Elite Traveler Spring 2023

The Nautilus MALDIVES

You might think that your vacation begins when you step on to The Nautilus’ vibrant purple seaplane. But it begins quite a while before that — in the weeks leading up to your stay, a house master will be in touch to arrange every little detail: Your favorite wine will be stocked in the fridge, your preferred pillow type will be on the bed, and your optimum swimming pool temperature will be set. This pre-departure care sets the tone for when you do arrive at The Nautilus, an intimate island found in the Baa Atoll Unesco Biosphere Reserve, as everything will be exactly as you wish. The Nautilus has just 26 villas (or ‘houses’) and the island is available for exclusive use. Visiting with a smaller group? The Retreat is a 5,840-sq-ft, two-bedroom villa located at the very end of an over-water wooden walkway. It can be booked with the two neighboring over-water villas so you can commandeer the whole section. All the accommodations feature typical Maldivian style — think lots of wood and natural materials with pops of ocean hues and clever architectural details (the two-bedroom Beach Residence has a spiral staircase that, when viewed from the bottom of the stairs, creates the shape of a nautilus shell). The island is also home to four delectable restaurants, a sizable spa with treatment rooms that have viewing holes to the underwater kingdom below (tip: book the volcanic hot-stone massage) and a water sports center where you can borrow a clear-bottom kayak for a gentle glide through the glittering ocean. If you do choose to take over the whole island for yourself, the options are endless — from a swimming pool fi lled with 175 lbs of rose petals to an underwater treasure hunt. One birthday party extravaganza took The Nautilus team three months to plan and entailed a Robinson Crusoe-esque experience on the neighboring uninhabited island (it’s close enough that you can see it clearly from The Nautilus, so easy to head back if you’ve decided that the castaway life isn’t quite for you). Guests spent the night on the wild island, gathering around a gourmet barbecue and bon fi re. Best for Celebrating a milestone event From $3,600 per night; exclusive use price on request. Contact Gerrit Chng-Luchau, director of sales and

marketing, hello@thenautilusmaldives.com, +960 660 0000, thenautilusmaldives.com