Introducing Secret Soneva 2024, the first 14-villa resort in Maldives’ remote Haa Dhaalu Atoll.
Thirty years in the making, hospitality brand Soneva has launched the new, ultra-bespoke Soneva Secret 2024. Located in Haa Dhaalu, the Maldives’ most remote atoll, Soneva Secret 2024 promises to set a new, unmatched standard in intuitive, personalised service, exquisite private villas and unspoiled settings, surrounded by nature.
Soneva Secret 2024 features just 14 beach and overwater villas, including lagoon Crusoe Villas, accessible only by boat, and the Castaway, the Maldives’ first floating villa. Each is designed in perfect harmony with the untouched natural setting, with direct access to the white sand beach or sparkling lagoon. As well as vast master suites, including a roof that slides to reveal star-strewn skies, every villa also features adjoining bedrooms, offering ample space for families or additional guests.
Soneva’s superlative service reaches new heights at Soneva Secret 2024, with a dedicated Barefoot Guardian and Barefoot Assistant for every villa, curating an utterly personalised stay and one-of-a-kind, rare experiences for every guest. The resort’s 14 private chefs, one for each villa, craft bespoke menus and unique culinary journeys, whether savoured in the privacy and comfort of the villa or enjoyed in nature at the island’s most picturesque spots.
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Other dining experiences will include Out of This World, a castaway dining tower, observatory and wine cellar in the lagoon, reachable by zipline; a toes-in-the-sand firepit dining experience at So Primitive; and The Living Room, the island hub and casual dining and lounge venue, which is also home to a library, boutique and Soneva’s renowned ice cream, chocolate and cheese and charcuterie rooms.
At Soneva Secret 2024, fully bespoke rare experiences are curated for every guest, reconnecting them with the abundant nature that surrounds the island. An underwater haven, the crystal-clear waters are home to colonies of majestic manta rays, pods of curious dolphins and gentle whale sharks, alongside shoals of colourful tropical fish. Family experiences go far beyond The Den, whether picnics on castaway shores, sunset dolphin cruises, guided snorkelling with the experienced Marine Biologist, or navigating the night skies with exceptionally clear views of the Milky Way with the resident Astronomer.
Soneva Secret 2024 can be reached via a scenic 75-minute seaplane flight direct from Velana International Airport in Malé, a 40-minute seaplane flight from Soneva Fushi in the Baa Atoll, a 30-minute seaplane flight from Soneva Jani in the Noonu Atoll, or a leisurely full-day cruise from Soneva Fushi onboard Soneva in Aqua. Guests can also fly directly into Kulhudhuffushi Airport in the Haa Dhaalu Atoll and take a one-hour speedboat ride to the resort.
Soneva Secret epitomizes Soneva’s unwavering commitment to sustainability, embodying a paradigm of responsible luxury. Deliberately designed with minimal environmental impact, Soneva employs a range of innovative practices. With a limited number of 14 overwater and island villas, Soneva prioritises exclusivity and luxury while minimising their ecological footprint. The structures predominantly feature FSC Certified wood, sourced from fast-growing species like pine, clusiana, and cedar, ensuring sustainability at every step of construction.
Embracing the Maldivian breeze, the resort’s open-air restaurants and strategically crafted overhanging roofs facilitate natural ventilation, significantly reducing energy consumption. By year’s end, Sonevaaims to implement a cutting-edge floating solar PV system, boasting 1.6MWp capacity alongside a 3MWh battery, expected to meet 90% of the resort’s energy requirements, championing renewable energy on their island. Soneva offsets all carbon emissions, encompassing not only direct but also indirect emissions such as guests’ air travel, ensuring a net-zero impact on the environment.
Operating independently, the resort also produces its own Soneva drinking water – both still and sparkling, packaged in glass bottles to eradicate plastic waste, reinforcing dedication to sustainability. The Waste-to-Wealth center exemplifies the circular economy ethos, where waste is meticulously recycled and upcycled into valuable resources, minimizing landfill waste. Cultivating sustainability from soil to plate, the resort features an organic garden fuelled by nutrient-rich compost from the Waste-to-Wealth centre.
Here, a variety of herbs and vegetables are grown and handpicked by the chefs to create exquisite dishes for the guests, ensuring freshness and reducing the carbon footprint simultaneously. Striving for sustainability in every detail, the resort’s room amenities eschew plastic, instead opting for refillable ceramic containers and eco-friendly materials like bamboo.
In partnership with the Soneva Foundation Coral Restoration, Soneva Secret has also established a coral nursery featuring 24 MAT frames and 24 MARS structures, fostering the rejuvenation of vital marine ecosystems. The resort employs environmentally conscious mosquito traps, ensuring a mosquito-free environment without resorting to harmful insecticides, safeguarding both guests and the local ecosystem.
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