Four Seasons Maldives: Landaa Giraavaru with kids

There’s nothing like a seaplane for making an entrance – soaring high above the Indian Ocean, watching the splashes of turquoise as we flew over the various atolls and reefs of the Maldives, I was mesmerised.

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Set in the Baa Atoll, Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru is further from the main airport than the first Four Seasons Maldives resort we visited, Kuda Huraa, so we swapped a speedboat for a seaplane from Trans Maldivian Airways to take us to the second stay of our trip.

With its own focus on marine conservation and family-friendly activities, there’s a string of reasons to visit Landaa Giraavaru with kids – along with one other very big temptation for visitors: the chance to see manta rays.

Check out my tips for visiting the Maldives with kids before you travel

Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru: the essentials

The resort island is in the remote northern Baa Atoll, a Unesco Biosphere Reserve, on the site of a former coconut plantation. With 103 villas, it’s slightly bigger than sister resort Kuda Huraa and you’ll need to travel there by seaplane.

Depending on the schedules, if you’re splitting your time between the two Four Seasons Maldives resorts, it is possible to fly between the two, but you may also need to travel via the main Velana international airport at Male. It’s around a 45-minute trip from the airport.

Whichever resort you visit, there’s an air-conditioned lounge where you can wait for your flights before being transferred to the other small terminal for the seaplane flight – and always someone to smooth the journey, taking care of luggage and whisking you to wherever you need to be. Ideal if you’re going straight from a long-haul flight with kids.

The resort is designed in a traditional Maldivian style with thatched roofs on the villas, although a more lush green jungly feel than Kuda Huraa.

The water villas have just been renovated – we had a sneak peek inside but they were reopening shortly after our stay – with high ceilings, stylish furniture and a deck straight onto the ocean.

Tucked away behind their own wall, beach villas have their own bigger private pools and are a stroll away from the sand down a private path.

The resort is also home to a spa and Ayurvedic Centre, with consultations included plus longer Ayurvedic retreats – some guests come specifically for these with family joining afterwards – and there are treatments for teens.

Like sister resort Kuda Huraa, you can choose from four restaurants – Fuego Grill on the beach itself with fantastic fish and seafood, Al Barakat near the jetty which has Middle Eastern-inspired cuisine, Italian food at Blu, and Cafe Landaa, which has the main breakfast buffet plus some great poke bowls.

For something lighter, the pool bars serve sushi and snacks: make time to lounge with a drink at the Seabar above the waves, near Fuego Grill, for some shark-spotting in the evenings.

Landa Giraavaru has two main pools at either end of the island – one next to Blu, the other infinity pool closer to the lobby alongside a smaller saltwater pool.

As well as a kids club and watersports centre, library, jogging trail, jungle walk, yoga and other activities, you’ll find a marine discovery centre with a focus on manta ray research and turtle rehabilitation.

Four Seasons Maldives Landaa Giraavaru with kids

The villas

When you check in to a luxurious five-star resort, you expect to be wowed by your accommodation. But even with my expectations high, I was bowled over by our beach villa.

For starters, we seemed to have an enormous amount of space – huge double bed to climb into, then a big bathroom with shower, outdoor shower, bath and two separate sinks not to mention shelves for toiletries and another seating area.

Plus, of course, everything you might need to use right down to aftersun (and a hairdryer) as well as products galore.

The living space wasn’t much smaller, with a desk and sofas to lounge on, looking out to the pool and outdoor space – and throw in storage space, a safe, life vests and beach bag.

In fact, one thing which stood out was just how many places there were to lounge…

Loungers by the pool, another day bed by the pool, a day bed at the end of the sandy path to the beach, plus a balcony above the first set of loungers with a hammock and yet another day bed.

I rather wanted another couple of days just to move from comfy space to comfy space with my book until I found my absolute favourite…

Then of course, there was the serious research involved in deciding whether you can get into a hammock while holding a glass of champagne (without spilling it). I was very dubious, so I stuck with the day bed until I’d finished the fizz.

Explore the Marine Discovery Centre

With marine biologists carrying out research on site and accompanying the different tours, Landaa Giraavaru is more than a beach resort – and the biggest attraction is the chance to sign up to the Manta on call programme to spot manta rays.

I hadn’t realised until we arrived that it’s not recommended for younger kids (unless they’re very confident swimmers) as the mantas tend to appear in deep and sometimes choppy water, and no-one is able to remain on the boat – even adults should wear a life vest.

