Luxury private villas, romantic scenery, amazing food, crystal-clear waters, incredible weather – the Maldives has it all.

But before me and my husband travelled there, we did wonder if those tiny islands in the middle of the Indian ocean would offer enough to keep us occupied for 10 days.

Luckily, we quickly found out that the OBLU SELECT Sangeli and OBLU SELECT Lobigili resorts, which are part of the COLOURS OF OBLU brand, offered so much more than pristine beaches and all-inclusive food and drink.

Although that might sound perfect, it’s nice to know that these resorts go beyond that, making it the ultimate choice for a honeymoon.

The unrivalled luxury of OBLU SELECT Sangeli and Lobigili resorts

Before we dive in, let’s take a little look at the resorts in question.

OBLU SELECT Sangeli is a stunning five star resort situated 32 miles north of Male International Airport, or a 50 minute speedboat ride away, on the northwestern tip of North Male.

The next resort we had the pleasure of staying at was the newly-opened adults-only resort OBLU SELECT Lobigili.

Opening in March 2022, the idyllic five star resort is perfect for honeymooners. It’s situated even closer to the airport, and only takes 15 minutes to get to by speedboat.

At Sangeli we stayed in one of the breathtaking honeymoon villas – and I’ve never seen anything like it. Boasting a huge private infinity pool, massive round bed with glass roof ceiling above, a romantic red, round bath and outdoor shower – it’s the ultimate luxurious experience needed to unwind after a stressful wedding planning period.

Lobigili on the other hand offered another type of luxury, a smaller but no less outstanding overwater villa, with a smaller infinity pool, a deep outdoor bath and over-water hammock.

With both resorts you can feel that all staff truly want you to experience the trip of a lifetime, and we felt well and truly spoilt and pampered.

OBLU's Serenity and Lobi plans offer everything you need

One of the best things about both these resorts is that you stay on the all-inclusive Serenity and Lobi plans, which includes dining experiences, unlimited beverages, activities, excursions and more.

This means that we were able to experience so much more than we ever thought was on a small island holiday.

Keep in mind that the rooms are so amazing you might find it hard to drag yourself out of them – but it’s worth it.

Here we explore some of the things to do on these resorts that’s not just lying on a beach – because no matter how dreamy that sounds, there are other ways to start married life in style.

Things to do when you're not lying on a beach

1. Snorkelling with sharks

Whether you’ve tried snorkelling before or not, it’s a must when you’re visiting the Maldives.

The crystal clear waters, white sand and magnificent reefs all come together to make the perfect place to see all kinds of underwater creatures.

But if you think you’re just going to see a few tropical fish, you’re wrong.

It didn’t take us many trips underwater before we saw a whole host of fascinating creatures – including sting rays, sharks and octopus – but unfortunately just missed seeing the sea turtle!

Snorkelling trips organised by the resorts are included in the Serenity and Lobi plans, meaning even though we weren’t very experienced snorkelers, we felt safe knowing we were with professionals who were just as excited about seeing underwater life as us.

2. Dine in an underwater restaurant

If snorkelling isn’t your thing, but you don’t want to miss out on seeing fascinating creatures, underwater restaurant Only BLU is for you.

Maldives’ largest underwater restaurant is located 6.8m under sea level, and offers an awe-inspiring view of the ocean floor like you’ve never seen before.

Wherever you sit you have an amazing view. We couldn’t take ours eyes off a family of clown fish who were swimming around their anemone.

Although the scenery is no doubt their unique selling point, the food is the star of the show.

Following a welcome drink and canapés, three simple, classy and delicious dishes are served to you stacked in a tower so you can take your time with them, paired perfectly with wine.

The best thing is that if you are staying at Lobigili for more than four nights you get a complimentary fine dining experience at Only OBLU.

3. Eat in a delicious A la carte restaurant

The food at Sangeli and Lobigili are undoubtedly one of their biggest selling points, and both offer unique experiences beyond what’s already included in the plans.

At Sangeli we enjoyed the buffet service at The Courtyard restaurant, featuring a wide range of international dishes. But if that wasn’t enough, there are also two a la carte restaurants which can be pre-booked for lunch and dinner.

Just Grill and Just Wok are located at One Banyan – an adult-only island at Sangeli, although children under 16 can come after sunset.

One complimentary meal is included if you stay one to three nights, and two if you stay four to seven nights. Just Wok offers a mixture of Asian and European dishes.

