ADVERTISEMENTWith villas rising out of the reef above crystal blue waters, the Maldives are synonymous with luxury.
Most of the 1.8 million tourists who visited the South Asian island state last year are on the deep-pocketed side. But the super-rich will soon have an even more exclusive option: a private island they can bid to stay on.
The new concept is being piloted by Mohamed Ali Janah, group chairman of Hotels and Resorts Investment Maldives Group (HARIM Group) and a special advisor to UN Tourism.
“I am building the most exclusive private island in the world,” he told attendees of the UN’s World Tourism Day event in Tbilisi, Georgia last week.
Would-be guests will have to auction to stay on Kudahithi Sands island, a 30-minute boat ride from the international airport in the capital of Malé.
How much will it cost to stay at the Maldives private island?
Janah, an advisor to the Maldivian president and described by Forbes as the Maldives’ leading construction magnate, has built numerous resorts across the island state and further afield.
While developing Kudahithi, it occurred to him that this jewel of a 14,000 square metre island presented a new opportunity. Plans currently include six villas and a yacht, making it a covetable location for private meetings or secluded family and friend time.
Discussions are underway with global real estate agents to figure out the finer details of how the auction concept could work. The idea is that a limited number of nights per year will be released, which people can then bid to purchase in blocks.
Janah believes it will drive prices past record levels. “In the Maldives, there are islands that are selling for $120,000 (€109,000) a night, for a private island, so I believe that we will be able to beat that kind of price,” he told Euronews Travel.
Described by Janah as the ‘Necker Island of the Maldives’ - a reference to Richard Branson’s exclusive private island in the British Virgin Islands - Kudahithi Sands is set to open in 2025, with dates to be announced soon.
What is the appeal of the private island in the Maldives?
Another unique selling point of Kudahithi Sands island is that it will not be attached to an international brand or linked to other hotel properties in the Maldives.
“It will be sold as a single, isolated private island. In other words, you will not see anyone other than you,” Janah explains. “There won’t be any paparazzi or any news coming out,” he adds. “So it's like a world exclusive, really high-end.”
The appeal for those who can afford it is to experience a holiday that feels like being at home. Wealthy travellers can bring their own butlers and staff to cook out of the island restaurant, Janah suggests.
The reef affords brilliant snorkelling opportunities, with a private yacht parked up to explore the surrounding seas at your leisure.
Kudahithi has already proved a hit with celebrities in its previous chapter as a private island. Actor Sophie Turner and then-boyfriend musician Joe Jonas reportedly rented the entire island back in 2018, when it was marketed at $45,000 (€53,000) a night.