So having primed my daughter that she might have to trot off to the kids club if my manta phone rang (the mobile comes in a waterproof pouch so you don’t have to put it down even if you go swimming. Or have a shower), I also had a bag packed with the gear I might need, poised to head out to the boat as soon as they were spotted.

Reminded me faintly of having a hospital bag ready as I waited for my daughter to make her appearance…

Fortunately there was a lot more to keep me entertained while I waited for the rays, including a look inside the Marine Discovery centre, not least being able to stroke a sea cucumber (yep, slimy).

There are several rescue turtles recovering from illness and injury, waiting to be released back into the ocean or rehomed if their injuries are too severe to survive in the wild – some have had multiple flippers amputated after being caught in ghost nets, abandoned fishing equipment that litters the oceans.

The ones at Landaa Giraavaru seemed as fascinated by my daughter as she was by them, swimming over to take a look and splashing playfully.

The Reefscapers coral propagation project also runs here, with guests able to help plant coral on frames to replace the reefs affected by bleaching, as well as a fish breeding programme which intends to help support local communities – and lets visitors see various different clown fish at different stages of growth.

There’s plenty to learn and lots of activities to join in with, although as we’d already visited the Marine Discovery Centre at Kuda Huraa resort, we kept our visit here brief.

And the manta rays? Sadly the call didn’t come, not least because of mixed weather towards the end of our stay, but that gives me a great excuse (if I needed one) to head back to this slice of paradise again.

Incidentally, if you sign up for the Manta on call programme and they don’t appear, there’s no fee – most visitors are luckier than I was, and we did visit right at the end of the season which runs from June to October (the programme is not available outside these months).

Child-friendly touches

The kids club here is really only the start of what you’ll find for families – many of the activities are tailored to families doing things together too. Even the bikes provided to get around the resort come in different sizes, including ones with stabiliser if your kids (like my daughter) can’t ride yet.

Even children who don’t always enjoy kids clubs will be tempted by what’s on offer, with everything from coral reef building to sand sculpting and different walks around the island, making pizza and crafts and even a fruit bat safari – spotting them flying around was a daily highlight for my daughter.

The kids club itself isn’t quite as visually appealing as the one at Kuda Huraa (although the staff were just as friendly) but with many activities taking you to other parts of the resort, it’s hardly an issue. There’s also a separate ‘entertainment lounge’ aimed at teens.

Families are also given a passport to adventure booklet, aimed at kids aged four to 12, when they arrive – there’s a separate version designed for children aged 8+ as well – with a series of challenges and puzzles to try as they go.

Many are intended to work alongside the kids’ club activities but there are plenty you can do together, collecting stamps as you go: get seven or more and kids are given a toy as a rewards, or a free ice cream sundae if you get all 14.

It’s something I wish every resort would do, encouraging kids to explore all the different areas but also teaching them about the marine life in the Maldives, local culture and language, and encouraging them to get creative.

Resort mascot Kaku the hermit crab (visit his home near the lobby or look out for his cousins scurrying along the sandy paths) also leaves little postcards in the villas every night – it became something of a little ritual to see what news he was sharing when we returned from dinner. Beats an everyday bedtime story!

But the treat highlight for Minnie was having her own luxurious bubble bath one evening – suggested by the housekeeping staff, it was decorated with flower petals and accompanied by mango juice and fresh fruit.

Her face was a picture – there were even petals in a star shape, which was amazing attention to detail. She felt fabulously grown up, while I felt distinctly jealous!

The activities

With both of the Four Seasons Maldives resorts, it would be easy to pack every day full of activities. Save some time for the pools and beach, with water toys and snorkels to borrow, and the chance to try a mini introduction to diving with Bubblemaker for ages 8+.

You can snorkel off the beach as well, with life jackets provided for all ages: we strolled from the sand to the coral frames to discover Moorish idols, Picasso triggerfish and more (helpfully there’s also a fish chart in the villas, which increased my recognition skills no end).

At the tip of the island, you can wander along a sandbar in the ocean just after low tide – on a breezy evening, the kite surfers were making the most of the gusts too.

Or venture further on a string of different trips: a spinner dolphin cruise, a picnic on a deserted sandbank, a turtle safari, plus for older kids, the chance to see manta rays.

If your children are over 120cm tall – or tucked happily away in kids club – you can also splurge on a personal submarine trip with space for two in the Deepflight craft alongside the pilot, spending an hour experiencing the underwater world without getting wet.

We headed out to look for turtles on one of the nearby reefs, accompanied by a marine biologist to point out some of the more unusual creatures along the way.

