About this hotel
General information
COMO Cocoa Island occupies the small island of Makunufushi in South Malé Atoll: an intimate resort of just 33 villas, every one of them built over the water. Each villa takes its curved outline from the dhoni, the traditional wooden fishing boat of the Maldives, and planked walkways link them to the island. Inside there are high rafters, glossy teak floors, New Zealand pine, thatched roofs and floor-to-ceiling glass that opens the rooms to the lagoon without giving up privacy.
The mood is barefoot and quiet, and the resort is chosen above all by couples, drawn by a house reef a few steps from the villas and by the COMO Shambhala wellness centre with its own healthy kitchen. The island holds EarthCheck Silver certification, bottles its own water and runs coral restoration work. The resort's own booking engine sells half-board rates (breakfast and dinner), and full board is also available. The whole island can be taken on an exclusive-use basis for up to 72 guests.
Location
Makunufushi lies in South Malé Atoll, about 30 km south of Malé. Velana International Airport is roughly 40 minutes away by speedboat, so no seaplane is needed, and the resort team meets guests in the airport arrivals hall.
Spa
COMO Shambhala Retreat opens daily from 9am to 9pm. It has four massage pavilions (three for couples) with outdoor garden showers and tubs, a two-storey wellness building with an open-air yoga pavilion upstairs and a gym below, a Pilates studio equipped with a reformer, cadillac, ladder barrel and combo chair, plus a hydrotherapy pool — one of few in the Maldives — and a steam room. The menu covers massages, body and facial treatments and holistic therapies using natural, organic products, barefoot walking meditation on a sandbank, and four-day cleanse programmes built on cold-pressed juices, broths and herbal teas. Visiting practitioners in various disciplines come to the island throughout the year.
Sports & leisure
Live coral reefs ring the island, and the resident marine biologist leads a complimentary guided snorkel over the house reef. The dive centre teaches PADI courses from a first try-dive to Open Water and runs a specialty course in coral conservation; nearby sites include caves and a shark cleaning station. Kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and other non-motorised gear are free to use, and yoga classes run daily.
- snorkelling with nurse sharks in Vaavu Atoll, and with reef sharks 15 minutes away by boat
- turtle snorkels on reefs 20 minutes away, and night snorkelling with UV torches that make the corals glow green, yellow, red and orange
- catamaran sailing and windsurfing lessons with instructors
- sunset reef fishing, sunrise and sunset cruises, dolphin trips
- charters on the resort's own yacht, with three cabins, two sundecks and a swim platform, for two, four or eight hours, including trips to Vaavu Atoll
- planting coral frames with the marine biologist, weekly marine-life talks and an evening nature walk round the island
- open-air beach cinema with beanbags and popcorn; a library of books, music and films
For children
For children who can swim, the resident marine biologist runs Young Marine Explorers, a 90-minute programme pairing an hour-long interactive class on the island's underwater world with a half-hour guided snorkel over the coral garden. Children can also join coral planting and the marine-life talks, and babysitting is available on request.
Restaurants & bars
The kitchen pairs light South Indian cooking — curries, fresh seafood, salads — with contemporary Asian and Mediterranean classics; COMO Shambhala Kitchen's healthy menu, with tandoor dishes, soups and broths, is served in the restaurant and in the villas.
- Ufaa — the main restaurant beside the pool and beach, indoor and open-air: modern Indian and Mediterranean cooking with local produce and sustainably caught seafood
- Faru Bar — poolside bar opening onto the beach: cocktails and mocktails, wines, cigars and light bites
- private dining — on the sandbank (sunrise breakfast, five-course dinner, barbecue or picnic), lantern-lit tented dinners on the beach, oysters at sunset, floating breakfasts in the pool or lagoon
- in-villa yakiniku dinner, a Japanese table grill where guests cook meat, seafood and vegetables themselves over smokeless charcoal, served with sake
- private cooking classes and round-the-clock in-villa dining
Swimming
Steps lead from every villa terrace straight into the lagoon, and the house reef begins a short swim away. The island is fringed by white sand, with a sandbank close by. Next to Ufaa is the 25 × 6.8 m resort pool, 1.5 m deep, the wellness area adds a hydrotherapy pool and an infinity-edge pool, and the pool villas each have their own pool over the water.
Rooms
The resort has 33 overwater villas with one to three bedrooms, each with a timber terrace that steps down into the lagoon. The pool villas come with butler service.
Villas have air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a TV with multimedia hub, a Nespresso machine and tea, a safe, a hairdryer, daily replenished refreshments, COMO Shambhala bath products, a beach bag and slippers, and a yoga mat with meditation videos; housekeeping comes twice a day.
Dhoni Water Villa
A split-level villa shaped like a dhoni, with a living room and an overwater terrace with loungers and a dining table, from which steps lead into the lagoon. King bed, bathtub and separate shower; sleeps three, extra bed available.
Dhoni Loft Water Villa
A dhoni-style villa with a generous living area on the lower level and the main bedroom on a mezzanine, behind floor-to-ceiling windows facing the water. King bed, bathtub and separate shower, terrace with lagoon access; sleeps four.
Loft Water Villa
The en suite main bedroom sits in the loft, while the airy sitting area below doubles as extra sleeping space. A secluded outdoor rain shower with steps into the ocean and a sundeck with loungers; sleeps four.
One-Bedroom Water Villa with Pool
Set on a private jetty at the eastern end of the resort, with a 4.8 × 2.8 m private pool, a balcony with daybed and a broad sundeck with loungers. King bed, bathtub and separate shower, butler service; sleeps four.
Two-Bedroom COMO Sunrise Villa
An overwater villa with two separate wings, each with an en suite bedroom, joined by a shared living space. Private 8.3 × 3.4 m pool above the ocean; one king and two twin beds, sleeps six.
Two/Three-Bedroom COMO Sunset Villa
Two standalone villas — one with one bedroom, one with two — linked by a wooden walkway and booked together as a three-bedroom villa or separately. Two pools (9.6 × 2 m and 8.2 × 3.4 m) and wide sunset views; sleeps nine.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.