The buggy ride tour ended right in front of our retreat – we will be spending our entire trip at the Ocean Oasis Lagoon View Retreat #216 and we love it to bits.

Above is the W Maldives Resort Map, there are a total of 28 Beach Oasis Retreats, 46 Ocean Oasis Retreats (21 of which are facing the lagoon and 25 facing the ocean), 3 Seascape Escapes and 1 Ocean Haven. #216 is situated just beside the second “S” (Sweet Spot) from the left with a dedicated walkway.

Initially, we thought it would be a good idea to have a retreat overlooking the ocean (Ocean Oasis) but by observing the strong waves coming from that direction, we are very happy and lucky to be given #216. Water around #216 is a lot calmer, great for us who aren’t too familiar with the ocean.

For those who are more reserved, Ocean Oasis Lagoon View Retreat will be best. With that being said, #216 is actually situated quite far out – water level ain’t knee high (even during low tide) but chest high (and I am referring to Mak’s 1.8m height).

If you prefer shallower water, try retreats #201 to #206 which are closer to shore – which also means less privacy.

Depending on your preferences, Beach Oasis may suit your needs too – with direct access to the beach, you can spend your entire day soaking up the sun. But we find the beach retreats relatively open, less secluded and while walking along the beach, we could actually look right through into someone else’s retreat.

#216 is a nice and secluded “corner lot” with no neighbors on the left – a quick 2 minutes walk to the nearest Sweet Spot filled with cold drinks and ice cream, sunscreen, insect repellent, ice and towels.

I believe all Ocean Oasis – lagoon facing or not, are similar in design. Spacious open plan bedroom with spectacular views from the bed (oh my, the bed is super comfortable) and a bath tub facing the ocean. Ample wardrobe space, built-in digital safe, life vests and toiletries from Bliss.

One of the many highlights includes the glass floor in the living room – I peep through this hole every morning and night to check out the marine life swimming below. Apparently, fishes are more active at night, especially when the underwater lights are switched on.

This retreat also features BOSE® Sound System (indoor and outdoor), a private over-water plunge pool, a superbly spacious sun deck with amazing views and many more.

Freshly cut fruits upon arrival – somehow, fruits taste extremely refreshing on an island.

I brought along Penhaligon’s Quercus Travel Candle and it’s the perfect island scent. Nothing but love.

Views from #216 – I would say our retreat provides a mix of island, lagoon and ocean views. Couldn’t ask for more. From the sun deck, we see the beautiful sky and turquoise water straight ahead of us – turn our heads to the left, we see the island.

In the night, instead of pitch black ocean, we get to see some light from the island.

During our stay, we spent most of our time out on the sun deck. Either soaking in the pool or simply lying on the round daybed at night to admire the stars. Seriously, the night sky is so beautiful like galaxy, we stargaze every night and the feeling is nothing but tranquil.

Many of my family and friends have visited Maldives before – some say it’s boring, 5 days is more than enough and some say it’s fantastic, 2 weeks ain’t enough. I honestly didn’t know what to expect but having been there and back, I tell you – 2 weeks ain’t enough.

There are so many things to do – relaxing in the retreat is one of them and snapping lots of pictures is another. Every spot seems so photogenic, we took over 1000 pictures in total with two digital cameras.

Absolutely loving our Ray-Ban Aviator with matte gold frame. His is with crystal green mirror lens and mine is blue.

W Maldives is full of activities. Every other night, there will be an activity sheet letting us know the weather, types of activities going on around the resort – every minute of our stay is well spent.

Found a beautiful spot for taking some product shots during our stay – here are some products that kept us going under the sun and heat.

From left to right;-

• La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Extreme Fluid
• Shiseido Perfect UV Protector SPF 50+ PA+++ Very Water Resistant
• La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water
• Lancôme Génifique Sôleil SPF 30

On our second day, we spotted baby reef sharks and stingrays from our retreat. No luck in finding them on our subsequent diving and snorkeling trips tho.

We love everything about our Ocean Oasis Lagoon View Retreat #216 – it’s always nice and clean after housekeeping and turn-down service. The sun deck is also perfect for some mid-day snacks.

In terms of privacy, on a scale of 1 to 10, we would rate our retreat a good 8.5 to 9 – speedboats and seaplanes hardly come close but there might be one or two couples snorkeling nearby. Our retreat is just about 10 minutes by foot to amenities. We enjoy walking barefoot but if you wish, you can always call for a buggy pick up or drop off.

Hope this post help any of you who is planning a trip to W Maldives. Stay tuned for the next as I will be bringing you around the resort.

Thank you for looking.