes use Momondo as well to compare prices before booking. However, there are a lot of tour operator packages available, especially those traveling from Europe and there are some good deals to be had.
Car Rentals - as I do a lot of road trips around the world, I use Rentalcars.com which is very reliable for booking car hire in advance. I also use Turo (the airbnb of car rentals) and never had a problem with them. The cars are insured, owners vetted and never had an issue. However, it is not worth hiring a car in Male and you won’t be able to drive to other atolls, so this would be a pointless section to read.
Accommodation: There are a lot of accommodation options and a lot of websites which can do some great deals. My first point of call is always Booking.com and can offer a range of hostels, hotels, campsites, apartments, guesthouses and bed and breakfasts.. After that I always have a look through AirBnb and Vrbo for great deals on apartments and other lodgings especially when traveling as a family. If looking to book direct with Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa, then please click here.
Currency: Maldives uses rufiyaa as its currency. Currency can be exchanged at the airport and the bigger companies and resorts do use credit cards. However visitors can also take US Dollars as it is widely accepted.
Language: The national language is Dhivehi, however, a lot of Maldivians can speak English with no problems. In fact, many staff at various Maldives resorts can also speak French, German, Mandarin, and other international languages.
Watch out for: Probably one of the safest countries we have been to. However, listen to any alarm raised if a Tsunami occurs. There isn’t a lot of high land on the atolls, so take advice from the resort staff. The last one occurred in the Indian Ocean in 2004 and a lot of countries were affected, with the Maldives resulting in eighty-four deaths and twenty-four people still declared missing.
Travel insurance: This is essential to anywhere you go in the world. I always carry travel insurance. Having travel insurance will cover you from theft, illness and those annoying cancellations which can happen on the road. Safety Wing offers coverage for a lot of adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and so forth.
Need a visa for the Maldives? A tourist visa is granted for all nationalities on arrival to the Maldives. As such, a foreigner traveling to Maldives as a tourist does not require pre-approval for the visa and the tourist visa lasts for thirty days. However, the person must satisfy the basic entry requirements to get immigration clearance upon arrival. Always double-check this when booking a vacation to the Maldives in case anything changes.
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Please note that while I was not working with Cinnamon Hakuraa Huraa, my review and experiences written about in this post are 100% genuine. I value my readers too much to lie to you. My blog would be nothing without you and your continued support! There maybe some links above which are affiliate and are at no additional cost to you. If my readers use them, I earn a commission to buy their products and remember, I only mentioned products and companies I use. The income from this keeps this website going. Thank you.
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