Green turtles and green cuisine flourish at Atmosphere Kanifushi

THE green sea turtles of Atmosphere Kanifushi have hatched spectacularly and scuttled off into the Indian Ocean. For the 80 shell-clad toddlers it will be a precarious journey towards survival. This is the fourth such batch born under the stewardship of the five-star Maldives resort and is a source of pride, captured on video.

Grab a Lion Lager, a swing and watch the baby hermit crabs zig-zagging across the foreshore

It adds a sense of wonder on the eve of the Just Veg festival – the prime reason I’m a guest on this idyllic island in the Lhaviyani Atoll. Both this plant-based restaurant and turtle nest territory are located at the eastern tip, a 15 minute beach stroll from my villa. 

The island in total is only 2km long and in parts very narrow. You reach it via an old school sea-plane and TMA (Transmaldivian Airways) has been judged the world’s best provider, serving 80 of the island resorts. I was blown away by our albatross eye view of the turquoise atoll waters far below. Surely one of the most magical ways to travel.

There’s magic too at the Just Veg fest launch dinner when Italian super chef Fabrizio Marino unwraps the stash of truffles he has brought from Tuscany for this annual event. Grated generously, they scatter stardust on the vegetarian menu he has created for us, fusing the green cuisine of his native land with a delicate spice touch (and a restrained use of the Maldives’ own super hot githeyo chilli).

There’s a strong wellness feel to a starter of coconut foam, pumpkin curry purée, fresh apples, broccoli and tomatoes, drizzled with a raspberry mint and turmeric sauce. Fabrizio calls the dish ‘Happiness’, which is what I feel as the matching wines assemble. Yes, the Atmosphere Core group take their wines as seriously as their food. Globetrotting director of wines Nicolas Laguette sources cannily across continents.

A  Martin Codax Lias Albarino makes a very pretty, aromatic pairing for a main course of potato gnocchi with lemon zest in a beurre blanc with almonds and a hint of liquorice. My stand-out dish, but it was a close run thing across an impressive line-up.

There’s no shortage of ‘fine dining’ across the Maldives’ top-end resorts, but the year-round Just Veg offering is unique. And consultant Fabrizio’s actual presence at the festival (usually covering six days in October) is the zenith of his collaboration with Atmosphere Kanifushi. It enables him to drill the kitchen team to maintain excellence a decade after it became the Maldives’ sole veggie restaurant.

The 44 year-old chef’s original inspiration came from working at Joia in Milan, the first plant-based restaurant in Europe to win a Michelin star. After rising to head chef there he eventually opened his own place, the Maggese, in San Miniato, Tuscany, to create food in tune with his respect for nature.

Alas, the Maldives lacks the fertile abundance of Tuscany and the majority of its produce has to be imported. For Atmosphere Core that is one inevitable gap in their commitment to sustainability. Not that they aren’t trying hard. Early in 2023 they completed the first indoor hydroponics system in the Maldives to grow a wide range of green leaf produce and vegetables on site.

Atmosphere Kanifushi covers most bases with its culinary offering. Pier Six, perched over the ocean by the Water Villas, serves seafood in the evenings, alongside a theatrical Teppanyaki Grill, while The Spice is the oceanside breakfast-to-dinner all-inclusive buffet hub. I’d recommend the South Asian selection. The group’s roots are in India through founder Salil Panigrahi and our stay marked the build-up to Diwali.

Ceylon Bliss, the resort’s best-kept secret, is further down its ocean side – between The Spice and Just Veg. A cabin among the palms serving thalis showcasing delicious if fiery Sri Lankan street food. Grab a Lion Lager, a swing and watch the baby hermit crabs zig-zagging across the foreshore.

Not far away is another mega relaxing spot – the Akiri Spa, whose signature massage is the Mandara. Performed by two therapists working in tandem, it is a unique blend of five different massage styles - Shiatsu, Thai, Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, Swedish and Balinese.

The crash of the waves is a constant along this stretch, a tree canopied avenue for the complimentary shuttle buggies and bikes. I was lulled by the sound while soaking in the outdoor bath of my Sunset Beach Villa. Exit from the other, lagoon side of the property and I was straight onto a glorious, calm sweep of sand. Larger family-style villas, with their own pools, are set back from it but don’t feel intrusive.

I did little more than paddle in the sea (my deep sea fishing exploits would come later in the trip at sister resort Oblu Select); even the shallowest snorkelling intimidates me; and, as for paddle-boarding or banana-boating, count me out.

Still, watersport novices are well catered for at Oceanix, the resort’s fully-equipped, OPADI-licensed dive centre, which is also strong on marine conservation education. There I improved my knowledge of the threat to the coral reefs. The fatal ‘bleaching’ of them is caused by climate change, marine toxicity and over-fishing of reef species. Some scientists say that the oceans will be largely empty by 2048 if current fishing trends continue.

So the fight to protect and restore the marine eco-system is a priority in these islands.Growing coral fragments may seem a drop in the ocean, but the Atmosphere Kaniifushi feels it is a worthwhile project alongside the turtle breeding.

One of the guest expeditions they organise is a boat trip out to another island, Naifaru, home to the Atoll Marine Conservation Centre. There its marine biologists rescue and rehabilitate injured turtles. Good luck, little ones.

• Here is a video of Kanifushi’s own sea turtles hatching.