My pirate ship has struck Treasure Island — and it’s in The Maldives.

I’ve explored beaches in Thailand, the French Riviera, Hawaii, and Mexico. However, I’ve never experienced anything as special as this eco-friendly resort, Gili Lankanfushi. While my film team edits the footage we shot, here’s a first peek into our tropical paradise!

Where exactly is Maldives? Near the equator; it’s an independent nation of two island chains, in the Indian Ocean.

To get here, my film crew and I flew over 24 hours (I went from Vancouver to Seattle to Dubai to Male, the capital), then took a 20-minute speedboat to Gili Lankanfushi (the resort sits on its own island). As soon as we stepped on the baby-powder sand, we knew it was well worth the journey.

The resort has a Robinson Crusoe theme; each guest is assigned a “Mr Friday” to help in any way needed (more on that later). With only about 80 guests on the pristine island, we felt like we were living out the tale… albeit with 5-star amenities!

You’ll notice that I’m barefoot in all the photos. Gili’s slogan is: “No shoes, no news”, and I took it to heart — it was a relief to get offline and on “Island Time.” Each guest receives a bicycle, but since I’m a tad uncoordinated, I walked or got a buggy ride from my “Mr Friday.”

The eco-resort is impeccably maintained, and there are many jungle paths to explore. I loved the organic vegetable garden, blooming with herbs from around the world, as well as regional curry bushes. These fresh ingredients took center stage in the dishes we ate.

What a view of the blue lagoon! Guests can take part in water activities like sailing and snorkeling.

There are different residences (details on Gili Lankanfushi’s website) — honeymooners often chose a water-bound villa, only accessible by boat. I had one of these villas along the jetty, which I’ll show you in the next post.

The brown jars are filled with water, for us to rinse sand off our feet. How gorgeous is this view?

For landlubbers, diversions include a Jungle Cinema (outdoor film screenings), tennis court, library, gym, freshwater pool, and gift shop. My dad saw this photo and commented: “You obviously have no idea how to play tennis.”

An elegant communication system: Eyes Open means you’re welcome to enter. Slide the panel to Eyes Closed, and nobody will disturb you.

Every effort is made to support the environment. Structures are made with renewable or recycled materials, and designed with energy efficiency in mind.

All of the architecture, such as these stepping stones, harmonizes with nature. This is the outdoor spa; we were treated to hour-long massages inside, in rooms that overlooked the ocean.

Coming up next: a Pirate sailing adventure to One Palm Island…

… plus incredible scenery, seafood, and a tour of my villa.

Polka dot shades: Dot sunglasses, Marc by Marc Jacobs (a gift from Seby)
Panda dress: gifted by A Bros Products, Hong Kong
Photos of La Carmina by Eric Bergemann (filmmaker).

Have you heard of The Maldives, or seen photos of this equatorial paradise? What do you think of our Robinson Crusoe getaway so far? Take a glimpse at Gili Lankanfushi’s website, you won’t regret it.