Everything we tried was amazing, with my personal favourites being the Kung Pao Chicken and Cha Han Rice with Roasted Duck. Just Grill’s menu consisted of fresh seafood and meat paired with incredible drinks.

After an amuse bouche and soup, a perfectly cooked Australian Angus tenderloin was washed down with an Aperol Spritz.

We were blown away by the quality of food at these two restaurants, and it made for a really special night out.

4. Have a couples massage

After a morning at the beach, eating an incredible a la carte lunch, we decided to have a couples massage.

Let’s face it – can it get anymore romantic on a honeymoon? The ELE | NA spa at Sangeli is located a short walk away from the honeymoon villas, at One Banyan.

We were greeted with a refreshing cold flannel, which felt amazing after a day in the sun.

We chose to have a relaxing couples massage, but there are lots of other treatments to choose from, including one designed to intensify your tan!

The double treatment rooms themselves are stunning, and this is the ultimate way of unwinding with your other half.

Although, I would recommend going early on in your holiday – particularly if your skin is a bit sore and has enjoyed a bit more sun than you were planning! If you’re staying more than four nights you will be eligible for at least one 45 minute complimentary treatment.

5. Watch the sunset from The Rock bar or The Swing Bar

Sangeli and Lobigili both boast incredible places to watch the sunset from while enjoying the most incredible cocktails.

Sangeli’s The Rock Bar, also known as the Sunset Bar, is only open for a set number of hours in the evening.

It’s a standalone bar built on stilts in a shallow lagoon and offers panoramic sunset views. It’s definitely one of the most picturesque parts of the island, and you can sit on beanbags while enjoying a gentle breeze as the waves crash against the surrounding rocks. With the Serenity plan you can enjoy unlimited drink orders.

The Swing Bar at Lobigili is located by their main pool, which is one of the largest infinity pools in the country, overlooking a turquoise lagoon.

It’s the perfect place to watch the sunset from, wether that be from one of the hammocks or incredibly comfy, pillowy sun loungers.

The best way to enjoy the sunset is with a drink in hand, and I can’t commend Lobigili’s cocktails enough – they were truly delicious – with one of our favourites being the Tiger’s Eye.

The helpful staff are more than happy to make a cocktail for you if you tell them what you like, or choose one from their incredible selection.

6. Go on a boat excursion

One of the reasons you’ll never be bored on these relatively small islands is that you won’t just be staying on the island.

We created some unforgettable memories on the boat excursions, which are offered at both resorts through the Serenity and Lobi plans.

With plenty to choose from, we went on several snorkelling trips and also sunset fishing and a sunset sail trip.

We were unlucky when it came to catching fish, but were amazed as we spotted several sharks circling our boat in the hope of finding some scraps.

During the sunset boat trip we followed a pod of adorable dolphins who were jumping in and out of the water. This is the ultimate romantic boat trip, as we watched the orangey glow of the sun go behind the horizon from the top deck of the boat.

7. Go kayaking

The water activities don’t stop there, as the resorts offer plenty of activities you can do on your own, and many are complimentary through the plans.

There are both motorised and non-motorised water sports to enjoy, but they aren’t all included.

Stand-up paddle board, kayak and pedalos are included, and you can also borrow snorkelling equipment so you can go on your own adventure.

We made good use out of the snorkelling equipment, but we also went on our own little kayak trip, which was hard work!

The COLOURS OF OBLU BRAND – and how to book

Both resorts are part of The COLOURS OF OBLU brand, which offers something truly special for everyone, be it families, couples, honeymooners or global nomads. Guests can expect a heady mix of pristine beaches, turquoise lagoon views, stand-out culinary concepts and pure escapism. This impressive lifestyle offering reflects Atmosphere’s ‘Joy of Giving’ philosophy, meeting the dreams and expectations of guests in a spirit of true generosity.

The four resorts in the COLOURS OF OBLU portfolio are OBLU NATURE Helengeli (opened 2015(, OBLU Select Sangeli (2018), OBLU SELECT Lobigili (opened 2022) and OBLU XPERIENCE Ailafushi (opened 2022).

Villas at OBLU SELECT Sangeli start from £790 per night on double occupancy, on the All-Inclusive Serenity Plan.

Villas at OBLU SELECT Lobigili start from £1,021 per night on double occupancy, on the All-Inclusive Lobi Plan.

COLOURS OF OBLU has various tour operator partners in the UK offering excellent value flight & resorts packages.

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