Soneva Fushi will launch its first-ever overwater villas next year.

Perched above the turquoise depths of the Indian Ocean, the eight new one and two-bedroom water retreats are scheduled to open to guests by April, marking the start of a remarkable new chapter for this iconic Maldivian resort.

Designed to exist in complete harmony with the Baa Atoll’s idyllic island setting, the new retreats adhere to Soneva’s pioneering sustainability ethos, as well as its renowned ‘no news, no shoes’ philosophy of barefoot luxury.

Accessed via a gently curving jetty near Dolphin Beach, at the opposite end of the island to Out of the Blue dining destination, the eight Water Retreats have been carefully designed to ensure the utmost privacy for guests, as well as to make the most of the picture-perfect ocean vistas.

All retreats come with their own private pool, as well as a curving slide that plunges directly into the Indian Ocean.

With a choice of either sunrise or sunset views, the villas feature a large al fresco deck, which includes plush sun loungers, a sunken seating area and catamaran nets over the ocean.

The design and choice of location of the retreats followed a comprehensive environmental assessment within the resort to ensure that the Baa Atoll’s terrestrial and marine ecosystems remained unharmed by construction activity and the subsequent use and maintenance of the villas.

Like all Soneva’s carbon neutral properties, construction materials for the villas were sourced sustainably, while the low impact overwater design maintains and complements the natural beauty of the tranquil coastal setting.