In 2023, bb, we’re no longer dreamers, we’re doers. If traveling to The Maldives has been collecting dust on the top of your wish list, we have *the best* news for you. You can now have a celeb-worthy holiday on a budget tighter than Harry Styles’ pants thanks to the Atmosphere Core Colours of OBLU resorts. We can confirm it’s 100% true, because we did the hard work for you (lol). We hopped on low-cost airline carrier Wizz Air to check out the OBLU Xperience Ailafushi and OBLU Select Sangeli resorts for ourselves. Keep reading to find out about our affordably glam n’ relaxing experience in The Maldives.
OBLU Xperience Ailafushi
After a five hour-ish flight from Abu Dhabi to The Maldives, we hopped onto a free (!) transfer 15-minute speedboat ride complete with complimentary chilled water and refreshing face towels to our first Maldivian resort, the all-inclusive four-star OBLU Xperience Ailafushi, located in the North Malé Atoll. Upon reaching the Arrival Jetty, we were welcomed with Boduberu music and brought to the Arrival Lounge to check-in. After downing a fruity mocktail on the house, we checked into our air-conditioned sunset water villa room and immediately soaked in the gorgeous, unobstructed views of the Indian Ocean.
Vacation mode activated.
Each guest (us included) joins The Fushi Plan when booking at OBLU Xperience Ailafushi. It takes the headache out of planning meals whilst in The Maldives and allows you to just go with the flow. The plan includes all-day dining and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks as well as daily minibar refills. It also includes a bevy of entertainment and activities to do around the resort as well as complementary airport transfers.
Lush lodging
Our villa had an IG-worthy outdoor bathroom complete with a rain shower and openings on the floor to see into the sea. Ngl, as we were lathering up on our first day, we saw a baby shark *doo-doo doo-doo* swim right underneath us. Our shower had an Aqua Senses Hand and Body Wash and Hairand Body Shampoo scented with bergamot, jasmine, and sandalwood. Feeling like the Atlantean goddess we are, we were already at one with nature and ready for The Maldives to continue to surprise us on this budget holiday.
The villa had a giant flat screen tv (which tbh, we never used because the view from our villa was way too captivating), an ample closet, safe, and a queen-sized bed full of lush pillows. Our room truly exceeded our expectations. One tip- if you’re traveling to The Maldives, do yourself a favour sis, and leave the straightening iron at home. It’s a battle between you and the humidity and we *promise* the latter will win.
If water villas aren’t your thing, don’t despair. OBLU Xperience Ailafushi also has beach villas with spa-like bathrooms, walk-in wardrobes, and private gardens that are just a few sandy footsteps from the beach. They also have duplex style ocean view rooms that come in one and two bedrooms that give the “I’m in The Maldives” holiday feeling.
(Free) things to do
OBLU Xperience Ailafushi is chock-full of complimentary activities to do all around the resort. There are free workout classes including morning beach yoga as well as aqua zumba and complimentary use of non-motorised water sports. If snorkelling is your thing, the gear can be rented from the Dive School and Water Sports Centre for $6 per day. At night, we sang our hearts out with karaoke and were entertained by fire dancers. We also bounced *a lot* on the water trampoline and let our inner child squeal her heart out on the waterslide that dropped us off right into the ocean.
Between the beautiful ocean breeze, silky-soft white sand, and the perfect temps, taking walks on the beach was a highlight of our stay.
For those who love a lil’ ~friendly~ competition, there’s an arcade at the teen lounge with air hockey. If you prefer to exercise solo, the gym is well-equipped with cardio machines, free weights, and weight training machines. It comes with an abundance of water, soft towels, picturesque views of The Maldives, and a smiling gym attendant.
Good food, good mood
Pack some stretchy pants, culinary cuties, because you are in for a gastronomical treat. We dined at all four OBLU Xperience Ailafushi restaurants on the island to see if they live up to their hype. Spoiler alert, they do. Element X is an all-day dining restaurant featuring Western, Central Asian, and Far Eastern cuisines. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages included.
We vibed poolside with mocktails at the X360 bar while listening to their in-house DJ spin our fav tracks. We also sat under the stars at the Copper Pot Food Truck (which btw is an out-of-pocket expense) and indulged in a selection of seafood, meat, and vegetarian grills.
Make sure your phone is charged before dining at the Only BLU, bb, as you’ll be taking photos and videos galore.
We promise you will never regret coughing up the extra dirhams and splurging at Only BLU underwater restaurant, too. The restaurant is actually a submarine that was sunk into the ocean floor. We saw thousands of gorgeous fish and even a few black-tipped sharks while eating the most delicious four course spread. Btw, this is the largest underwater restaurant in The Maldives.
Inhale, exhale
We were pleasantly surprised to find out that OBLU Xperience Ailafushi is home to one of the largest spas in The Maldives. It’s an indoor and outdoor spa with a boho vibe. If you decide to indulge in a spa service, not only will you be massaged onto cloud nine, but you get to make your own juice on ELE l NA’s sustainable Xperience Juice Bike. Once again, make sure your phone is charged because this is grade-A TikTok material.
If you don’t have the cash to spend on a massage, don’t stress, because ELE l NA offers complimentary activities like floating mediations.
Fyi, OBLU Xperience Ailafushi does offer excursions, cruises, and diving experiences *but* they’re not part of The Fushi Plan. We took a sunset dolphin cruise and it slapped. The dolphins legit showed off for us and we were eating it up.
Our takeaway
After a few nights here, we felt like an upgraded version of ourselves.
OBLU Xperience Ailafushi is a truly unforgettable experience for a gal on a budget. If you’re looking to unwind during the day, get gorg content for socials, and party at night, this is the resort for you. With pricing starting at Dhs1,120 per night, sis, what are you waiting for? The Maldives is calling you.
