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Let me start by saying that I am a demanding traveler, and when I go on vacation, I expect five-star service to meet my expectations. This hotel and its staff delivered 100%.
From the very first moment you are greeted on the island, you are wrapped in such care and attention that it feels like visiting your grandmother, who loves you more than anyone else in the world.
The food at the restaurant is delicious, everything is fresh, and many dishes are prepared right in front of you. The menu is diverse — even after two weeks, there was always something new to try. The chefs go out of their way to surprise you, and we appreciated it. Every meal was made with care, and the flavors left us delighted.
The villas are detached, so you won’t have neighbors sharing a wall with you. This means complete silence and privacy. The villas are cozy and well-thought-out, with every detail adding to your comfort. We especially enjoyed the sound system and soft lighting. In the evenings, it was a pleasure to play our favorite music, adjust the lights to suit the mood, and unwind. The cleaning service is impeccable — the villas are spotless, and everything, from the furniture to the smallest details, looks brand new.
Special attention is given to the little things that make your stay even more comfortable. The coffee is, of course, natural, and they bring you enough every day to last a week. On the first day, we mentioned that we drink a lot of water, and every day after that, without any reminders, we had six to eight one-liter bottles of water in our villa. There was always a good supply of tea, though we didn’t use it much. The minibar is stocked with a variety of drinks to suit every taste, and it’s restocked daily. A standout touch was the complimentary Argentine wine provided by the hotel. I don’t drink alcohol at all, but I know enough about it to appreciate that this was an excellent choice. Everything was thought through to the last detail, and I was truly impressed by the level of care.
The island is small but incredibly charming. It’s a pleasure to walk around at any time of day or night. In the evening, the soft lighting transforms the paths into something magical — every corner feels like a fairytale. The atmosphere is so relaxing that even after a busy year, you begin to unwind from the very first day. Walking the island at night, you feel a pleasant drowsiness that helps you fully embrace the tranquility of the place.
And, of course, the staff deserves special recognition. Ahmed and Dinara took such great care of us that we felt completely at home. They were always there to assist us, and even on rainy days, their warm smiles made up for the lack of sunshine. Any questions or requests were resolved quickly, even if it meant bringing something from Malé.
Another advantage of the island is that it’s never crowded. You won’t see large groups of people, and even at the restaurant, guests come at different times, preserving the sense of calm and seclusion.
There are so many little details that make this place even cozier. The bathroom features stylish copper faucets — a small but delightful aesthetic touch. The lanterns that mimic real fire add a warm and welcoming atmosphere in the evenings. And let’s not forget the animals on the island: the well-cared-for cats with their little homes, goats, ducks, and rabbits all contribute to the homey, comforting vibe.
One more unique feature — there’s no asphalt on the island. Instead, you walk on soft, white, flour-like sand, which keeps you connected to nature. Even after the rain, the staff quickly adds more sand where needed to ensure it’s always soft and pleasant to walk on.
Yes, some parts of the island’s coastline are reinforced with stones to protect against erosion from the sea, but you’ll only notice this when you first step off the boat. By the second day, the island’s charm and relaxation will have you forgetting all about it.
If you want to truly relax, feel cared for, and enjoy every detail, this hotel is the perfect choice. I’m left with the...
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*Villa- Beach villa: outdoor shower is nice. There's a small pool to chill in the back yard with a private access to the beach to watch the sunset. The fresh juice delivered to room daily tasted great. Unfortunately the indoor carpet was covered with sand, the cushions were dusty, there was a small cockroach on the table where the welcomed snack was set and I got 3 flea bites from the rope chair near the pool. We felt like the room had no guests for a while. Water villa: slide+net bed+infinity pool=everything you want! Unfortunately the slide didn't work properly, we stuck before got into the water, had to move forward by ourselves. Also it's a bit too high from the sea level as the bottom is not deep. The ladder to the water was covered with moss, so very slippery. Most corals were dead not much to see around the villa. Love the dressing room with much space and a dressing table. Shower and toilet are in the pool area and the doors are half transparent glass which is a bit uncomfortable as there were water activities and boats during the day.
*Food- 1.food selection is limited. There were 5 food stands but only 2 opened to take orders. The pizza stand made really tasty pizza! Nobody told us about the food section next to the other charged restaurant was also a part of inclusive meal. We found out on our 3rd night(we stayed for 4). That was really disappointing. Dessert had local feature but too sweet.
