LUXURY RESORTS: Cora Cora Maldives

LUXURY resort: cora cora maldives

Style: Laid back luxury with a fun twist
Scene: Guests who want a relaxing holiday but who don’t just want to ‘fly and flop’
Seen in the lobby: Guests heading off in various directions for a day of adventure

As I stepped off the seaplane onto Cora Cora Maldives’ ‘International Freedom Airport’, I was greeted by friendly staff with a chorus of ‘It’s Freedom Time’. I would hear this a lot during my stay, after all it’s the ethos that the resort operates around.

Very quickly I embraced this notion and found myself often saying ‘Well, It’s Freedom Time’ to justify an afternoon lazing by the pool, or when opting for another cocktail or an extra scoop of ice cream. It is a liberating mantra as it means guests can do exactly what they want, when they want to do it, to make their holiday special.

Open since October 2021, Cora Cora Maldives is a luxury five-star resort located in the Raa Atoll with 100 overwater and beach villas.

From the moment you spot the luxury resort from the seaplane you know that it is a paradise. Cora Cora Maldives is beautiful with its sapphire waters, white powdery sand, colourful sunsets, and endless days of sunshine. Obviously it is stunning. This is the Maldives after all, and we would expect nothing less, but there is so much that makes Cora Cora Maldives stand out from other resorts.

The Luxury Travel Bible instantly fell for Cora Cora Maldives’s charm and sense of fun with quirky touches such as décor with bright pops of colour and brightly patterned tiles, quirky murals painted on the side of the villas, unique activities such as guitar lessons and outdoor movies, fun mementoes such a ‘It’s Freedom Time’ temporary tattoos being applied upon arrival, and staff who care and want to spend time chatting with their guests.

It would be completely acceptable (and no one would blame you) to spend your days relaxing by the pool with a cocktail and a good book, but what really impressed TLTB was how much there is on offer, with the freedom for guests to pick and choose what they want to do.

You will not get bored at Cora Cora Maldives.

On my first day I went to borrow my snorkel equipment for use throughout my stay. Staff will advise on the best places around the island to snorkel, but I was also just as content snorkelling from the back of my beautiful overwater villa.

From the Dive Centre guests can hire non-motorised equipment such as Kayaks and Stand-Up Paddle Boards as part of their Premium All-Inclusive package. Motorized equipment such as Jet skis and flyboards can also be hired at an additional charge. By whichever mode you choose, you will be exploring the beautiful Indian Ocean in no time. Guests can also book onto a sunset cruise around the resort aboard the traditional Maldivian-style Dhoni boat.

Cora Cora Maldives offers many classes for guests to take part in such as sushi rolling, homemade pasta making and cocktail making. There is an on-site art studio where you can buy a piece of art that has been painted on the island for some Maldives memoires. Guests who are feeling creative can also take part in a painting class.

A visit to the MOKSHA® Spa & Wellbeing Centre is a must do. On my first day I opted for a massage (which was very much needed after the 24 hours of travelling to reach the island) in one of the overwater treatment rooms. Guests can attend sunset yoga classes and sound bath healing sessions at the overwater yoga pavilion. Relaxation was taken to the max while meditating in the warm breeze and listening to the gentle waters lapping below.

Little Luxies are going to love it here. The kids club offers many fun activities such as Tie-dying T-shirts, dance parties, sports on the beach and nature-focused sessions that encourage kids to look at the native plants, animals, and landscape. I was half tempted to ask if I could book in for an afternoon, despite it being only available for those aged 3-12 years old.

Cora Cora Maldives is the first Maldives resorts to feature a licensed art gallery, Dutch Onion® Museum and Outdoor Heritage Site. The collection features over 400 local artefacts and curators offer guests guided tours through the history of the Maldives and the items found in the area. The outdoor heritage site features a 120-year-old traditional Maldivian house to showcase more about the local history. TLTB loves how the rich and diverse Maldivian culture and the history of the destination is celebrated, and I hold my hands up that this is something I knew very little about before this tour.

An excursion which TLTB believes every guest should take is a trip to the nearby ‘Tsunami Ghost Island’, Kandholhudhoo.

Early one morning we took a boat trip to the island which was destroyed in the 2004 Tsunami. Walking around the island which is now completely abandoned was truly humbling. Most of the group walked in silence as our knowledgeable guide pointed out evidence of a once inhabited island, and we marvelled at how nature was slowly reclaiming the land.

This excursion was quite the departure from the fun and luxury that we had been enjoying at Cora Cora Maldives. It was devastating, haunting and educational but it is Maldivian history that visitors should not shy away from.

The diverse range of activities available will appeal to many different luxury travellers. So often the Maldives is seen as only for honeymooners, but that is not the case at Cora Cora Maldives where couples, families, groups, and friends are all made to feel very welcome.

Cora Cora Maldives was awarded the highly acclaimed SHe Travel Club Label in 2024. As a female traveller I felt completely safe and relaxed during my time on the island.

In a traditionally male-dominated industry Cora Cora Maldives aims to empower women working in the luxury hospitality industry in the Maldives and they are constantly looking for innovative ways to inspire Maldivian woman and young girls. Cora Cora Maldives was the first in the Maldives to have an all-female airport team who welcomed us when we landed at the airport and escorted us to the seaplane terminal. They were also there to greet us when we (begrudgingly) returned at the end of our stay. I am told that some in the industry laughed when they launched this all-female service but today it continues to be a big success. The resort's Ginger Moon® Asian Restaurant features an all-female culinary team.

Cora Cora Maldives is committed to sustainability and has been awarded the converted Green Globe certification, which it received just nine months after opening. Green endeavours include using solar power, using renewable sources of hot water, treating wastewater for irrigation and gardening, using glass bottles and recycled materials, and reducing the use of plastic across the resort. Native vegetation is kept as undisturbed as possible and no captive wildlife, endangered species, or any form of unethical items are used, sold, or allowed on the island.

TLTB was pleased to hear that the resort does all that it can to reduce food waste. This includes only holding two (very delicious) buffets a week; the Fisherman’s Catch BBQ with a focus on seafood, and a Maldivian Night which serves local, traditional dishes. Chefs make a conscious effort to stock each buffet station with freshly prepared dishes and to refill it only as demand dictates, in order to serve too much it, which might lead to waste.

A stay at Cora Cora Maldives is a culinary experience.

The dining options are varied and diverse and each of the different venues offer a delicious and creative menu. All guests are on a Gourmet Meal Plan®, which includes most dishes and drinks (some charges on menus do apply). The Cora Cora Maldives App, which guests download before arriving at the resort, is where restaurant bookings can be made and where menus can be viewed.

Teien® serve a Japanese menu of delicious sushi and teppanyaki, Ginger Moon® serves Asian dishes, Acquapazza® serves Italian dishes (the pizza oven was imported from Rome) and drinks for pool-side dining and Tazäa® offers all-day dining inspired by the spice route.

Restaurants also offer a ‘Grab and Go’ service where guests can pick up food and eat it anywhere on the island, which is perfect for a memorable beach picnic.