A Beautiful Stay: Cora Cora Maldives
On this small but mighty island, Cora Cora Maldives is all about rest and relaxation with a nice chilled vibe. “It’s Freedom Time!”
With so many choices of accommodation in the Maldives, it was difficult to pick where to stay. After months of researching, a newly open resort popped up on my search with its motto: “It’s Freedom Time.” With a 2.5 year travel hiatus, the word “freedom” resonated with us. We were looking for a special place in the Maldives to celebrate our milestone birthdays in a beautiful setting with delicious food. And of course spend some quality family time together whilst nourishing our soul. For us, it was “freedom” time and we picked Cora Cora Maldives in the Raa Atoll.
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Cora Cora Maldives
Located on the island of Maamigili, Cora Cora Maldives is one of the newest resorts in the Maldives, opening in October 2021, just in time for the high season. This pristine island is small, but packs a punch with its natural beauty, lush vegetation, turquoise lagoon and house reef. A leisurely walk around the island on talcum white sand takes about 30 minutes. Every corner is Instagram-worthy with swaying palm trees and miles of blue waters. The lush interior has a diverse range of flora and faunas from frangipani, roses, and hibiscus.
Clustered at the western side of the island are four restaurants, My Coffee Bar, the main pool, Moksha spa, the fitness centre, kids club, outdoor cinema, and the yoga pavilion. Elsewhere on the island, there is a water activity centre, Maldivian heritage site, the arrivals jetty with the Lagoon Hub, and the Dutch Onion museum. Beach-front villas dot the circumference of the island, providing guests with splendid ocean views and privacy from their rooms. A long wooden jetty on the northwestern edge takes you to the lagoon overwater villas, where you can jump straight into the ocean from your private deck.
The main pool area has two swimming pools in an inverted “T” shape with sunbeds flanking both sides. The vibe is relaxed and unpretentious, allowing guests to chill and enjoy the tranquil environment. The island may be small relative to other resorts. It is true what they say: “good things come in small packages.” Now back in London for nearly a month, we are still riding high from the most memorable and relaxed stay at Cora Cora Maldives, an all-inclusive resort.
Seamless Arrival & Seaplane Transfer
The transit from Velana International Airport to the seaplane terminal was seamless and easy. A Cora Cora representative greeted us and swiftly got us on a shuttle for a short journey to the seaplane terminal. With a 12:30pm seaplane departure, we had about an hour and half to spend at the complimentary seaplane lounge. We changed into more appropriate summer attire and had some light refreshments whilst watching the seaplanes take off. Luggage was taken at the airport and we didn’t see them again until we got to our beach villa at Cora Cora. As we flew over the Indian Ocean, I had to pinch myself that we made it to the Maldives. The Freedom Coach greeted us at the arrival jetty where we got on a buggy and went for a quick tour around the island. It’s Freedom Time!
Contemporary & Bright Beach Villa
With a young child in tow, we opted to stay at the beach villa for our entire 10 day stay. I love the idea of having a wide open beach at your doorstep. It was so relaxing hearing the gentle waves lapping on the shore. Being sun-deprived living in the U.K., I requested a beach villa on the southwest side of the island, ideally close to all the restaurants and kids club for convenience.
The beach villas are spacious and luxurious decorated in neutral tones with splashes of vibrant colours to give it a contemporary and youthful feel. The super comfortable king four poster positioned right in front of the patio doors had straight views of the beach. The sofa was turned into a bed for our daughter who slept 12-hours straight like a rock every night. The outdoor bathroom was huge with loads of tropical vibes including bamboo walls and colourful tiles. There are indoor/outdoor showers and a free-standing bath, whilst the vanity area with double sinks and bathroom are inside the villa.
There is also a well-stocked minibar with a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and snacks such as mixed nuts, jelly beans and crisps as well as individual coffee pods. Being eco-friendly, Cora Cora mineralises their own water and provides guests with refillable bottles of both still and sparkling water. The villas are cleaned twice daily with the second cleaning during dinner hours so you always come back to a clean villa free of sand.
The overwater lagoon villas are also gorgeous. We didn’t stay in one but had a glimpse at the overwater villas. Our new friends moved from the beach to the overwater villa and invited us for an afternoon kids playdate and swim at their west-facing lagoon villa. It was lovely with a two-tier deck for sunbathing, and a little lounging net from the bathroom. The views over the calm lagoon was amazing.
Four Restaurants & a Cafe/Bar
Cora Cora is an all-inclusive resort and guests have the freedom to dine around all four restaurants. Reservations to restaurants, excursions, and massages are made using a handy app. Right on the beach is the main all-day dining room Tazaa where the buffet breakfast and nightly themed buffet dinner is served. By day, Tazaa serves up an array of Middle Eastern delights from their a la carte menu. Nearby the poolside Acquapazza is an Italian restaurant serving up tasting pasta and pizza from their wood-fire oven imported from Italy. The Japanese restaurant Teien and pan-Asian restaurant Ginger Moon are only open for dinner.
