A Wellness Trip to COMO Cocoa Islands Mesmerizing Lagoon

The COMO Cocoa representative put us on a speedboat within 30 minutes of our seaplane arrival from Amilla, and after 40 minutes we were greeted warmly with cold fresh coconut water by the amiable General Manager named Vincent and our friendly butler Fanny.

We were promptly taken to villa 802, and since we had arrived so early we had the entire day to explore and enjoy - which we did!

Just when I thought nothing could compare to the Six Senses Laamu lagoon, we were introduced to the breathtaking lagoon at COMO Cocoa!

We spent a couple of hours swimming around the island. We swam out to the post at the end of the elongated sand bank and back, and then caught the drop off again. There is a nice reef there in front of the line of overwater villas and in front of the jetty area. There's plenty of fish too; it's a colorful aquarium! There are groups of friendly black tip reef sharks, turtles, stingrays and Moray eels! The wildlife is abundant. Even when we were walking to breakfast, seven black tips swam by! The stunning blue water is so crystal clear it made for a great photo op.

I have already ordered the famous Cocoa cookbook entitled The Pleasures of Eating Well. Their Shambhala menu is to die for, for someone who is a "healthy living advocate", it's truly so amazing! That being said, they have a large choice of Michelin quality food on their regular menu as well.

At breakfast they don’t try to have the biggest buffet, but rather a smaller buffet and an a la carte menu that caters to the most refined tastes. Think iron chef meets wholesome, healthy, delicious and exquisitely prepared food.

At dinner we loved the ceviche, kale and shaved cauliflower salad, steamed reef fish with shiitake mushrooms and brown rice. My husband enjoyed the aztec bowl and wagyu beef salad, too.

The banana crepes for desert made of dehydrated fruit, white chocolate and milk smear, fresh berries and a scoop of iced blueberries and coconut sorbet was really wonderful!

For breakfast we loved their delicious avocado toast with curled cucumber on seeded bread with poached eggs. And of course, everything was homemade.

Less is more at COMO Cocoa and we loved everything about it!

The entire staff is wonderful. The General Manager Vincent is super friendly and kind, our butler Fanny, room boy Ismsil, Iron Chef Iladek Risfaz, Nazeel and Not from the five star spa, Chandra, are all great! Apologies for any names I left out - everyone we met at COMO Cocoa was exceptional!

To be balanced and fair though, the resort does have a few resort islands around it so that might not appeal to those who like a remote location. Personally, we felt that aspect was far outweighed by the gorgeous azure lagoon, incredible food, five star staff, hydro pool, modern and smart room design, amazing spa treatments and a small and intimate vibe.

The unique open air hydro pool is in a gorgeous tropical setting and very therapeutic! We also had a 15 minute complimentary guest wide Shambhala treatment as well as a complimentary 60 minute couples massage for our anniversary. Additionally, I enjoyed a soothing hot stone massage. The cold ginger tea served at the spa is especially refreshing!

The best part: At breakfast we were approached by the General Manager who kindly offered to upgrade us to a stunning three bedroom sunset villa with a private gym and lap pool! My goodness, I didn’t even have to think about it. I had to pinch myself and ask, "am I dreaming"?!

I don't believe they were at full occupancy, especially considering that Six Senses and Amilla were at 50- 60%, being shoulder season. In addition we are celebrating our anniversary and my birthday! So it was indeed a generous and kind response to that.

The villa was absolutely breathtaking and was a gorgeous property built right next to the crystal clear, turquoise water at the end of the jetty. We were so grateful and really enjoyed the stunning views and ambiance of this location. The villa has a large living room, and is smartly designed. The aesthetic consists of white on white decor and lots of windows. The only "problem" is we don’t want to leave the villa now, but our daily swim and snorkel awaits!

COMO Cocoa's minimalistic, laid back and relaxing vibe with five star service was perfect for us. Specifically the whole wellness emphasis, which we think is most appealing. And, I love the white on white decor which is all over the island (even in outside seating areas).

The gym is really nice, modern and well equipped. They offer yoga, kayaking and paddle boarding. COMO Cocoa also has occasional "talks" in the evening about the marine environment, which we love!

Overall this is an island that effortlessly "holds her own". COMO Cocoa is a very "nurturing" island with its understated elegance and wellness emphasis. It left us feeling rested, relaxed and looking forward to a return visit due to how well we were taken care of.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Maldives. In need of further inspiration? Check out Susan Anderson’s guide, Maldives Resort Review: Baros.