SO/ Maldives Is the New Design-Forward Resort Showcasing the Islands’ Fun Side

Is there a more thrilling way to start a holiday than by racing across the Indian Ocean on a speedboat? It seems unlikely. After I stepped out of the terminal at Malé Airport and onto the zippy inter-island runabout due to take me to SO/ Maldives, it wasn’t long before the malaise of long-haul travel faded into the distance, along with the capital city’s skyscrapers. 

And after no more than 15 minutes of sea spray and coastal bluster? I was on a private island in an archipelago overlooking the Emboodhoo Lagoon, tottering down a catwalk-inspired jetty into a bold, stylish resort; outrageous vistas every way I looked.

Of course, outrageous vistas are kind of the Maldives’ thing. It is a tropical paradise after; a nation of postcard-perfect white sands, lush greenery, and aquamarine water. SO/ Maldives—a manmade island in the nation’s midsection—has got all of the above in spades. But it also feels enticingly different to the minimalist, eggshell resorts you’ll usually find speckled across the ocean here. The petite spot is the first resort in the Maldives from Bangkok-based hotel group SO/, known for maximalist spaces inspired by the likes of Christian Lacroix and Karl Lagerfeld. And its aesthetic? Just as fab. Statement, rebellious fashion was front of mind for interior designers Eco-ID when creating the resort, with some interior details referencing Chanel’s cruise shows; the carousel set from 2008, and the fake beach from 2018. And thus, it’s a colorful, vibrant gem of a place; a hot pitstop for groups of friends and new couples rather than honeymooners.