The brand marketing is brilliant and, in this case, not misleading. From concept to delivery the place is really well thought through. But, heh, nothing’s perfect. Let’s see if it’s right for you.

The sister island, Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu, has won the president’s Green Award and that concern for the environment is obvious here. The resort interior is as rich with Maldivian flora as any I have visited. Rather than just palm trees, it is the variety of native trees, bushes and flowers that impresses here, flanking the sandy paths. That natural growth is used well to surround the rooms with a green privacy for most, but not all, land rooms. Those at the tip of the island are on reclaimed land and are partly exposed to their neighbours, until the vegetation grows fully.

In the same way, there is a good beach in front of most, but not all, land rooms. A few have a low wall and steps down to the sandy lagoon. People tend not to walk around the outside of the island, so there is a sense that from the interior path out to sea is your own private space.
There is some excellent snorkeling from the Water Villas down past the Aqua Restaurant and on the north side, from near the tip of the island out to the Escape Water Residences.

Diving is excellent everywhere. A big highlight is the manta point, where manta rays are plentiful between December and April. These giants can even be enjoyed by snorkelers here, as they play around 2 metres below. Easy access thilas nearby (starting near the surface and protected from currents) promise juvenile black tip sharks, turtles and enormous table corals. The Protected Marine Area of Rasfaari is just a few minutes away, brimming with new corals and schools of fish.

If you go diving you will enjoy personal service because relatively few guests choose to actually go diving here. This is usually the case on islands that have a lot of honeymooners or where the rooms are expensive and luxurious. Serious divers like to compromise on the room price and spend it at the dive base.

At this resort the rooms are luxurious and, in my opinion, good value for their expense. The brilliant Maldivian architect and French interior design team have created a winning mix of easy-on-the-eye thatch and wood surrounding a great looking, thoroughly modern resort interior.

The Island Villas have a large, circular bath tub right in the middle of the room. From it, you can watch tv or look past that to your green-enclosed verandah and discreet beach access. Looking the other way is your garden pool and day bed. As expected, the television is a wide-screen satellite number with a dvd player and USB port. I was disappointed with the power of the shower, but this may not be a common or still existing issue.

There are 2 water villa jetties off the island. The first contains the Water Villas and Escape Water Villas of Bodu Hithi itself, while the other contains the Escape Water Residences of what is, in effect, an independent resort. Sold separately and self-sufficient, floating out in the lagoon, these are like a private club for those seeking quiet, privacy and a tropical lagoon. There are sea views from every room and, of course, from the infinity plunge pool. A butler serves every 2 to 3 rooms. The extra touches are impressive: silk robes, silk clothes hangers, a pillow menu, a soap menu and Molton Brown amenities. Escape water villa guests can dine in their own restaurant and take sushi in their own bar/lounge, but they might also stroll or take a cart to watch the sunset by the island’s pool, main bar or wine bar.

This area is the one place where people come together to enjoy the company of their fellow guests, or at least the buzz of others having a good time too. Here people swim, sunbathe, have lunch (almost everyone is on half-board), drink in the bar and, occasionally, go upstairs for something a bit special in the wine bar. Here, in glass-walled, temperature-controlled rooms are 250 labels from 11 countries, from $50 to $2,500.

It is not the sort of place that keeps going long into the night, though. There is an in-house band but not much else to keep you imbibing, unless you have made some new friends. This is in the main a discreet couples or honeymooners resort. With sand in the reception, sand in the bar and soft, sandy paths throughout, it is a beautiful, environmentally friendly, barefoot resort.