OBLU Select Sangeli
After three dreamy nights at OBLU Xperience Ailafushi, we cruised to our second Maldivian experience, the five-star OBLU Select Sangeli located on the northwestern tip of the Malé Atoll in The Maldives. This resort sits on two islands, a large main one and a smaller one that is adults-only from sunrise to sunset.
Care to stand on the swing and gaze out at the Indian Ocean?
First thing we noticed at Sangeli was that this resort is manicured. Whereas OBLU Xperience Ailafushi was a lil’ more wild n’ free, OBLU Select Sangeli landscape game is on point. Our nature lovin’ hearts were happy to find out that OBLU Select Sangeli is a Green Globe certified resort. In addition to giving *major* TLC to the island’s ecosystems, its in-house-marine biologist is currently leading impressive coral restoration efforts in The Maldives.
The resort boasts two picture perfect swings in the ocean for dreamy snaps, a cute heart that the ideal Maldivian photo opp for the ‘gram, and a twisty oceanic waterslide.
Whereas OBLU Xperience Ailafushi had The Fushi Plan, OBLU Select Sangeli has The Serenity Plan. This premium experience is designed to allow us to indulge in whatever we’d like throughout our stay. The five-star plan includes unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, daily minibar refills, complimentary airport transfers, and one à la carte dining experience at one of two OBLU Select Sangeli speciality restaurants, Just Grill or JustWok. Speedboat excursions, sunset fishing, non-motorised water sports, and snorkel equipment to check out the exotic fish in The Maldives are also included.
Live like a ~queen~
Once again, we found ourselves in an overwater villa. This time, our air-conditioned, sunset view villa had an outdoor terrace with direct access to the ocean, two lounge chairs, and an infinity pool.
Inside our villa, part of the floor was made of glass so we could check out the activity going on in the ocean beneath us.
The bathroom was larger than our first studio apartment and featured two sinks, a rain shower, and ample sized bathtub. It contained a selection of premium skincare products, including hair and body products from The White Company and lip butters, sunscreen yogurt, and moisturising bug-repelling cream. The room was furnished with a king-sized bed, everything we needed to make coffee and tea, a hairdryer, mini-fridge, safe, and a walk-in closet.
In addition to the water villas with pools, OBLU Select Sangeli also has beach villas, beach villas with pools, two-bedroom beach pool suites, water villas without pools, and honeymoon ocean villas.
Cake it easy
By this point in the trip, we were already feeling the effects of overindulging in a meal or two. However, one look at the culinary options at OBLU Select Sangeli and we were *extra* grateful we packed our pants with elastic waistbands because we knew weren’t going to stop eating anytime soon. On a scale of one to 10, our willpower was a negative two and we were perfectly ok with that.
Just like OBLU Xperience Ailafushi, OBLU Select Sangeli has a main restaurant called The Courtyard. This international buffet contains traditional Maldivian dishes, Ã la carte menu options, and live cooking stations for guests to experience cuisines from around the world. We totes recommend trying out the fresh roti and curries, garden fresh salads, and lotus cheesecakes. Yum, we’re still thinking about it all.
There are also two fine dining restaurants. Just Grill offers lunch and dinner. Their à la carte menu features gourmet dishes, fresh seafood and meat grills, as well as desserts, accompaniments, and beverages. JustWok is a Pan Asian restaurant with a menu featuring handmade dim sums, aromatic soups, and wok-tossed dishes using just-picked produce and authentic spices.
The resort is also home to three bars, The Rock Sunset Bar, One Banyan Island Pool Bar, and The Sangs. We had a couple paradise-perfect nights at The Rock Sunset Bar, sitting on bean bags and the wooden swing, sipping on mocktails, and watching the oh-so-dreamy pinks, oranges, and reds of the Maldivian sunsets.
Ah-maz-ing Activities
We were *super* excited to find out that ELE l NA Spa (which btw, stand for elements of nature) is at OBLU Select Sangeli, too. (Always) ready for a holistic wellness journey, we headed over to the spa to try out the signature Veli Bon’dli Maldivian Sand Bundle Massage. It was relaxing and rejuvenating. The spa is idilically located in a tropical garden with lagoon views. Truly paradise on Earth.
We could literally jet set every morning of the rest of our lives to The Maldives to have the warm sand bundle massaged onto our back.
Always up for an adventure, we opted to pay for an introductory scuba diving experience at the PADI and SSI certified TGI Dive and Water Sports Centre at OBLU Select Sangeli. It cost Dhs800 and was worth every dirham. Prior to actually getting in the water, we watched a series of videos on scuba diving basics, aced a quiz, and took a test dive in the swimming pool. Ready to dive deep into the ocean along with our guide, we scuba dived 18 feet down amongst black-tipped sharks, sea turtles, sting rays and tens of thousands of fish and found out that the real beauty of The Maldives is underwater.
We were on such a ~natural~ high after scuba diving, we forgot our shoes at the diving centre and went home barefoot. Oops.
Fitness buffs, rest assured that you can maintain your workouts thanks to the fully equipped over water fitness centre. With gorgeous views of The Maldives, our workouts seemed less tedious as we got lost in the beautiful blue hues. Group activities including yoga, strength training, and pilates are available every day. At night, the island’s heartbeat thumped to Boduberu music, DJs, and live musical performances.
Our takeaway
From luxurious accommodations to fine dining, scuba diving, and picturesque sunsets, OBLU Select Sangeli blew us away with its natural beauty mixed and modern opulence. Starting at Dhs1909, this Maldivian resort whisks you to paradise and lets you have (and know that you deserve) it all.