There are some places you visit and love, and others that somehow become part of your family’s story. Gili Lankanfushi has always been the latter for us. This was our fourth time returning to the island and, from the moment our boat pulled up to the familiar jetty, it genuinely felt like coming home to our little piece of paradise.
We know the sandy pathways, the beaches we love, the restaurants we look forward to returning to and that wonderful feeling of kicking off our shoes when we arrive and barely thinking about putting them back on again until it is time to leave. Gili’s “No News, No Shoes” philosophy is something we slip back into very easily. Within hours, we are barefoot, cycling around the island and completely back in the rhythm of Gili life.
We stayed in one of the unique Crusoe Villas for the ultimate castaway experience. The beautiful standalone overwater villas are located in the stunning turquoise lagoon offering privacy, tranquility, and luxury in one of the Maldives’ most sought after accommodation options. Your Ms Friday or a boat is only a call away, ensuring you have peaceful surroundings but quick access to service and five star facilities. We had so much space to spread out, with our overwater deck becoming one of our favourite places to spend time together. Some mornings we stayed right there for breakfast, while on other days we headed to the beachfront restaurant beneath the palms. We did the same with lunch, alternating between lazy meals on our deck and heading out to the Overwater Bar depending on our mood.
Days at Gili never need much planning. We cycled everywhere, swam from the beach, explored the reef and spent time at the gorgeous overwater spa. Ever and River also had tennis lessons with the resident tennis pro, and we could see how much they both improved even during our stay.
But it is often the smaller experiences that become the memories we talk about afterwards. We loved our chocolate tasting, while one afternoon our Ms Friday took Ever and River for their very own buggy driving lesson, eventually presenting them with Gili driving licences. They were, understandably, extremely proud.
Perhaps my favourite memory from this trip, though, happened back at our villa. The team set up a proper bed on our rooftop terrace so Ever and River could sleep outside beneath the stars. Watching them settle into bed with the Maldivian night sky above and the ocean surrounding them was one of those wonderfully simple moments that felt completely magical. It is something I know they will remember long after the holiday itself.
Food has always been another part of Gili we love. Breakfast remains one of the best resort breakfasts we have experienced, with everything from fresh sashimi and Maldivian dishes to pastries, health elixirs and made-to-order Nutella crêpes. Our evenings took us from Japanese food at By the Sea to the atmospheric Asian Street Market and a brilliant Brazilian Churrascaria Night over the water. Each experience felt completely different, yet still unmistakably Gili.
I love that our children have grown up a little between each stay, this place imprinted into the years of their childhood. We know where we are going when we jump on our bikes. We have favourite places to swim, favourite tables and little routines that immediately return as soon as we arrive.
There are many beautiful resorts in the Maldives, but for us Gili Lankanfushi has become something more personal. It is barefoot luxury without ever feeling overly polished or formal, a place where the days feel wonderfully unhurried and where some of our favourite family memories have been made.
I am a fully qualified independent travel agent specializing in Luxury Family Travel. I’m here to plan your dream family holiday, create a personal itinerary to suit your family’s needs, and give you all the first hand knowledge I have from travelling full time as a family. Contact me at christing.chang@fora.travel assist in booking your next trip.