The breakfast buffet had a huge variety ranging from pastries, omelettes, smoked salmon as well as Indian dosa and idli and Maldivian fish curry. Likewise, the nightly themed buffet had a lot of variety and always included a beachside BBQ. Each night we went to a different venue and the food was all delicious. All drinks are also part of the all-inclusive package. Additionally, MyCoffee serves coffees, desserts and drinks around the clock.
Kids Club: Cora Kids
Having a kids club was a must: a happy kiddo means happy parents and therefore a fabulous holiday. The wonderful kids club called Cora Kids is conveniently located across from the main pool. This means parents can truly enjoy uninterrupted pool time with a cocktail in hand whilst the kiddos are well-taken care at Cora Kids.
The building is bright and cheerful with a wall full of colourful handprints from their little guests. Cora Kids has daily arts and crafts activities from windcatcher to bracelets. There is also a small kiddie pool and outdoor climbing gym.
The two ladies, Abbie and Sheryl, who run Cora Kids are absolutely delightful, friendly, and truly enjoy being around children. To our surprise, Cora Kids was not busy at all. Most afternoons Lady Yeya was the only kid there, but she did not mind as she had fun hanging out with Abbie. One afternoon whilst lounging by the pool, we saw Abbie and Lady Yeya getting ice cream at MyCoffee. Needless to say, Lady Yeya loved the kids club and went every afternoon when the sun was most intense. She still talks so fondly about her time with Ms. Abbie at kids club.
Lady Yeya also met a little friend her age. It was nice to have the kids play together on the beach whilst the parents enjoyed dinner. If our schedules align, we would have lunch and dinner together with our new friends. It was lovely to meet another family and share some special memories together.
Blissful MOKSHA Spa
We visited the spa on several occasions including a health hack workshop with the in-residence wellness practitioner who also leads the sunset yoga. Kenz had a solo 90 minute massage and came back looking fresh and happy. Cora Cora offers a complimentary 45 minute massage for guests who stay for more than four nights. We had an energetic and deep neck-and-shoulder couples massage which worked out all the knots from my back. Finally, we returned a few days later for another 60 minutes couples aromatherapy massage at the overwater bungalows. The glass panel allows you to watch fish swim around, but I was so relaxed that I nodded off during the massage. The masseuses were all excellent and the surrounding was tranquil and relaxing.
Activities & Cultural Heritage
For yoga enthusiasts, Cora Cora offers sunset yoga at the beach pavilion where guests can practise their cobra poses overlooking the gorgeous lagoon. There is a fitness centre which I didn’t use, opting for morning runs on the beach or swimming laps. All non-motorised activities such as kayaking are free as is the use of snorkels and fins. I highly recommend bringing your own full-face snorkel mask for more comfort. The corals are mostly dead but there were huge schools of tropical fish, sharks, and manta ray. There is also a dive centre and a complimentary sunset cruise around the island.
In the interior of the island is a 120 year old traditional Maldivian house, giving guests a glimpse of the way of the Maldivian way of life. The Dutch Onion Heritage Museum contains over 400 artefacts showcasing Maldives fascinating history at the crossroads of the spice trade. For future guests, there will be a stargazing tower coming soon.
The Fantastic Staff
Lastly, I can’t praise the staff enough at Cora Cora Maldives for their friendliness and professionalism. Everyone was super nice and accommodating to our minor request especially travelling with a young child. Sincere apologies as I can’t remember everyone’s names, but a few honourable mentions. At Acquapazza: Umar, very cheerful and funny; Vincent, knowledgeable and friendly; Munhid, polite, courteous, and friendly. Over at Taaza and Teien, Joy was super attentive and very friendly; Nan and all the lovely ladies at Ginger Moon were fantastic. Bilal at MyCoffee knew not only my villa number, but as the lady who gets four coffees for my “caffeine junkie” husband. We enjoyed every meal and chats with the lovely staff members who went the extra mile to make our stay memorable.
Each week, there is a “Meet & Greet” cocktail hour hosted by the General Manager who takes the time to introduce and thank his team for all their hard work. For International Women’s Day, the female colleagues were treated to a staff appreciation reception at one of the lagoon villas. Later that evening, all the staff celebrated International Women’s Day together at the Lagoon Hub. It was lovely to see the staff get along so well.
True to its motto: “It’s Freedom Time,” it was a lovely and memorable 10 days stay at Cora Cora Maldives!
