The Maldives is the perfect destination for a family holiday and the Sun Siyam Iru Fushi is a  fabulous family-focused resort that balances family time with adults only time – hello amazing kids club, adults-only pools and wine-tasting dinners!

But until then you have more than enough for an incredible stay, including half board and all-inclusive options. The Sun Siyam Iru Fushi has the most startling blue green water I’ve ever seen, and white sand beaches, a house reef for snorkelling – we spotted a turtle in the lagoon – watersports, a kids’ pool and an adult pool. With a white sand beach that runs around the entire island you will never be far from the water.

It has a fabulous dining selection and an awesome Kids Club for when adult time is needed – Emmie loved the craft activities and climbing walls.

We were hosted at this resort for three nights and ended up staying and paying for an extra three because we loved it so much and realised how absolutely affordable it is for five star luxury. Check out their deals here – you’ll be really  – happily – surprised. You can also read our reviews of our stays at the fabulous Kuredu Island Resort and the amazing Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa and if you’re interested in staying on a local island you can read all about Thulusdhoo here, and how to pick the best Maldives family report here.

 

 

What we loved:

• the incredible green water and spotting turtles while snorkelling in the lagoon
• delicious food at the resort restaurants – our fave was the French restaurant Flavours
• wine tasting (such a fun night and the sommelier was amazing)
• Kids Club
• Our beach villa had its own pool and the most incredible bathroom with spa we have ever seen
• Walking around the island barefoot on sandy pathways and on the white sand beach

Emmie’s favourites:

• Making craft at Kids Club
• Playing on the beach
• The chicken nuggets
• The kids swimming pool

 

Getting there:

It’s so easy, the Maldives have their tourist arrivals down pat. Fly into Male, the capital of the Maldives. The airport is nice – and very well organised.

A representative of the resort will meet you at Male airport and check you in at the Trans Maldivian Airways desk for your SEA PLANE ride to the island. Oh my gosh a seaplane!

 

It’s so exciting flying on a seaplane. You can read all about our experience here. Note that while the resort is so well priced for families the sea plane transfer is an added expense and costs around $500 per person. Keep an eye out for specials and discount fares – there was a recent promotion with special villa prices and around 20 percent off seaplane flights.

 

As the weather was a little rough we landed at a nearby pontoon and a resort speedboat collected us. It was around 20 minutes over some bumpy water to the resort and the staff on board were so caring, grabbing blankets for Emmie and making sure she was okay. When we arrived at the jetty the staff greeted us and helped us through the rain into a buggy that delivered us along tropical sandy roads to our villa. Oh my goshhhhhhhhhhh…

Our beach villa

To get to our beach villa we walked down a small sandy pathway to the front door. It is entirely secluded, and even though there are villas on either side you really wouldn’t know it. All you see from the sandy road is a little trail leading to your door. Once inside – oh I have never seen Emmie’s face like this, I think we were both jumping up and down in excitement.

 

Our beach villa looked out across a patio with table and chairs and a comfy daybed, to an in-ground swimming pool, our own poolside cabana and onto the beach. It was incredible. We have never stayed in luxury like this before and we were so excited – I LOVE shared moments like this with Em, whether it’s on the Great Wall of China, riding bikes to school in Hoi An, spotting elephants in Sri Lanka or seeing an amazing resort villa in the Maldives!  I wish I had Emmie on camera for this, it was hilarious.

Inside was a huge bed, a Netspresso, another daybed and lots of space. The room was circular and as we were shown around the curve to behind the bed alongside the wardrobe was another door leading to the bathroom. But not just any bathroom…

An entire indoor-outdoor bathroom with a massive spa bath, huge outdoor swing, outdoor shower plus twin vanities and huge undercover shower and toilet.

If we were excited before we had just hit hysterical mode. It was so funny we were jumping up and down and laughing at ourselves. Wow. What a villa!

 

Feeling totally overwhelmed we threw our cossies on and jumped into the pool and promised to try out every single centimetre of our villa. Which we did! Including the delicious Thalgo toiletries and blue bubble bath in the spa.