Having snorkelled and dived all around the world, turtles have always eluded me (once swimming around the other side of the reef as I headed into deeper water to look for them).

But finally I got my chance as one glided silently in the deep blue waters on the edge of the corals, a boat ride away from Landaa Giraavaru.

In the shallows, blue tangs swirled past in a vibrant rainbow, and boxfish weaved through the coral alongside butterfly fish and triggerfish.

We then happily spent the return trip eating brownies and fresh fruit and debating just what kind of turtle we’d seen.

It’s not all about the watersports either: there’s a jungle walk which winds through the heart of Landaa Giraavaru, past orchids and the resort’s vegetable garden, plus yoga and workout suggestions along the way.

Both Four Seasons Maldives resorts are similar in many ways, including a lot of the activities on offer, but this was one of the little differences which set Landaa Giraavaru apart – you never get the feeling that the two are identikit copies.

The Ayurvedic centre

If you’re serious about your Ayurveda, this really is the perfect resort with longer retreats and tailored programmes. If, like me, you know very little about it, it’s also a great place to discover a little more.

All guests are offered a free consultation (although it doesn’t really apply to kids) to learn which dosha – or combination – best fits you, as well as health and diet recommendations. Mine included the happy news that I should eat lots of ginger, as well as a few other unexpected insights.

The restaurant menus have different symbols to represent the three doshas so you can choose foods and dishes based on the consultation if you want, along with different spa treatments at the jungle treatment rooms.

If you’re more into relaxing, you’ll find plenty of massage and facial options in the spa as well (and treatment pavilions out on the water), not to mention teen facials on the list.

The food

I’m not sure whether I was most impressed by the quality or the variety of the food at Landaa Giraavaru, considering you’re on a small isolated island in the Indian Ocean – suffice it to say that I ate very very well!

And what’s sometimes trickier, is that there was always plenty for my often picky seven-year-old as well – pizza at Blu restaurant, for example, but wherever we ate, she found something.

The breakfast buffet seemed even bigger than at Kuda Huraa here, with international options as well as Chinese, Maldivian, Indian and fresh stations for eggs, pancakes and more, not to mention all the fruit and pastries. I even had dim sum one day.

But if you want a change, there’s also breakfast at Blu which was nearer our villa, including some entirely decadent French toast which was basically a dessert in disguise.

To offset that, there were lighter options at lunchtime at Cafe Landaa – I got slightly obsessed by the tuna poke bowl – and fresh fish to be eaten yards from the waves at Fuego Grill.

Which left space to indulge again over dinner at Al Barakat, the Middle Eastern restaurant by the jetty. One night per week, there’s a special Sultan meze set menu which seems to consist of about 19 courses.

I think I lost count as the food just kept coming: mostly an array of small dishes and hot/cold mezze, it’s a treat at around £100 per head, but if you waddle away less than stuffed, I’ll be amazed.

It’s worth remembering that as you are on a small island, the prices in all the restaurants reflect this – and stays at the Four Seasons Maldives resorts aren’t all-inclusive. There are occasionally offers, including discounts as well as kids eat free packages so keep an eye out.

You can’t bring your own alcohol in to the Maldives either (check out some of my other tips here) so that’s something else to bear in mind.

Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru with kids: the verdict

Both Four Seasons Maldives resorts prove that the islands aren’t just for honeymooners – if you’re visiting with younger kids, I’d probably recommend Kuda Huraa as it’s closer to the airport and the pool is a great with little ones.

But for older children, Landaa Giraavaru is very special: being able to stay in a biosphere reserve is such a rare experience, and the possibility of seeing manta rays is incredible – plus some great snorkelling options if your kids can swim but aren’t old enough to go out to the mantas, as with Minnie.

The marine conservation work is an added enticement, both for the education value (for both of us!) and knowing the work is helping protect this beautiful part of the world.

Personally I’m a big fan of seaplanes too – admittedly more than my daughter was. It’s only the second trip where I’ve flown in one but the journey above the atolls, sparkling bright splashes of turquoise amidst the darker blue is fantastic.

With the jungle walks and the Ayurveda, Landaa Giraavaru has a distinct personality which makes it rather different from the average luxury beach resort, even from Kuda Huraa.

It might be pricier than Kuda Huraa (and a five-star stay in the Maldives is obviously never a bargain break), but this is somewhere you’ll never forget.

PIN FOR LATER: LANDAA GIRAAVARU WITH KIDS

Disclosure: My trip was courtesy of Four Seasons resorts for the purposes of review – all opinions about staying at Landaa Giraavaru with kids are my own.

Images copyright MummyTravels

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