*Activities- 10am-12pm: jet ski ride(you will be a passenger not a driver) , art class 1pm: cooking lesson(recommended. You'll learned how to make a signature Maldivian dish) 2pm: cocktail lesson(interesting but only 1 person per booking allowed to do), snorkelling lesson(must do. The coach will take you to a nice area to see) 10am-2pm: SPA(initial available time but were booked at 3:30pm afterwards. The Spa is my favorite activity, they offer you special tea and you'd feel very calm there) 4:20pm: fishing cruise(we missed it as we got the message around 3:40 while we took a nap) 5:30pm: Sobi bar beer tasting(we didn't go as there was no gin offering), sunset cruise(must do. Impressive sunset as we were very luck to see an entire sun going down) #Remember to plan your activities upon arrival as our butler didn't tell us the time of the activities is fixed and we ended up having a tight schedule or missed few activities. She also refused to reschedule 'because we only stayed for 4 nights'. I had to be strong with my position then later she offered to reschedule.
*Service- Service at the main bar is the best. Staff were friendly and the vibe was great. Staff at the main restaurant only asked us our room number but never offered a simple dining tour at least on our first day. On our honeymoon celebration dinner, we were sitting at a normal table until one staff told us they prepared a special table for us when we were already eating. That's unprofessional. Room service at the beach villa was good. The housekeeper showed up when we needed something. But the water villa wasn't being cleaned during our stay. The housekeeper said his working hour ended at 1 and we planned to leave at 1:30 as we had our floating meal that day. So the in villa dining set and floating meal set leftover in our room until we checked out which is unacceptable for a 5 star resort. We think our butler didn't pay much attention on us either because we didn't tip her on the first day or 4 night is a short stay for her. Honestly she didn't interact with us much after the island tour on the first day. She booked us a tight schedule and saying things inconsistently. She delayed our changing villa time for 1 hour. I guess other happy guests had a butler who can satisfy their needs. This trip would have been wonderful if we had a better butler.
*Value- I heard it was their fasting season(4/5-8), so they took less guests. The slow service is understandable but the quality just didn't meet the 5 star standard and the value of the money we paid. The management should put more effort on their...
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After my stay at Oaga Art Resort it is only now that I begin to understand how important the arts really are. Dance, Painting, Song, Music & Performance, all are explored and experienced here at Oaga. In the perfect safe and amazing environment I have been able to get to know myself through these mediums. Granted I had the kids to use as an excuse for getting the paint brushes to paper but it was the guiding of the art staff and the music staff that really helped me bridge a life long, mis-understanding of the value that the arts can bring.
These teachings have been immersed in Maldivian culture and it’s really opened up my eyes to appreciate their own art, song and cultural history. Their stories and histories seem to adhere to the very shores that you sit on. Fishing, travel, family and friendship are artfully blended into a fresh knowledge of forgotten and modern times. What an absolute blissful awakening. I feel truly honored and blessed to have been around such creative and generously spirited people. The staff are truly encouraged to express and create without the usual bounds driven by brand and aesthetics.
I begin to understand the influence of Maldivian approach to kindness and relaxation and dedication to others’ well being. In the spa for example, there was a care and kindness that was never about the time, total compassion for the process and reverence for the moment, as well as the sound of the ocean waves in the ambiance created the best most relaxing massage I’ve ever had.
There was sound bowl healing and breathwork and then there was dance, music, song and performance that the staff provided in ad hoc close and discrete ways. Accidental moments with staff involved in cultural expression which didn’t feel like an intrusion to be a part of was a big part of this experience. I happened upon a guitar lesson with Zakitte and now I play everyday, something I will always continue. Not so much the rock’n’roll star lifestyle but the peace in quiet expression that I found here.
Oaga is a world of Maldivian culture that has always been hidden previously behind luxury that other resorts provide but I’ve never been immersed so wholly by any culture until now. Dancing, painting, drumming, even breathing, I was shown that Art isn’t just about looking a certain way, it’s a true discovery of self through feeling and expression. How can what’s inside of us be wrong when it's only a reflection of our emotion and thought. This is what I learned from Oaga. To feel that what is inside of each one of us can be expressed safely through different forms of art has given me far more than just a holiday. It’s given me life long tools for peace and acceptance and understanding.
In my time at the Oaga pre-launch I came to learn that this island and idea was made possible but a grandfather many years ago who had hand lifted large boulders to physically make an island, his son to live out a legacy of achievement and his family to support and share his dreams of a place so completely Maldivian it’s almost beyond words. What an absolute gift to the world Oaga has come to be. I need to thank so many people individually but if I had to pick one person it would have to be Ahmed Nashid’s father, my new all time hero, you raise us all.
It is completely my view that Oaga will change the way that people will view the Maldives forever and that to me, it feels like the time is right and right now in this quickly changing world for Oaga to be seen, heard and felt. Oaga is beautiful, it is luxury on tap but its true value is the staff and their total expression found within every corner of the island. Being made to feel welcome and inspired in the moment is the best gift any one can receive. When we had to leave it felt like the whole island came to say goodbye to us.
The love and care that is offered here on every level will inspire me to look further into everyday life with more smiles and kindness than I had...
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