The resort has overwater villas too!

Getting around:

Getting around the resort involves wandering along sandy pathways barefoot. You’re never far from anything at all and the island is small and easy to navigate. You can walk around the entire island on the beach or on the paths or call for a buggy to collect you. So, so simple. And nothing is ever a problem for any of the staff, they are so lovely and kind and helpful and always with big smiles.

Koamas Kidz Club:

Mammy and Rose are the loveliest ladies – they look after the children at Kids Club which is a wonderful open air pavilion with craft, a beanbag TV room, an indoor climbing area and swings and slippery dip outside.

 

Emmie loved Kids Club and spent a few hours here when it was raining- we had a few days where there was rain either morning or afternoon.

She also made a lovely friend at Kids Club, Vienna, and they had a great time together – which made our stay extra happy for me and we had a great evening wine tasting (drinking?) at my favourite restaurant which ended with a blurry buggy ride singing all the way back to the villas…

 

It has a nursery for babies, a marine experience water play area with sea cucumbers and slugs and its own shallow swimming pool and shade area. Emmie and her buddies loved the craft so much they were constantly creating, and they also went on a banana boat ride together and had a lot of fun hanging on while they slowly circled the lagoon.

Dining:

With Italian, French, Japanese and Indian restaurants, plus a snack lounge and buffet dining, the resort has so many choices. In fact there are 14 dining options to choose from!

 

Flavours, the French restaurant was my absolute favourite oh my gosh so delicious and is perched over the water where at 5pm most evenings you can watch shark feeding!

Breakfast is divine and offers traditional dishes as well as a huge fruit selection, western buffet and pastries, cheeses, and egg station and so much more. I had delicious mocha coffees every morning made by the barista. I so want to go back.

There is a special family section in the dining room with a kids play area. Perfect for when they have finished and are raring to go and you’re still eating.

And kids get a complimentary ice-cream each day from La Cremeria, the ice-cream parlous (which also sells Lindt chocolate!).

Make sure to check out the meal plans and options ranging from half board to All-Inclusive, and remember Kids Eat Free when with a paying adult. Each restaurant has its own kids menu and the kids food really delicious and good quality – Em The Fussy gave it a big thumbs up. .

Swimming pools & fun stuff:

There are two swimming pools on the island – one is the adults only horizon pool looking out onto the ocean and the other, which we used, was the wonderful family pool next to Fluid restaurant. It is surrounded by palms and jungle and has a waterfall, little steps to sit on and hidden pathways and bridges to swim under. The temperature was perfect and the cafe is great for lunch – we had nuggets and a burger one day and it was super good.

 

The family pool is right near the Kids Club which is really handy, and also near a games room with pool, fooz ball and other more teen-aged games, and the library.

There’s a tennis court and badminton court, giant chess, mini golf and other games to play if you can tear yourself away from the beach, the swimming pool, snorkelling or any of the other amazing activities on the island.

The spa is really beautiful – i treated myself to a facial and a pedi! It was blissful. There’s also a fully equipped dive centre and watersports. The Adults Only horizon pool and bar below is stunning and the perfect spot to hide away while the kids are in Kids Club!

The vibe:

It’s really chilled and the resort was quite low on occupancy while we were there so we often didn’t see anyone! From our experience this is the vibe at the Maldives – everything is easy, you’re just so relaxed and nothing is a problem.

The Sun Siyam Iru Sushi really loves kids and families and it’s perfect for a family stay where you can also let the kids have a great time for a few hours in Kids Club while you chill at the adult horizon pool with a cocktail and a view out over the ocean.

Verdict

If you’re thinking of taking your family to the Maldives then this is the place to be. It has everything you need to enjoy time together and apart without the rigorously coordinated activity you find at other family islands. Sun Siyam Iru Fushi has everything covered – everything you need for a fabulous family holiday is all on the island.

Emmie says: I loved swimming, playing, kids club and feeding the sharks. And we had the best bathroom ever.

I’m a fan and Emmie’s a fan. We loved our stay.